Missing mail

[poppy42]

So what do you do when your mail turns up missing? My wife ordered some make up items. Never received them. I've had my wife's sisters wedding invitation never received. Paper work from social security supposedly mailed to me but never received. I've checked with a couple neighbors, a few have had things that never showed up. I've checked with the post office and got the old we'll look into it response. Now in fairness I don't know if it's the post office messing up or if it's actually someone taking mail. The stuff my wife ordered was simply replaced by the vendor. I don't know any of the neighbors accept to nod hellos to. And as a matter of fact there are a few that I don't think very highly of. So I don't put a lot of stock in what they say. What I've herd from the ones I've questioned is " I had a letter from aunt so and so that she mailed and I never got" and "well I herd so and so was missing some stuff". social security is known for "we sent this out we don't know why you didn't get it". So I actually have no substantial proof. Nothing that's gone missing ha had a tracking number accepte maybe my wife's stuff and the vendor would rather right it off as a loss than pursue the issue. So I'm stuck! Until something with a tracking number goes missing. I've tried to let anyone who might be sending something my way know to make sure there is a tracking number. I watched for the mailman but he doesn't always come at the same time. other than that what else can I do? Anybody have any suggestions?

[Outpost75]

Do you have a rural mail box or a post office box?

Rural mail boxes are easy pickin's for thieves

[alamogunr]

I've had very little go missing over the years. About a year ago, I had a quarterly estimated tax payment to the Internal Revenue Service go missing. I had to pay the bank $36 to stop payment and send another check. I just mailed a similar check today and crossed my fingers. Our mail goes thru the Memphis, TN post office so we never know if it will get past there.

The main problem is slow mail. I'm an elected county commissioner and we are notified by mail of upcoming meetings including agenda. Some don't get their packet until the meeting is past. Seems kind of ridiculous to send it to Memphis and have it sent right back where it started. When I say slow, I mean 10 days to 2 weeks.

[poppy42]

It's not a po box it's a mail box if a package is delivered the mailman usually rings the bell to let someone know. That's great if someone is home. Other wise it's left at the door. As far as slow mail, it's crazy. I can get something from across the country in 2 days but something mailed from a mile away might take over a week to get. No rhyme or reason. I should note there have been issues in the neighborhood. I had a gps stolen out of my car and 3 months ago some kid was shot about a half mile away from me. The cops said it was an isolated incident and gang related. It's not like I live an the getto, it's Virginia Beach but as we all know it doesn't really matter where you live crime can happen anywhere. I'm just a a loss as to what more I can do.

[pete501]

Get a locking mail box. We had mail theft years ago. DIY: cut a flap in the box's door and bent it inward. I leave an unlocked padlock inside and my postal carrier has agreed to put the padlock on after the mail is delivered.

[DCP]

Sign up for informed delivery at USPS

You will know if it got to your PO

https://informeddelivery.usps.com/box/pages/secure/HomeAction_input.action

[poppy42]

Sign up for informed delivery at USPS

You will know if it got to your PO

https://informeddelivery.usps.com/box/pages/secure/HomeAction_input.action

I'll look into that!

[funnyjim014]

Order something from amazon and watch the tracking info. The ones who steel packages can't resist a amazon taped box

[GhostHawk]

Locking box, if they try to break that video camera. Or even a trail cam not in use. Put it where they can't get to it without a ladder, and noise. Should discourage casual lifters.

We had a couple of packages go missing. My wife had actually ordered 2 25 lb boxes of cat liter from Walmart and they disappeared. Someone thought they had something good and was disappointed.

The other option is one of those rather inexpensive driveway alarms from Harbor Freight. Those work rather well as long as someone is around to hear it.

[runfiverun]

a post office box is less than 60$ a year.

[RED BEAR]

I have mail missing all the time it is so bad I will not mail anything from my house I take everything to post office. And the worst part is its not a their it is the postal worker. I count think they steal it its just plain incompetents. I've had them drop a box of mail for the other 40 houses on my road. If you try to complain at the post office you may as well be talking to a rock. There is no one above the post office I can find to complain as if that would do any good. I feel very lucky when I get anything. As you may be able to tell the mail service is one of my big gripes.

[poppy42]

Red bear I hesitate to point the finger but I know what you are saying. I am definitely not 100% convinced that someone is taking the mail. I am home a large portion of the time the mail is delivered. And I know for a fact that mail has been delivered to the wrong address as I have received others mail. I mark it wrong address and put it back in the mail box( or if it belongs next door, I bring it to the right party). I am sure that others are not as honest. That's one of the reasons I have asked for tracking numbers. As least I will know when it's been delivered. Somewhere. I fear that there is no easy solution to my problem. I certainly don't have any extra funds for added security as I am on social security and it is my only income. I can't even even replace the mailbox without permission. It's my sons home, it's a rental with a home owners association. I fear my only option is to be diligent and keep my eyes open in hopes of catching someone or something. To accuse anybody without proof would just cause more problems than it would solve.

