US Postal Service

Consumers have a lot of problems with USPS, as the complaints in this section attest.  What's perhaps most unfortunate about this is the hostility displayed by too many postal employees who could care less whether their efforts to serve taxpayers are successful.

USPS • Damaged Mail • Lost Mail • No Mail Delivery • Stolen Mail • Wrong Mail --- • Address Disputes • Change of Address • Dangerous Drivers • Hostility • Prescriptions Mishandled • Privacy Violations • Restricted Substances --- • Priority Mail • Express Mail • Military Mail --- News • Postal Service May Seek Service Cut • Movie Fans Suspect Foul Play at the Post Office

By the way, many consumers routinely leave their outgoing mail in the lobbies of apartment buildings. Not a good idea, as Christopher of Seattle now knows.

Then there's the question of whether the Postal Service is meeting the letter and spirit of the Americans With Disabilities Act. Oh, and some of those postal workers don't drive too well either.

A few of the more recent complaints ...

Patricia of Arlington, TX July 3, 2009

they deliver the wrong mail, someone does not watch the street names they just look at the numbers and just stick the mail in our box. We have not received mail that came from local address on several occassions. we have gotten cards in the mail that were open when we got them. checks and cash in the amount of 100.00 ( 50 in cash and a 50 check is still missing)

Tanisha of Bronx, NY June 28, 2009

I moved and i put in a change of address on 05/08/09 and i am not receiving my mail. the mail is being put into my old apartment box. I've called USPS at 18002758777 to complain about this and i have been to the Post Office on several occasions to complain and i have filled out another form on 06/17/09 and my mail is still being put in the wrong box.

On several occasions the supervisors had to come out and put my mail in the correct box after me calling to let them know i am missing mail.My and my children's name are in our new box and the mail person continues to put my mail in the old box.

Bryan of Omaha, NE June 25, 2009

I sent in a change of address form before I moved from colo.to Nebraska.It has been over two weeks and still no mail fowarded.I tried to speak to the branch Mgr but he didn't have time to hear my complaint.And hung up on me.

Jane of City of Industry, CA June 23, 2009

We have a lazy postman that does not like to walk up the stairs to get a signature for certified mail. Missed dealines for IMPORTANT information.

Jeff of Peru , NY June 23, 2009

To whom it may concern, I used USPS's services the other day to purchase 2 money orders that equated to 1500USD and sent them priority mail with tracking to my home address. 5 days have passed and the package still hasn't arrived. I thought was odd because priority guarantees 2-3 business days and the package was going to a town 2 hours away in the same state. Also, I had done this and used this service a few times before without any hassles and my package always arrived safely within 3 days. When I called the USPS customer service line to inquire about the tracking information and possible lost parcel, the represenative was not only rude, she hung up the phone on me just before indicating that I was wasting her time. I then called a second time to inquire hoping for a better experience, however I received nearly the same treatment. There's no excuse for a goverment run agency to hang up the phone on a tax payer and customer, especially when they have a legitimate reason to call and inquire.

Priority mail is guaranteed 2-3 business days and I used their facility to purchase 2 money orders to send with their mail service. I'm writing because I feel that I have been diligent and polite with customer service but I fear that I will never get anywhere with this issue. At this time I feel as though I'm preparing for a financial loss if something isn't done. I have the receipts for the money orders, and I'm confident that no one else will be able to use them legally as they are specifically to the care of my father, Andrew Passno, also indicating his address and telephone number. I need to know who I can call to rectify this situation and recover my funds. USPS is not being helpful and is treating me like a second rate citizen. I appreciate any and all help or insight that you can provide.

Rafael of Yonker, NY June 20, 2009

I sent a package to Syracuse, New York express mail on June 18, 2009 with a guarantee that the package would be delivered by 12pm June 19, 2009. Apparently, the package reached Binghamton on June 19, 2009 at 5:00am and someone at the postal office in Binghamton, New York sent the package back to New York. The package was sent to the White Plains Office, then to the airport(Jamaica Station), then to Yonkers where a notice was left stating to pick up the package. No reason was given for failure of delivery. Moreover, the post office is closed on Sunday, therefore I cannot pick up the package until Monday.

lashantee of gaithersburg, MD June 17, 2009

I am not receiving any of my unemployment checks. However, I am receiving the rest of the first class/DPS mail for my address with no problems. I want someone to investagate the situation. Thank you sincerely!!! I am behind on all my bills due to the fact that I am not receiving any of my biweekly checks. This could ultimately cause eviction/ turn-offs due to non- payments.

Michelle of Crosby, TX June 5, 2009

On 6/3/09 @ 10:09am I went to the Crosby, TX post office to mail out some important documents (ie..a check). I was waited on by Clerk #08 (Alice). I told her that it needed to be delivered by 6/5/09 by 5pm at the latest and asked her how I should send it. She told me since it was only going to Houston (zip 77014) that I could send it Priorty Mail with delivery confirmation (so that I could track it) and it would be there on 6/4/09 as it was only a 1 day point. As of today 6/5/09 @ 6:14pm the only information provided to me is that my letter was accepted for delivery on 6/3/09 @ 10:03am at the Crosby, TX post office. When I talked to Gwen Davis, the postmaster @ Crosby, she told me that I will have to wait until it is delivered because they just can't find it. She also told me that because I didn't send it express mail, I have no recourse. She told me I should have known better and sent it express and not priority. I told her the last time I checked I did not work for the post office and therefore rely on the expertise of postal employees to tell me how I should ship time senstitive material. I was told I should have known better and that postal employees have a script to follow and Gwen said that there is nothing that she can do.

And because I didn't ensure it, all of this entire fiasco is my mistake. The time sensitive material is a check for my housing payment that if not delivered by the 5th of the month, evicition proceedings start on the 6th. Now the check was a cashiers check from my bank. I called to see if I could stop payment and get a new check issued. The only way that this can be done is by obtaining a surety bond from an insurance company and only then can a replacement and stop payment be preformed. The surety bond takes 72 hours to be approved. I would like for the post office to find my mail and return it to me ASAP so that I can hopefully hand deliver it and avoid being evicted. The check was a cashiers check for 1050 and I can't stop payment on it without a surety bond issued by an insurance company. The bond takes 72 hours to be approved and without it I can't stop payment on an official check for 90 days. My rent is now past due with late fees of 45 for the first day and 10 a day after that.

Linda of Arnold, MD June 12, 2009

On May 12th I went in and paid to have a letter sent certified. It was very important. I never received my return receipt. I would like a letter explaining that it was lost and what efforts were made to find it and I would like my money refunded it least. Mr. Dale T was rude and said maybe I put a wrong address on the envelope. I am a Manager of a business and always proof what I do and I think Mr. T should show more respect in how he treats a customer. I contacted him this morning because the person in his office never bothered to call me back.

Sharon of New Haven, CT June 1, 2009

at approx 2:30 today, June 1st I kept dailing the post office and someone would pick up and then hand up. This happens quite often at many of the sub-stations not just this one. VERY annoying especially if calling from a cell phone where you get charged and use your minutes. I know this is not a huge problem but it is not the way things should be. Whatever happened to customer service?

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