Junk Mail or Information from My Lender?

By Robert Eastwood and Mike Dzielak | Published: July 2023

If you have a mailbox, then odds are you’re no stranger to junk mail.

And if you’ve also closed on a loan recently, whether a mortgage for your home or loan for your business, it is likely you’ve received quite a few solicitations in your mailbox that look as though they could be from your lender.

Here is how to tell if that mailer is really from your lender or if it is just junk.

What Do These Mailers Look Like?
Junk mail is nothing new, but why do you get an influx of it after closing on a loan?

There is an abundance of companies that utilize information that is public record or that they’ve purchased from another company to send solicitations to consumers. This has been commonly seen with mortgages for years, but increasingly borrowers are receiving solicitations that appear to be from their lender for other items like business loans as well.

For example, you may receive a postcard stating something along the lines of:

• “We’re trying to reach you about an important matter regarding your mortgage.”
• “Our review indicates you may have $XX,XXX in available funds that are entitled to compensation for retaining employees during the pandemic…”

The mailer may even include details on the amount of your loan, your actual lender’s name, and more in an attempt to appear legitimate. But if you look at the fine print, you’ll often find that the solicitation states that the company contacting you is unaffiliated with your lender.

It is important to be wary of similar messages you may receive via text or email. Read the fine print carefully and never click any links from a message you were not expecting to receive.

Are They Legitimate?
If you’ve received a mailer like those described above: it’s junk.

These mailers can cause concern for consumers when receiving them since they relate to their loans and may even include the name of their actual lender somewhere on the piece of mail. These companies continually adjust the design of their mailings to appear more official or legitimate, with some going so far as to make them look like government documents.

While not all companies contacting you through these methods are illegitimate or looking to scam you, they are often looking to blur the lines of whether the mailing is really from your lender, so it is vital to use caution before responding to any mailers.

What Should I Do?
If you receive a mailer like those described above, the simplest thing to do is toss it in the shredder or recycling bin.

If you’re unsure if the mailer is legitimately from your lender or if there is any action you need to take, call the number on the official website for your lender (not the one on the postcard you received), and your financial institution will be able to verify if it is real or just junk mail.

For more tips on keeping yourself and your information secure, visit our Security Center.

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About the Authors
Robert Eastwood is Senior Vice President, Chief Information Security Officer at WSFS Bank. He has more than 24 years of experience in the information security field, including nearly 20 years at WSFS, most recently as Vice President, Information Security Officer, where he developed and executed a multi-year strategic plan for Information Security. He also holds a number of professional certifications and memberships in the Information Services, IT and financial services fields.

Michael Dzielak, MBA is Senior Vice President, Director of Financial Crimes at WSFS Bank. Prior to joining WSFS, he spent more than 20 years at the FBI, most recently as a Special Agent on the White Collar Crime Squad, where he was responsible for investigating financial fraud and corruption, and was a leader of global and national criminal investigations in the financial institution fraud, money laundering, government fraud, healthcare fraud, public corruption, civil rights and child exploitation arenas.