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Has anyone else had this issue with mailing cards? I recently had a card mailed to me that did not make it here. It had a slit cut down the side edge and the contents were missing. I have had only a couple of things not make it to their destination in all the years of mailing things. It made me so sad for the person who sent it to me, as she makes beautiful cards, and I know she spent her time and energy creating it. I know the effort we put into making our cards. Plus, she had written a nice note inside for me.
One of the times I had this happen was when I mailed a card with a gift card inside. It never made it there, so I assume it was stolen. I wondered if that is what happened with this one, if someone assumed it had a gift card inside. I've also heard that the post office has been stuck having to use some faulty machines, even though perfectly good machines were dismantled and trashed last year. I won't get into that whole fiasco. I actually feel bad for the employees of the postal service, as they have been dealing with an impossible situation for quite some time in some areas.
I actually started putting some cards in the small manilla envelopes and adding an extra stamp, so it would be hand processed, and make it harder to conceal also. I assumed the one that I sent that never made it was probably stolen from their mail box, as they live in an isolated area. Our road is busy, and as far as I know, nothing has been stolen from our box.
Just wondered if anyone else is having this happen.
The following 4 users liked this post by hoptownracer1:
I haven't had letters or cards go missing, but this past fall I had ordered a bunch of teas from David's Tea and two weeks letter all that was delivered was the shipping label. Someone in the postal sorting/main distribution area had neatly sliced around the shipping label and stole the box of teas. The USPS stuck the label in an envelope with a form I could fill out to track down the package. I knew it would be next to impossible to find the original package, but it was possible to find out at what facility the theft occurred.
More recently, a letter arrived with the envelope unsealed. It was a very good thing the letter remained inside the envelope because it was from a foundation my middle daughter had applied to for a large aviation scholarship and the letter was telling her she'd been chosen to receive it!
__________________ Nicole
The following 2 users liked this post by cnsteele:
There are many issues with the post office, but I don't blame most of the little people. I blame the idiots in charge that are making horrible decisions. They need a new postmaster. One that knows what he's doing.
__________________ Keep what is worth keeping
and with the breath of kindness
blow the rest away.
The following 8 users liked this post by Paula in GA:
Several cards I have sent to my granddaughter have been sliced open like someone was checking for money. We started to kept a closer eye on the mail after she told me two cards were opened, and for some reason when I have mailed the cards from inside my post office, those are the ones opened. It looks like with a knife, not a tear from machinery. Of course, my post office denies any issues. I now mail any cards to her from a standing box in her town (only a few miles over from me and my town) and they arrive safely. I subscribe to several magazines, and most have torn covers if they aren't in plastic bags. We used to get a lot of mail with coffee stains, but that stopped after a few people on our route complained about the carriers. No one takes pride in their work anymore. And, postage is going up in August, plus they are cutting back on distribution centers, and possible cutting postal hours. I guess they figure we need to go digital.. which I am learning to do, but have a Card Ministry and still send snail mail almost daily. I used to figure on a card arriving in 2-3 days, depending on the city... now I have to figure at least 5-7 days. Extremely frustrating. One Easter card took over 2 1/2 weeks to travel 18 miles from my home. UGH !
I am sorry that stuff is happening. :( Just feels like the most "trusted" institutions are all getting messy...the PO, banks....
When we had a mass mailing to my building related to our annual Board elections-a bunch of them arrived with the short end slit open. The contents were all in there on mine thank goodness.
I understand there is a mailing machine that makes that error from a postal worker I am friends with.
However in some of the cases above I would definitely call the 800 number (it will take 45 mins to get thru and keep asking for CS) and report it. I have had good luck with that and finding lost/stuck (sitting at one place for weeks x tracking) packages. But if envies going out from one station are repeatedly sliced open-definitely report that!!! And the lost tea. It is a Federal crime so it is no joke. They have cameras every where too. They can figure it out. I think it is happening bc people don't report it. Or even start with the station master. I have done that too...when mad enough I have dropped I will call the Post Master General. Even though I dont have faith in this one...it a viable threat.
It is very short sighted on the bad guys parts bc the less people trust the PO, the less they mail and the more stations get closed and jobs lost.
