A USPS official is sounding the alarm about missing mail and what customers need to do to make sure their packages are safe.
It comes as the agency is undergoing a major overhaul as it faces a tough and uncertain future.
The USPS has been working to combat letter carrier robberies and other ways scammers obtain personal information using mail.
David Gealey, a US Postal Inspector and Public Information Officer, along with other USPS officials, conducted a press briefing on Wednesday to discuss the achievements of Project Safe Delivery.
Project Safe Delivery is an initiative that started in 2023 to combat a surge in mail fraud.
“Under Project Safe Delivery, there’s been a 27% decrease in letter carrier robberies,” Gealey said.
Since the initiative began, there have been about 2,400 arrests made for mail thefts and robberies.
Gealey said the arrests have been a deterrent for criminals.
“They are getting more jail time, and word on the street is, ‘You can’t just do this and get away with it,'” the USPS official said.
While the situation is improving, customers can still be threatened by scammers.
USPS officials warned against some common schemes that customers should look out for.
“USPS, the postal service, doesn’t send unsolicited text messages,” Gealey said.
The USPS will also never include a link in a text or email, officials said.
Consumers are advised to remain vigilant against brushing scams, a tactic where scammers send unordered packages and subsequently create false customer reviews under your name.
“They just use you as a tool to help booster their sales or their online marketing,” Gealey explained.
If you are sent an unsolicited package, officials said you can keep it if you want but warn against using a QR code if one is provided in the box.
These QR codes can be used to confirm your personal information.
Avoiding mail theft
To prevent mail theft, the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) recommends residents take several precautions.
- First, avoid letting mail sit in your mailbox—inspect it daily and remove it promptly.
- For package deliveries, track shipments on the USPS website and sign up for email or text alerts to stay informed.
- If you’re not home when your mail is scheduled to arrive, consider asking a trusted neighbor to pick it up for you.
- For longer absences, you can have your mail held at the Post Office by requesting this service online.
- If valuable mail such as checks doesn’t arrive, immediately reach out to the issuing agency.
- It’s also crucial to update your address with the Post Office and any businesses you regularly correspond with to avoid potential issues.
- Lastly, for outgoing mail, it’s safer to hand it directly to your letter carrier or deposit it inside your local Post Office for added security.
Source: U.S. Postal Inspector
Officials also advised customers to report the package immediately and check their bank and credit accounts just to make sure they weren’t affected.
Gealey warned against counterfeit stamps as well.
If you see an online offer for a huge discount on stamps, it’s most likely too good to be true.
Gealey also warned against romance scams.
Romance scams are when fraudsters use fake identities to earn someone’s trust and then get them to send money or personal information.
“Customers should never send money, checks, gift cards, or personal information to someone you’ve not met in person,” he said.
If you receive any suspicious email or text purportedly from USPS, authorities urge you to report it by forwarding the message to [email protected] or by forwarding it to 7726.
MAJOR CHANGES TO COME
On Monday, USPS head Louis DeJoy resigned as postmaster general—a decision announced in February.
DeJoy stepped down at a time of great uncertainty for the postal service.
President Donald Trump floated the idea of having Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick oversee the agency.
The USPS is currently run by its board of governors.
Some Americans have worried that this could be the first step toward the privatization of the USPS, something that tech billionaire Elon Musk, head of Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has called for.
Meanwhile, the USPS is rolling out several changes starting April 1.
Service standards for first-class mail, periodicals, marketing mail and package services will be adjusted.
This will save an estimated $36 billion over 10 years but create slower delivery times for 11% of customers.
USPS employees will also be allowed to leave facilities earlier to travel longer distances to deliver mail.
This will help improve postal reliability for customers in rural areas but also create delays for customers’ mail deliveries when they drop off packages.
Additionally, USPS will not count Saturdays or the day before a holiday as a transit day for packages, meaning packages mailed on those days will take an extra day to arrive.
Zipcodes will also be changed to use a five-digit regional add-on.
