Informed Delivery - a free new USPS service

[Sunset]

It is strange that USPS does not make it somewhat hard to sign up, and make it cost money payable only by credit card, so that they could at least rely on the credit card authenticating the person.

So if you were going to scam someone, first you would have to get their CC info, and at that point, is more scamming needed as you can shop or sell the CC info.

[steelyman]

I signed up yesterday (wasn’t aware of this service and appreciate the post).

I also wasn’t aware of an upcoming price increase in first-class stamps ($.50 to $.55) so picked up some forevers.

[googily]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunset It is strange that USPS does not make it somewhat hard to sign up, and make it cost money payable only by credit card, so that they could at least rely on the credit card authenticating the person. So if you were going to scam someone, first you would have to get their CC info, and at that point, is more scamming needed as you can shop or sell the CC info.

I know some people have to go to the post office to set it up. Maybe it's easier to set up if you have a long standing USPS.com account that you have shipped through or ordered stamps, etc with?

[Sunset]

Quote:

Originally Posted by steelyman I signed up yesterday (wasn’t aware of this service and appreciate the post). I also wasn’t aware of an upcoming price increase in first-class stamps ($.50 to $.55) so picked up some forevers.

Some years ago, I stocked up on stamps to avoid the price increase in future years.
I just checked my stash, and realized I have 1,500 stamps !! A lifetime supply.

As an investment it has worked out pretty well, over the past 10 years, the annualized increase in value has been 3% per year and it's tax free.

[sengsational]

Yesterday was the first day where I DIDN'T get essentially what was reported in the USPS email. I've had it for a year or more. I don't read the email every day, but most days. Yesterday I only had a delivery from Hong Kong...no flat envelopes at all, which is strange, so I looked, and I was supposed to get a few other things. I've decided not to check the "did not receive" box unless they don't show up on Monday.

[ivinsfan]

They certainly won't show up on Monday��..I feel safe saying your mailbox will be empty

[Sunset]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ivinsfan They certainly won't show up on Monday��..I feel safe saying your mailbox will be empty

ha ha ha, I agree....

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. it's MLK day

[sengsational]

Y'all got me!

[bjorn2bwild]

The cluster mailbox is a half mile + away down a steep grade. On low activity days, informed delivery lets me decide whether or not a trip to the box will be worthwhile.
To googily's point, USPS contacted me with the enrollment offer through the email linked to my account. I just logged in with my credentials and agreed to the terms.

[aja8888]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerry1 Does it allow you to tag the junk mail and not let it be delivered?

No, what's scanned is delivered (most of the time).

[audreyh1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunset Some years ago, I stocked up on stamps to avoid the price increase in future years. I just checked my stash, and realized I have 1,500 stamps !! A lifetime supply. As an investment it has worked out pretty well, over the past 10 years, the annualized increase in value has been 3% per year and it's tax free.

Yeah - it's getting to where we might only use stamps once a year. And we still have a stash of old as well as forever stamps. So we have been putting a string of old stamps when needed - messy, but already paid for! I think we have enough stamps to last for the next two decades!!!

Maybe you should sell half your supply!

[ExFlyBoy5]

Have been using the Informed Delivery service for well over a year now (and at 3 addresses) and it has been great. I can think of only a couple of pieces of mail that I was expecting, but didn't arrive...but they were delivered within a day or two. Our new home has a large mailbox that will "drop" the mail into a secure bin underneath after it's delivered, so now I only get the mail once a week or so, unless something "important" is being delivered.

When we moved the last time, there was an authentication issue, but that was resolved by them sending me a confirmation number to the new address (that had been confirmed via CC). It was kinda odd that when I first went to change it, they asked the verification questions that you see on occasion (credit report questions, such as creditors, estimated payments, etc.) but not a single question had information that was pertinent to me...it was as though they used someone else's credit report to ask the questions.

[Scratchy]

I signed up for this. A while back, using this service, I saw I had a letter coming from the IRS. Spent most of the day worrying about it, but it turned out to be nothing bad. A few other similar experiences after that and now I delete the emails without opening them. Maybe it will come in useful at some point but not so far.

[Cat-tirement]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bjorn2bwild The cluster mailbox is a half mile + away down a steep grade. On low activity days, informed delivery lets me decide whether or not a trip to the box will be worthwhile.

I like this aspect of it too. Also occasionally useful when expecting something perishable, then I know when it’s been delivered and should go down to the box.

[travelover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scratchy ........... A while back, using this service, I saw I had a letter coming from the IRS. Spent most of the day worrying about it, but it turned out to be nothing bad. A few other similar experiences after that and now I delete the emails without opening them.........

This is a great strategy, but why stop at deleting the emails? Just throw away the letters, too. They can only bring bad news.

[doneat54]

Are people paying for this? I signed up, have been getting the e-mails but was not aware they were charging for it. I have a USPS account with a CC on file as I run a home hobby business and ship lots of stuff. I just logged into my CC account and didn't see any USPS charges.

I like the service. Pictures of all the junk mail that I am going to dump in the paper recycle bin later in the day...

[gwraigty]

There is no charge for this.

[steelyman]

This service at my street address is now confirmed (I asked to receive the verification code by paper mail, which didn’t take long).

Next up: a box located at the town post office that I opened prior to moving here (a really big help while in the process of moving and settling in). I didn’t realize you have to register separate USPS accounts to get Informed Delivery for two separate addresses (home and P.O. box), but that’s pretty painless.

[steelyman]

This service finally paid dividends for me this week in that I am able to skip my usual weekly trip into town to check my post office box. Already knew there was nothing of interest waiting!

Occasionally I receive an email that says there’s a piece of mail for which there’s no scanned image. I’m guessing, but don’t know for sure, that signals junk mail or similar.

[Cat-tirement]

Quote:

Originally Posted by steelyman Occasionally I receive an email that says there’s a piece of mail for which there’s no scanned image. I’m guessing, but don’t know for sure, that signals junk mail or similar.

In my experience, it’s non-first class junk mail, an item somewhat larger than about 6x6 inch (large envelope, catalog) or something that just got missed by the scanner. The latter doesn’t seem common.