Mail Theft

[Sweetgirl]

We received a birthday card from my husband's parents living in The Villages. It arrived at the house with no postal stamp and was barely sealed even though it had 3 stickers on it as well (had the bar code printed on it). The money that was in the card was missing. We sent out a birthday card to his father, (birthday 2 days apart) with a Outback gift card and as a joke put 5 pieces of tape on the envelope. Guess what no gift card. We do not believe this is happening up at our end. The card we sent out was sent at the post office, did not go through the mail delivery person. Anyone else had a problem with mail thefts?

[chuckster]

Sorry that happened to you....We have sent numerous gift cards from Villages to central New York (finger lakes) and all have arrived. Must be our lucky day.............so far.

[Bonny]

We send gift cards all the time around here & back & forth to Michigan with my kids. Never had a problem.

[Happinow]

We just sent an eBay item to California in a box. It got delivered to the address but the person never received it. based on the information, I believe someone from his apartment complex took it and not the mail delivery people. But I've heard this is happening more and more. Stealing mail is a Federal Crime. If it's happening within the postal service, they will catch them. Please be sure to report this to the post office. Sorry your stuff got taken. Maybe encourage people to send things in a postal box and taped to the max all around it with shipping tape.

[Graytop]

We received a birthday card from my husband's parents living in The Villages. It arrived at the house with no postal stamp and was barely sealed even though it had 3 stickers on it as well (had the bar code printed on it). The money that was in the card was missing. We sent out a birthday card to his father, (birthday 2 days apart) with a Outback gift card and as a joke put 5 pieces of tape on the envelope. Guess what no gift card. We do not believe this is happening up at our end. The card we sent out was sent at the post office, did not go through the mail delivery person. Anyone else had a problem with mail thefts?

:ohdear: That's too bad,...I'd sure report it to whatever post office they sent it through....

[gg]

My neighbor ordered a language program value almost $200. He never got it. He filed a claim and the post office person said she put it by his front door. When do they leave things on the front porch when it fits in the box with the key. He never got it and the post office said it was delivered.

[nkrifats]

Had this issue with a birthday card containing a gift card going from RI to NJ.
Seems to happen on occasion. Does not say a lot for Postal Service but one must consider they have a large number of employees. Like any business they are sure to get some bad ones. My opinion and experience is all I can go by.

[Posh 08]

I mailed a document in January from one VA county to another. Didn't arrive. My SIL mailed a document from Crystal River, FL to me in January. Didn't arrive. Any of you think the USPS cutbacks may be the problem?

[784caroline]

Suggest you go to the local post office and speak to the postmaster. He will ask you to fill out some paperwork detailing the point of origin and destination of the "mail" in question, and the suspected loss. Bring the enevelope with you if you still have it. After his evaluation, he most likely will forward the report to postal inspectors and they are the ones to determine if any pattern exists from other simialr complaints identified by the point of origin/destination and if so, a formal investigation can be opened.

If this is a one time only case, chances are you will never find out what happened...but if a pattern exists, your information will definitley help bring it to a close.

[Sweetgirl]

Good grief, Charlie Brown. Well we talked with our local post office and they suggest filing a report. We called down to his mom and continued questioning how the gift card was removed with all the tape that was on the envelope? Are you sure it's not in the chair or on the floor where it was opened. Nope, checked 2 times. So as we're filling out the report to the post office and just ready to submit, his mom calls laughing. KNEW what was happening. It was found in the garbage. So we're happy and reassured that we can send gifts without fear of theft. :clap2:

[2BNTV]

Good grief, Charlie Brown. Well we talked with our local post office and they suggest filing a report. We called down to his mom and continued questioning how the gift card was removed with all the tape that was on the envelope? Are you sure it's not in the chair or on the floor where it was opened. Nope, checked 2 times. So as we're filling out the report to the post office and just ready to submit, his mom calls laughing. KNEW what was happening. It was found in the garbage. So we're happy and reassured that we can send gifts without fear of theft. :clap2:

As I started to read this thread, I was thinking, "are you sure they put the gift card in the envelope"?. I am glad they found it. :) My son sends me gift cards for my birthday and they always arrive intact.

I agree some packages can be taken as I live in a complex with many units. It has never happened to me but it is quite plausible. I try to have shipments set to where I can personally receive them, like at work. I believe some packages require signatures and not be left by the door.

I am sorry if some people have had their shipment/s taken as this is a disturbing trend. Reporting stolen items is good for the postmaster to know as they liked to be informed so they see if it is a trend.

[Whatever]

Similar problems as described above. I stongly suggest that from hereon you send gift cards by e-mail direct from the store or company. Always keep the receipts until you know that the card was delivered.

Cards were not received but we were able to cancel them and have new gift cards issued, albeit, through the e-mail this time. If we did not have the receipts, there was nothing the merchant could do.

Complaining to the USPS is a waste of time. They could not care less.

[BogeyBoy]

Similar problems as described above. I stongly suggest that from hereon you send gift cards by e-mail direct from the store or company. Always keep the receipts until you know that the card was delivered.

Cards were not received but we were able to cancel them and have new gift cards issued, albeit, through the e-mail this time. If we did not have the receipts, there was nothing the merchant could do.

Complaining to the USPS is a waste of time. They could not care less.

Sorry you feel this way. Unless the Postal Inspectors know of a problem they can't take action. Maybe you won't see results but down the road when two or three others complain and the complaints have a common thread (person) that person will be investigated.

[2BNTV]

Sorry you feel this way. Unless the Postal Inspectors know of a problem they can't take action. Maybe you won't see results but down the road when two or three others complain and the complaints have a common thread (person) that person will be investigated.

:agree:

[ijusluvit]

This happened twice to us, both times sending mail from TV to northern addresses. We filed reports with the Post Office on both occasions. Nothing ever happened.