[rond]

[QUOTE=DCP;4147082]Sign up for informed delivery at USPS

You will know if it got to your PO

https://informeddelivery.usps.com/box/pages/secure/HomeAction_input.action[/QUOTE

Works very well, they are expanding service to packages also.

[Three44s]

Wrong delivery is your carrier's doing. ... period!

You have been doing your due diligence by marking it so, but some of your neighbors have not. We have fought this several times over the years and I strongly suggest that you and your affected neighbors go to a supervisor and tell them in no uncertain terms that you will contact your congress person if it's not remedied. That way he or she will know how to vote the next time the duds go begin' for a raise!

(Also your PO will know you mean business)

Three44s

[Handloader109]

I've lived in NWA for almost 8 years. Fayetteville PO and delivery to my first house was fantastic. 99.9% of mail arrived on time and that included lead. Great driver.
Been here in Springdale for over 2 yrs now. Mail delivery has been VERY spotty. Items arrive two to three days later. Nothing that I'm aware of has not been delivered, packages usually in mailbox (it's big and a lot fits into it) or brought to door. But I'll bet money the driver either skips, or is out sick and no one else delivers at least one day in 6. Times vary considerably, from morning to 4pm. And I have received other folks mail MANY times. I'm assuming mine has gone to them too! I'm here 95% of the time and get mail fairly quickly ever day. Part of working from home and a 400ft drive is exercise for me also. Hit or miss with your problem. I'd bring up with postmaster again if package goes missing.

[poppy42]

Well here's an update. Today I received a package from across the country that was mailed 2 days ago. No problems. Could it be the my missing mail problem has been rectified? I can only hope!
I like to thank everyone for there suggestions and I will update as this progresses as I don't think it's quite over.

[mjwcaster]

Complain to the local post Master and work your way up the chain of command.
Years ago we had mail issues, the local PO just blew them off.
After my wife got through, the local po had flyers with the postmasters contact info plastered all over the office, we we're on a first name basis with the regional postmaster who would call to check on our mail and had received calls from the postmaster general in Washington.
Iirc, the local postmaster was replaced.
This was over 10 years ago, but Becky sure got a great response and things were changed at the post office.

Took some leg work as the local post office stonewalled her at first, but after she worked the chain of command they sure had a different attitude.

Actually surprised me how well the USPS handled the situation.


Sent from my Z958 using Tapatalk

[bdicki]

http://www.seinfeldscripts.com/images/newman1.jpg

[William Yanda]

I am currently working on an issue. I mailed a wood chisel to the Houston area, just ahead of the storm, 8/28. USPS notified me that delivery might be delayed for weather related reasons. 9/4 the buyer emails me, asking: Where is my package, USPS marked delivered. I filed a claim. Yesterday, the chisel was in my mailbox, mailed from Arkansas, with a Postmark of August 12. When I went to the PO to remail, they checked the tracking and could not figure out what had happened. I can go back Monday, to see what they figured out, in the meantime I am out the cost of remailing.

[Blackwater]

Ask for the name and number of the local postal inspector. They work within and know the ropes, and are generally pretty sharp. One of my wife's cousins was one, and he got some deserving people fired for such things as this. And he'll know how to do things, and will most likely make the problem "go away" even if he doesn't find out who it is or why they're doing it. The postal service has many good folks, but like every other group, some "bad apples" are in there too. Probably THE biggest influence for good or ill is the local postmaster, but don't judge unless and until you know what's going on and why.

And things like this DO need to be brought to light! Ol' Ben Franklin probably turns over in his grave when one of his boys or girls goes bad!

[Moleman-]

We had a lady letter carrier years ago that would only deliver every other day if it was raining. Our current guy is great, but the guy who fills in for him fills out the "no one home" slips for packages with delivery confirmation. Several times I've seen him leave that slip without ever checking to see if someone was in fact home.

[xs11jack]

Poppy you might want to do a canvas of your neighborhood to see if there is a pattern or just a lot of no deliveries. If so take the results to the Postal Inspector, and if there is no satisfaction go higher.
Ole Jack

[jarhead0321usmc]

At my previous house, I had the constant problem of my mail some how being delivered at my neighbors mixed in with their mail. Not everything just a letter or magazine every so often. This was fine for awhile until the neighbor moved and a new neighbor moved in that never let me know if something came to them. I also at that same residence had issues with package thieves. A trail camera set up out of view finally caught them.

