Online Shopping Fuels Lost Mail Concerns Across New York State

If it feels like a package or letter has gone missing lately, you're not alone. A new study found that New York ranks second in the nation for searches related to lost mail, suggesting that residents are dealing with missing letters and packages.

New York Ranks Second

The study looked at Google searches for terms related to lost mail, including "USPS mail recovery" and "FedEx lost mail." They found that New Yorkers make about 12,631 lost mail-related searches each month for every 100,000 residents. That was the second-highest rate in the country.

Only One State Ranked Higher

Colorado took the top spot with 12,667 lost mail-related searches per 100,000 residents. New York was close behind, followed by Florida, Georgia, and Vermont. Researchers think New York's large population and busy cities play a role with millions of people getting letters and packages every day, mistakes can happen.

More People Are Shopping Online

The rise of online shopping may also be contributing to the problem. New Yorkers receive many packages each week, which means there are more deliveries being made. When delivery volume increases, so does the chance that a package could be delayed, delivered to the wrong address, or go missing.

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Other States on the List

After New York, the states with the highest rates of lost mail searches were Florida, Georgia, Vermont, Wyoming, Washington, Maine, Nevada, and Oregon. Many of those states deal with severe weather, large rural areas, or rapidly growing populations.

Where Is Mail Least Likely to Go Missing?

The study found that Oklahoma had the lowest rate of lost mail searches in the country. Mississippi and South Dakota also ranked among the states with the fewest searches related to missing mail.

Items That Can't Be Shipped Via U.S. Mail

It's illegal to ship these items by mail in Massachusetts and throughout the rest of the country.

Gallery Credit: Jesse Stewart

12 Shrewd Email Tactics Hackers Use To Rip You Off

Computer hackers are working full-time nowadays --not only to hold major corporations hostage with ransomware -but they're also hard at work trying to gain access to private computers and personal information of unsuspecting victims. Surrendering access to these schemers could have disastrous consequences, but sometimes it can be difficult to tell what's legitimate and what's not. That's why I'm sharing 12 emails I've personally received that appear to be as bogus as a three-dollar bill.

No doubt, you have received very similar emails in your inbox and wondered if they were legit. A good rule of thumb to follow is when you receive an email from an unverified source - do not, under any circumstance click on anything in the email or download any attachments. That is exactly how hackers can gain instant access to your computer and your information.

Gallery Credit: Zane Mathews