WILBRAHAM, Mass. (WWLP) - The Wilbraham Police Department is warning residents not to use USPS drop boxes to send checks or money in any form. Two arrested, several injured after fight at The Big E in West Springfield According to the Wilbraham Police Department, fake checks have been reported to the police department that are believed to be involved with mailbox fishing schemes. A mailbox fishing scheme is when thieves gain access to US Post Office mailboxes and steal mail. The thieves look for checks and other forms of money or personal information and use a solvent to wash the original writing off the check. The thieves can then easily alter the amount and the payee, and will typically have someone else deposit the check for them in exchange for a cut of the money. Victims of this scheme can end up losing hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. USPS drop boxes are not secure containers, which means it is much safer to hand your mail containing checks to a letter carrier or counter staff directly. If you are going to use a USPS mailbox, try to drop off your mail as close to pick-up time as possible. Local News Headlines The Richard E. Neal Cybersecurity Center of Excellence set to open in Springfield Wilbraham Police warn against using USPS drop boxes to send money Two arrested, several injured after fight at The Big E in West Springfield Storrowton Day wraps up first weekend of the Big E WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.