Think about it. Birthday and other celebration mail is OBVIOUS. Then, if there's a gift card in it, it is OBVIOUS to the touch. Many hands see and touch it. To someone, it's too good to pass up.

We NEVER send obvious mail with obvious cash/gift cards anymore.

[Carla]

Yes, at Christmas I sent a package with gifts in it to my granddaughter in California. It was sent from the Fruitland Park post office and was in an priority or express mail box. When she received the package it was sealed and empty. I am afraid to use that post office again.

[rubicon]

We mailed a birthday card along with a Target gift Card from MN to GA just before we moved down here (6 years ago) Birthday card arrived without the Target Gift Card. We had it cancelled.

[vclaes]

Glad to hear many of you have good results; however, I always insure a gift card for it's value. I also place the greeting card w/enclosed gift card in a padded envelop. A little more trouble, but can save aggravation in the event the card does not arrive.

[Carla B]

I sent a package containing new shoes to my daughter in South Florida a few weeks ago. I meant to send it slow mail but it was only a few cents more to send it Priority Mail. After two weeks it hadn't arrived and we thought it was lost, but then the "priority mail " magically showed up at her front door.

[Pturner]

Complaining to the USPS is a waste of time. They could not care less.

In my opinion, it is never a waste of time to report a crime! In fact, I think it's a crying shame not to.

Say a home is burglarized. If it's an isolated incident, chances are the perp might not get caught and the victim might not hear anything back. Is that any reason not to report it? How would authorities even know an isolated incident from a pattern if victims didn't report? A good example is the recent jewelry thefts.

Please y'all, always report crime.

[senior citizen]

In my opinion, it is never a waste of time to report a crime! In fact, I think it's a crying shame not to.

Say a home is burglarized. If it's an isolated incident, chances are the perp might not get caught and the victim might not hear anything back. Is that any reason not to report it? How would authorities even know an isolated incident from a pattern if victims didn't report? A good example is the recent jewelry thefts.

Please y'all, always report crime.

I agree totally.

It does sound like a pattern and I also would think that they all should report these various missing gifts. We live in a small town and so far nothing has gone missing via the postal service..........but our guys really couldn't care less if it did go missing. Years ago the men were excellent at the post office. Even our post mistress is flabbergasted. They've lost their iniative big time.
My uncle was a mailman way back when and he took pride in his work....as did ours here once upon a time.

One place you wouldn't expect to have crooks and that is Federal Express. Before my husband was retired he shipped some diamonds via FEDEX to New York City and of course he insured it all, etc.............as he always did.

He was able to trace it to the Fedex Distribution Center in Manhattan and he printed out what it showed on the screen that it was indeed there in Manhattan. Once he filed the claim with FEDEX that onscreen report suddenly vanished.

The company claimed they never got it. Long long long story but they offered him $700 for $3,000 worth of diamonds. He refused .
He said that offer on that value was unacceptable. He said he should have sued them.....but it was the busy Christmas season....he strongly feels it was internal theft..........so never say never. Even the big companies.

The address on the package said it was going to the diamond district of New York........so they knew what was in the package. In the past he never had problems.

He just said, "It was stolen with FEDEX". First time in all the years.

As far as the post office, he said it should be reported as it may not be the carrier, but if a sorter or someone internally holds it up to a bright light, in many cases you can see it is a check, cash or a gift card.

What I like to do is email the gift card via Amazon.com or the online store that the "kids" prefer..........L.L. Bean and let them ship it.....many options that ship gift cards..............this past Christmas since we had just returned from the VILLAGES..........I had amazon.com ship all the actual gifts as well as L.L. Bean and it worked out great....they all gift wrapped, etc. and all were received.

[Bogie Shooter]

I agree totally.

It does sound like a pattern and I also would think that they all should report these various missing gifts. We live in a small town and so far nothing has gone missing via the postal service..........but our guys really couldn't care less if it did go missing. Years ago the men were excellent at the post office. Even our post mistress is flabbergasted. They've lost their iniative big time.
My uncle was a mailman way back when and he took pride in his work....as did ours here once upon a time.

One place you wouldn't expect to have crooks and that is Federal Express. Before my husband was retired he shipped some diamonds via FEDEX to New York City and of course he insured it all, etc.............as he always did.

He was able to trace it to the Fedex Distribution Center in Manhattan and he printed out what it showed on the screen that it was indeed there in Manhattan. Once he filed the claim with FEDEX that onscreen report suddenly vanished.

The company claimed they never got it. Long long long story but they offered him $700 for $3,000 worth of diamonds. He refused .
He said that offer on that value was unacceptable. He said he should have sued them.....but it was the busy Christmas season....he strongly feels it was internal theft..........so never say never. Even the big companies.

The address on the package said it was going to the diamond district of New York........so they knew what was in the package. In the past he never had problems.

He just said, "It was stolen with FEDEX". First time in all the years.

As far as the post office, he said it should be reported as it may not be the carrier, but if a sorter or someone internally holds it up to a bright light, in many cases you can see it is a check, cash or a gift card.

What I like to do is email the gift card via Amazon.com or the online store that the "kids" prefer..........L.L. Bean and let them ship it.....many options that ship gift cards..............this past Christmas since we had just returned from the VILLAGES..........I had amazon.com ship all the actual gifts as well as L.L. Bean and it worked out great....they all gift wrapped, etc. and all were received.

I went back and reread all the posts. I don't see where there is a "pattern" of missing items. They were all single instances occuring all over the country. So, where is the pattern.

[graciegirl]

Us old folks. We don't jump to conclusions, we leap, we bound, we catapault, we soar...................

We love to feed rumors and I am one of those old folks. (but inside of me I am 16)

I will quell rumors
I will quell rumors
I will quell rumors.