USPS fails to help as customer loses $6,000 due to missing mail – community has been raising concerns about the problem for years

A USPS customer is fuming after losing a staggering $6,000 due to missing mail, a problem that has wreaked havoc on an entire neighborhood for years.

Despite receiving delivery confirmations, residents found mailboxes empty as packages and checks disappeared without a trace.

In Crescent Park, West Houston, the issue has escalated, leaving residents desperate for a solution.

“It’s terrible, something needs to be done,” resident Eliseo fumed.

Eliseo told FOX local affiliate KRIV that his wife’s personal information was stolen, leading to credit card fraud that cost them up to $6,000.

“They opened credit cards in different stores,” he said of the fraudsters.

Residents in his neighborhood have been dealing with issues with their mail since 2023.

They say at least seven cluster mailboxes have been targeted in the area, with hundreds of break-ins over the past few years.

Nobin Easowjohn also had his bank card stolen and thieves racked up $2,000 to $3,000 in charges.

“I haven’t gotten that money back,” he told KRIV.

“Every other day, it’s a big problem,” Lilia Medrano, president of the neighborhood’s HOA, said.

Medrano has reached out to various authorities, such as the USPS, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the sheriff’s department, and local government officials, but so far, no solution has been provided.

USPIS told KRIV they are investigating the break-ins and working closely with local law enforcement.

Mail carriers access cluster mailboxes in the neighborhood with a master key.

USPS said the area is being considered for electronic lock installation but didn’t give more details on the timeline.

“The Beechnut area was identified as being an area where electronic locks are being installed,” a spokesperson told the local TV station.

“For security reasons, the location of the electronic locks will not be disclosed.

“The Postal Inspection Service routinely receives complaints from members of the public.

“We do not confirm, deny, or otherwise comment on the existence of ongoing investigations.

“As this is an active investigation, the Postal Inspection Service cannot provide additional information.”

Residents, however, are frustrated with the delays. Medrano and others are now calling for a more effective solution.

“We want individual mailboxes,” she said.

Eliseo echoed the sentiment, demanding more immediate action.

“This situation has been since last year, and nothing has been done, so I want to say to authorities, take care of this matter,” he said.

MISSING PACKAGES

The mailbox nightmare comes as a new scam emerged targeting USPS customers.

Con artists are ordering expensive electronics such as phones, tablets, and computers, under strangers’ names and then swooping in to steal them when they’re delivered.

The scammers closely monitor tracking information, ensuring they know exactly when the package will arrive at the victim’s address.

Once the package arrives, the scammers move quickly, often snatching it from a doorstep before the homeowner even realizes it’s been dropped off.

But they’ve also resorted to knocking on a homeowner’s door and asking for the package.

There have also been incidents where criminals impersonated the homeowner to claim the package directly from USPS.

The tactics are making it increasingly difficult for residents to protect their deliveries.

“Most of these deliveries have confirmation numbers on them and they’ll know exactly when they’ll be delivered, so they’ll beat the victim to the mailbox,” Sheriff Jerry Goodin said.

Other times, thieves requested a shipping address change and had expensive items delivered to a drop location to be picked up later.

USPS THEFT STATS

In May 2023, the USPIS launched Project Safe Delivery to combat the rise in mail theft and violence against mail workers.

The program is a nationwide effort in partnership with state, local, and municipal police departments.

Statistics show a concerning trend: nearly 70% of Americans have encountered missing or stolen mail.

In 2023, package theft by porch pirates alone accounted for 115 million stolen items, costing consumers an estimated $9 billion, according to Forbes.

In some instances, mail was stolen even before reaching porches—taken from collection boxes or stolen directly from postal carriers.

The rise in theft is reflected in official reports, with the US Government Accountability Office documenting nearly 600 incidents of robbery against postal workers in fiscal year 2023—a significant increase from just 90 in 2019.

The surge in crimes has raised alarm across communities and prompted stronger federal action to address the growing problem.

USPIS didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment by The U.S. Sun.