Netflix must have had a problem with the discs bc they asked us to return them via stations and not street boxes. I would assume that meant a lot of them went missing.
__________________ Margot
I am a proud fan club member
Well, I guess I can feel lucky this hasn't happened to any of my mail so far. I have, however, had problems with the PO completely demolishing packages, and sending the crushed, empty box to me with an "We're sorry" label..argh! In two cases, it was the same sender, who sent me gifts. Even though she insured the package, they wouldn't even consider a claim unless she had the actual, orginal box it was mailed in. The box had been ripped until all that was left was the label, which was mailed to me in a clear plastic bag. So she was out everything, and I never got anything either. So frustrating.
My daughter mailed $200.00 worth of product to a friend and customer of hers, but the mailman delivered to the wrong address. Apparently, he had often misdelivered mail, and her friend was always having to hunt down her own mail in the neighborhood. Countless complaints did nothing to change things. Because my daughter had only taken standard insurance on the package of $50.00, she had to re-order and re-send an additional $200.00 worth of merchandise..and eat the cost. The frustration wasn't just the money that was lost, it was the fact that they knew where the package was misdelivered, but the PO said they can't do anything about it.
So sad to see this happening. That's not even counting people who steal mail out of mailboxes...this is just PO stuff!
Karen
I remember one really amazing PO story! My daughter had ordered a swimsuit and our mail carrier put the package in his bag to deliver it to us (he has a walking route). When he got to our home, he realized the package had fallen out of his bag, so he retraced his steps to find it. Well, he got back to the spot where it had fallen out but all that was on the ground was the ripped open packaging with the invoice inside. He felt so bad that he left money and a note of apology in our mailbox for my daughter.
Another time, he picked up mail at my parents' home (which is just a mile from us, so he delivers on both our routes) and he saw my mom was mailing a card to me but had forgotten to put a stamp on it. Knowing he'd be delivering my mail in just a few hours, he put it in his bag and delivered it to me, even without the stamp.
That mail carrier has since retired, but our mail carrier now lives one street over from me, so we know her, too. And she's just as awesome! Thought it'd be nice to share some good PO stories, just so you know good carriers are out there.
__________________ Nicole
The following 10 users liked this post by cnsteele:
We recently lost our mail carrier; he left the Postal service. He did awesome. I haven't had issues with our new one. Seems to do alright too.
I hope we get a new Postmaster General. I love mail service. I don't want it to be destroyed.
The following 3 users liked this post by hoptownracer1:
We had several weeks of mail completely vanish when I submitted a change of address form on line. I put the start date as the first day we would not be in our old house but the mail carrier thought it was effective right away. Their excuse was "most people put in the change at the last minute, no one plans ahead." Well, I do. And I hope there was nothing important in the missing batch.
Mary Beth
I'm not aware of envelopes being opened… yikes! It is taking a lot longer for things to get delivered. My family lives one state away and it is taking at least 7-10 days to get things to them. I'm a little worried about the father's day cards I sent out to my dad and brothers. I sent them early and not one has arrived. Maybe someone thought there would be a gift card in there?
Maybe it's time to make one layer slimline cards and send them in a plain business envelope. Type the address so it looks like plain 'ol bulk mail… LOL
I won't mail anything "important" from the post office in my little town as I have had problems of mail never getting to it's destination. I'm usually going through another close town so I mail things there and there is never a problem. I complained about our postmaster but he has "seniority" and nothing can be done about him.
Lats Christmas I sent a 100 check to my son in SC. It never showed up to this day. I stopped payment end of Dec and sent another one. Got there in 3 days. funny thing is he is a mailman himself.
We have had lots of issues in my area with carriers stealing money from envelopes, stealing packages, etc. Apparently, cards are opened to see if there is money inside and if there is, it is stolen. They have caught a couple of them so far. It is a real problem.
As much as I like to support the mail carrier, sometimes too many of the people are just common thieves in uniform. As far as change of address, notify the important people directly to assure it is proccessed correctly.
