A storefront on Burbank Boulevard in Los Angeles that resembled a routine mailbox shop is alleged to have been a "fraud factory" tied to nearly 100 P.O. boxes used in identity-theft schemes. SentiLink linked many stolen or synthetic identities to the address and reported that roughly 80% of associated addresses were used to open bank accounts while about 10% targeted loan attempts. The USPS said the site was never registered; the listed owner could not be reached and visible mailboxes were later removed.
Hidden 'Fraud Factory' on Burbank Boulevard: LA Mailbox Shop Allegedly Used to Funnel Dozens of Stolen Identities
An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows A wall of mailboxes, with several rows of small, numbered compartments, Image 2 shows MailboxLA storefront with
A modest storefront on Burbank Boulevard in Los Angeles that looked like an ordinary mailbox shop is now under scrutiny after investigators say it served as a sophisticated "fraud factory" tied to dozens of identity-theft schemes.
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Detective Sgt. Pete Hish said what happened at the Burbank office is a new level of identity theft. CBS NEWS
What Investigators Found
From the street the business appeared routine: a sign reading "Mailbox LA" and "Anytime Mailbox" branding in the window. Inside, investigators previously observed rows of metal P.O. boxes mounted on a wall; when reporters later visited the site the boxes had been removed and the front door was reportedly left unlocked.
At one point, dozens of metal mail boxes on the wall could be seen on the wall, but those are all gone now, with the front door left unlocked. CBS NEWS
Authorities linked the location to nearly 100 P.O. boxes, according to a report by CBS Los Angeles. Investigators and fraud experts say those addresses may have been used to receive sensitive financial mail tied to stolen or fabricated identities used to open bank accounts and take out loans.
"A fraud factory that people are walking past, running past, driving past every day and [they're] none the wiser." CBS NEWS
"What we're looking at when we talk about this business is a fraud factory," said David Maimon, a fraud specialist at SentiLink, the firm that helped identify suspicious activity tied to the location. "A fraud factory that people are walking past, running past, driving past every day and they're none the wiser."
Scope And Patterns
SentiLink said its analysis connected a large number of identities to the address. The firm reported that roughly 80% of the linked addresses were used to create new bank accounts, while about 10% were involved in attempts to obtain loans under victims' names without their knowledge.
A regular store front on a busy street in Los Angeles was hiding an alleged "fraud factory" experts say may be linked to dozens of stolen identities in attempts to get lines of credit or take out loans. CBS NEWS
Investigators allege operators used stolen identities—or fully fabricated ones—to apply for lines of credit and loans, listing the Burbank address as the mailing location for banking and loan correspondence.
The sign on the outside of the now empty store on Burbank Boulevard read "Mailbox LA" with "Anytime Mailbox" signage on the front window. CBS NEWS
Responses And Red Flags
Anytime Mailbox, which offers virtual mailbox services, said it had no connection to the storefront operating as "Mailbox LA." The U.S. Postal Service confirmed the location was never registered with USPS, a required step for private businesses that accept mail through the postal service.
Attempts to reach the person listed as the shop owner were unsuccessful, and a Google search returned no active business listing. Of the people whose names were tied to P.O. boxes at the site, only three responded to inquiries; those three said they live overseas and have no connection to the Los Angeles address.
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Detective Sgt. Pete Hish called the operation a new level of identity theft, saying it was "even more bold" to run a physical location apparently dedicated to receiving stolen-identity mail. Experts warn that the removal of the visible mailboxes illustrates how such fraud infrastructure can quickly relocate and evade detection.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office and the U.S. Postal Service were contacted for further comment.
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