Can You STOP Mail Service?

[JustMeUC]

I spend most of my time out of the USA and therefore have anything of any importance set up online. But, I have a "real" address and have to pay for a box for my mail. I don't think I have gotten anything of value except CC's for at least a couple of years and I could have them sent to a relatives house if I needed to. When I went to pick up my mail this morning, I realized I don't want to pay for a box for unwanted mail anymore.

I mean I guess I could just stop paying for the box and not contact them anymore..... but the owners of the stores are nice people and I don't want to have them responsible for the 20-30 or so pieces of CC advertisements and related junk mail that shows up each month. What would they have to do with them if they just never heard from me again??

Is there anyway to permanently stop it at the post office level?

 

[REWahoo]

Is there anyway to permanently stop it at the post office level?

Fill out a change of address form and list your new address as "unknown".

 

[JustMeUC]

What happens to the mail if you do that? Do they return it to sender or destroy it?

 

[REWahoo]

Depends on how the sender has set up his mail system. This will tell you what the sender's options are:

Domestic Mail Manual F030 Address Correction, Address Change, FASTforward, and Return Services

 

[rbmrtn]

You might try using the "hold mail" feature that USPS offers. You can do it online or with this form http://about.usps.com/forms/ps8076.pdf. If you select the option that you will pickup the mail supposedly delivery will not resume until you have picked it up.
I guess it goes to the "dead" letter office if never picked up.

Ask the folks that handle your mailbox what they do. They may already have some procedure to deal with it. I'd bet your not the first person to stop using their service.

 

[Ronstar]

We do not get mail at our condo, even though we have a mailbox. The condo is in a development that has several snowbirds - us included. I stopped taking the mail out of the box several years ago because it was only junk mail addressed to "resident at...". The mailman must be just throwing the mail away, because there is never any mail in it. He did put a card in the mailbox for me to fill out our names, but I didn't fill it out. Maybe the USPS doesn't know we live there.

As others have said, explain your situation to the USPS. They will probably have a solution for you.

 

[Alan]

Interesting question.

When we are out of the country for many months our son empties our mailbox once a week or so, but it is mostly junk, so we would be in a similar position if we had to hire a mailbox service.

What address do you use for your tax return?

 

[JustMeUC]

I have used my box for over 5 years now. My DL home address is listed at this address, IRS and everything else is listed at this address. For all intents and purposes is my "home" address.

 

[Alan]

I have used my box for over 5 years now. My DL home address is listed at this address, IRS and everything else is listed at this address. For all intents and purposes is my "home" address.

If you manage to permanently stop all mail going to this address does that not invalidate it as an address?


I've put a stop on my mail many times before but the US post office has a max time frame for this, which is only a matter of weeks or months.


Having an address that cannot receive mail sounds like a legal issue.

 

[gauss]

I believe that the show Seinfeld addressed this issue several times during its run:

(see 63 seconds) Seinfeld Mail fraud - YouTube

(see 95 seconds) Seinfeld - Kramer vs. mail - YouTube


-gauss

 

[kramer]

You have to maintain a mailing address for your income taxes, investment accounts, credit cards, and drivers license. Also, you should be able to receive certified mail, especially for tax purposes. You don't need a mailing address to vote in most states although you must specify a location (park bench, etc).

You can do all this via a mail box service and it is not expensive. In some states, you can have this address become the address on your driver's license (it is on mine).

I have a secretive friend who does not want anyone to know his living address. He has a mail box service set up. He will not accept mail at his home, which is an apartment. He physically blocked the mail box there so that the mailman cannot put mail into it. As far as I know, he did not have a problem with the post office.