RaySecur has released the 2021 Annual Mail Threat Report. This report provides a comprehensive view and analysis of mail threats by aggregating official U.S. government data and cataloging incidents reported in the mass media over the past year to better highlight the prevalence and dangers of mail threats. The 2021 report data reflects the ongoing global discord and conflicts that have resulted from COVID lockdowns, vaccination mandates, and other societal stressors.

Mail security is often overlooked, according to RaySecur. This is because security executives often lack access to complete mail threat data to help them understand the probability and impact of potential threats, which limits or negates the implementation of security strategies to mitigate these risks. 

“The lack of comprehensive data is one of the key reasons mail threats remain one of the largest gaps in physical security,” said Alex Sappok, Ph.D., CEO, RaySecur. “Our report is the only resource to compile government data and mass media reporting in one place so that security leaders can proactively plan and implement measures to address these vulnerabilities. It’s core to our mission of keeping our customers safe.”

Findings from the report include:

• 59% of suspicious mail threats triggered an emergency response including the police, FBI USPIS, Hazmat, and others, as well as causing disruption and/or harm to the recipient.
• 89% of responded to mail threats were delivered via letters or small parcels, mailed via curbside dropbox and therefore without chain of custody tracking. 
• 57% of the letter threats contained white-powder substances or illegal drugs.
• The top 5 most targeted states in the U.S. were New York (10%), Texas (9%), Pennsylvania (7%), Georgia (7%), Alabama (7%).
• 64% of international mail threats occurred in Western Europe or Asia.

A webinar to discuss the findings will take place on Feb. 24 at 1 p.m. ET. To register, visit raysecur.com/webinar. The 2021 Annual Mail Threat Report is available for download at raysecur.com/webinar.