I had two of my grand kids, one whose birthday I was VERY late getting out and another coming up and decided to send them both at the same time. Both has $20.00 in them and they never got there. So I had to remake the cards and put them together in a padded envelope and the they made it. Next grandchilds birthday I made a bank transfer as me and my daughter both have accts at Navy Fed. It 's not as fun as getting it in the mail but better than paying double. I have heard that they can tell if it is a handmade card (not all) and will open it looking for cash and gift cards . And even on the news where people have found lots of mail just thrown in a ditch not delivered at all. So sad when people can't take pride in their job. I remember (back in the olden days) it was real impressive to work for the post office. I guess like when people would get dressed up to go on a plane.
I'm still waiting for my Mother's Day card my friend sent. Another woman received the same friend's card just two weeks ago. I sent Father's Day cards to my brother and my father, they live next door to each other, and my brother received his, but my father did not. I've been hearing of so many people who have received tortured or MIA mail that it's frustrating and disappointing. I've mailed to Cards for Kindness a box of cards and I never heard from them although the tracking for Priority said it had been delivered. It is what it is, I suppose. Not much recourse unless items are insured.
Over the last few years the birthday cards my sister-in-law, who lives in Scottsdale, has mailed me have never arrived. They are simple store-bought cards without any enclosures. I think her Post Office has a personal vendetta against her. My sil has learned to take a photo of my birthday card before she mails it, knowing that most likely the card will never get to me .... she later emails me a photo of the card I never received! I send her hand-made cards for her birthday and in recent years two cards did not get to her. I put a lot of time and love into those cards, so it's upsetting to both my sil and myself. Since I always take a photo of each card I make, at least I can email her a photo of the card. My solution to this problem is to place her birthday card in a brown business envelope and address it to her husband so that her name doesn't show up on the envelope. After I began doing that, all of her cards have gotten to her without any problem.
__________________ Rita
God demonstrated His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us ... being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. Romans 5:8 & 9
I just sent a big box to Cards for Kindness and the tracker said it had been delivered, but I read somewhere that they lots of cards so it would take quite awhile to sent out acknowledgements. So it could be there but just not opened yet. I send cards to Card Care Connection and only know they got the box when the small donation check gets cashed.
Wow, I thought I'd had some crazy problems with the USPS, but from what I've read here, some people have even worse issues. I am surprised at many of these stories, but I probably shouldn't be. We had a spate of mail thefts in our area last year, and it happens periodically as well. Most times it's people who follow the mail carrier truck and grab mail out of boxes, but there have been cases of mail carriers seen rifling through mail right there on the street as well. I never mail cash, and always get my mail as soon as it's delivered. I also do almost all of my bill paying online. Of course, I'm retired now so am home when it gets here. Our postman told us that getting a locking mailbox doesn't help at all, because mail thieves can pop the lock in no time.
Karen
I have had so many issues with the mail service in the past two years! I no longer buy gift cards other than the ones I will hand-deliver or use myself. If I would give a gift card or a check, I Venmo the money to the recipient. I suppose it isn't as much fun but at least it gets there.
I worry that all this tampered mail or undelivered mail is going to ruin my hobby for me and others who enjoy making and sending cards.
. . . I used to figure on a card arriving in 2-3 days, depending on the city... now I have to figure at least 5-7 days. Extremely frustrating.
I completely agree--Extremely frustrating!
If it had never been a 2-3 day delivery in the past, it would be one thing. But we KNOW they can do better than what they have been over the past couple years.
__________________ Brenda
<-My sibling kitties, Milo and Rousseau
The following 2 users liked this post by Paper Junky:
These stories are just awful. I guess I really don’t know if my cards arrive at their destination. I don’t always get acknowledgments, but I don’t necessarily expect an acknowledgement.
They have always said that you shouldn’t mail cash, although I don’t know how someone would know cash is enclosed in a card. My mom once mailed my son a birthday card with a gift card enclosed. He lives in Baltimore City, and surprise, surprise, it never got delivered.
it is my understanding that the mail X-rays the mail... ( so, when I am sending money as a gift I always send it as a paper check) not cash and not gift cards and my gifts seem to get where they are going.
I am going to be sad when my mail lady retires next year, ( she is the mom of a Marine and that is how we started to become friends was she struck up a conversation when I got one of my very first boot camp letters in the mail years ago)
Issue with mailing cards?