[mold maker]

I have received incorrect address mail in the past and usually, it's a close neighbor so I hand deliver it. On at least a few occasions I've had my mail and or packages misdelivered as far as seven blocks away, and was notified to pick it up.
You'll never know how much misdelivered mail is trashed at both ends.
I live in the second block from the PO, and once took an additional bag of recyclables to the street before the truck came to collect. My recycle can was running over with sales fliers that were being delivered that day. Guess the mailman was in a hurry and that eliminated many stops.
Considering how much junk mail is delivered, in addition to real mail, I'm astounded at the correct delivery of most of it.

[gwpercle]

You can file complaints at www.govspot.com/complaint/postalservice.htm
Every time you have a problem, complain loud and long . Everyone in the area should file complaints at every problem. These complaints go above the local postal peoples heads and they will soon have their superior's breathing down their necks, somebody will do something .

You shouldn't have to but a very simple solution is to open a box at the post office or at a mail center. The mail will be put in your box and no person on the street can get it.
My wife works at a mail center, she picks all the mail up at the post office and it is put in customers mail center boxes. Packages are delivered and held safely for customers . The mail center is secure and is closer to the customers residences than the main post office . They do this just to avoid the problems you are having .

My daughter has a similar security problem, packages sometimes disappear or are left on the ground and in the rain . She now has them all sent to my house address in the city. She wasn't getting bills either so she now has set up a on-line way to pay them.

It seems like every year the postal service gets worse and worse....no way to run a railroad is it .

Good luck , complain loudly to the big guys , the squeaky wheel will get the grease if you keep at them.
Gary

[RED BEAR]

I checked the link and it says to complain to local postmaster. Ben there done that. Left complaint on line was supposed to receive replay in 24 hours been 6 months and counting. I have been informed that you can complain to your congressman but mine thinks post office is best thing since sliced bread. Understand there is a congressional commitee you can complain to might try it. My best experience was when I mailed off bill payments and 2 weeks after they were mailed a neighbor 10 houses down brought them to me saying had been delivered that day. Credit card company more than doubled my interest rate for late payment. Just loved that one. They want to go to 5delivery days I wish the mail would come 5 days a week next door has security can that sees the street and the mail never comes every day.my old mail man refused to use mail box (on house and have to climb 3 steps to get on porch) just throws it on porch no roof rain wind did not matter. At least my fence usually fought most mail that blew away didn't do anything for rain . I just love the post office. When I hear a postal employ complain how hard they work I just laugh and say they are lucky they are not paid what they are worth they would starve.

[1911sw45]

Doing the PO box you still can get missed delivered mail. I had one for 4 yrs and had missed delivered mail many times. Usually the box numbers around your box. But not always. So no telling how many times mine was missed delivered to another box and that person just threw it away inside of handing it in to be redelivered.

[w5pv]

I found a sizeable of mail on our road that had been threw away by the mail carrier because she didn't want to deliver it.I gathered it up and carried it to the PO in town and haven't seen her on the route since.

[mold maker]

Since I don't follow sports I wouldn't notice that as a cause. The shooting sport does interfere with my mail reading, but who wants to read bills.

[DCP]

Sign up for informed delivery at USPS

You will know if it got to your PO

https://informeddelivery.usps.com/box/pages/secure/HomeAction_input.action


Well then, today was the 1st time there was missing mail. So I call the Post Office. Was told it would PROBABLY be here tomorrow.

Poor Wife, today is her birthday and no cards

This is what the website says. What a joke!

You may have more email than is shown here. To check, go to your Dashboard red arrow
Mailpieces may arrive several days after you receive the notification. Please allow up to a week for delivery before reporting missing mail.Report missing mail red arrow

[Petrol & Powder]

a post office box is less than 60$ a year.

/\ THIS /\

As for notifying the postal inspectors, you can do that if you want but stolen mail is somewhere below overdue library books in terms of priority. They are NOT going to spend time on that.

[CLAYPOOL]

I have had a ITHACA MAG - 10 LOST IN THE MAIL SYSTEM SINCE APRIL 14 - 2017. They found it at the ATLANTA, GA. mail - package recovery center. I was notified August 28 -2017, still no $ 705.00 shotgun returned . No September Verizon phone bill either. Paid late on line with daughters help. She handles the upgrades, packages, and all who are on my bill. Her and her brother are out on their own, but i pay that one. Told older sister was paying her cell phone as with a average of 28 minutes a month I needed to be able to reach her when I broke down in the back 20 or some where so I don't haft to walk.It could be worse I guess. Sister is also wandering around yard sales and secdh and can ask me about something I might want or need. Kind-aw handy.