Bankers celebrate new law to combat mail-related financial crimes

The Texas Bankers Association (TBA) is applauding Governor Greg Abbott, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, and Texas lawmakers for passing and enacting legislation to combat mail-related financial crimes and the organized criminals behind them.

SB 1281, authored by Senator Tan Parker and strongly supported by TBA, updates the state’s mail theft statute to address current criminal trends, including large-scale theft of checks from the postal system and the growing black-market trade of stolen arrow keys used to access mailboxes.

“This new law attacks a problem that’s been plaguing community banks, their small business customers, and Texans at their home mailboxes,” said Chris Furlow, President & CEO of the Texas Bankers Association. “We’re proud to have worked with Senator Parker and our law enforcement partners to pass a solution that gives state and local authorities the power to intervene faster and to prosecute criminals more effectively.”

Check fraud losses tied to mail theft have doubled since 2021, with $688 million lost in 2023 alone. Texas banks have repeatedly sounded the alarm on cases where customer checks have been stolen, altered, and cashed—some worth tens of thousands of dollars. In one case, a criminal was caught with hundreds of pieces of stolen mail in his car during a traffic stop in North Texas.

SB 1281:

• Expands the legal definition of mail theft to include mail still in transit, not just after delivery.
• Introduces a penalty structure tied to the number of stolen checks rather than the number of addresses, allowing more precise charges for large-scale operations.
• Creates a specific offense for the theft of U.S. Postal Service arrow keys—tools increasingly targeted in violent robberies.
• Includes a rebuttable presumption for theft involving five or more mail addresses—excluding legitimate business activities.

The Texas Bankers Association convened a Fraud and Security Task Force last year to gather data on the growing problem of check fraud and to assess the impact on communities. In January 2025, TBA hosted a Fraud Solutions Summit bringing together bankers, legislators, prosecutors, leaders of the Texas Financial Crime Intelligence Center, and other law enforcement officials to map out a legislative package to address such crimes.  SB 1281 evolved from the discussions.

Law enforcement groups across Texas—including the Houston Police Officers Union, Harris County Deputies’ Organization, Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas (CLEAT), and the Texas Municipal Police Association—joined TBA in backing the bill, citing the urgent need for more effective state-level tools.

“This is another big win for Texas consumers and sends the message that, if you commit financial crimes in Texas, don’t expect a slap on the wrist—you’re going to prison,” Furlow said. 

SB 1281 is one of five major fraud-fighting laws backed by TBA that will go into effect this fall. Contact us to learn more about these new policies and how they protect Texas banks and consumers.

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About Texas Bankers Association

Founded in 1885, the Texas Bankers Association is the largest state-based banking association in the US. TBA advocates for roughly 400 member banks in Austin and Washington, trains more than 20,000 bankers annually, provides nationally recognized community bank services, and invests in Texas communities through financial literacy, scholarship, and charitable activities.