Are Blue Mailboxes Safe For Mailing Christmas Packages In Michigan?
The United States Postal Service has some tips on how to keep your mail safe this Holiday season.
Several News Outlets Are Reporting That Some Blue Mailboxes Aren't Safe
Caution is always a good thing, but some fear mongering web sites have been saying that the United States Postal Service has issued a warning about using blue mailboxes during the Holiday mailing season. As far as I've investigated, that is NOT true.
Rest assured, mail theft and fraud remains a pretty serious federal offense, and while mailbox theft is not unheard of, it is rare, and most standard USPS mailboxes are safe to mail Holiday packages in.
There IS a slight increase in mailbox theft during the Holiday season, but it is negligible.
I would, however, advise you NOT to use the mailboxes in Philadelphia.
The USPS DOES Have Some Tips On How To Mail Safe This Holiday Season
That being said, the Postal Service does offer some tips on how to keep your mailings safe this Holiday season:
- The most secure way to send mail is through the local Post Office retail counter. If that is not feasible, the next safest way is to use the inside collection slots that deposit mail directly into the Post Office.
- If using the Postal Service’s outside blue collection boxes, never deposit mail after the last dispatch time. Each box has dispatch times printed on a label, and it will point you to the location for the latest pickup time in your area. Avoid depositing mail during the night, Sundays, and federal holidays.
- If you witness someone going into a collection box or mail delivery receptacle during non-postal work hours, contact your local police, and notify postal inspectors at 877-876-2455.
- Sign up for Informed Delivery so that you will be notified about mail that the USPS expects to deliver to your mail receptacle.
- Do not allow your mail to sit overnight in mailboxes. If you are going out of town, submit a mail hold order to pause your delivery of U.S. Mail.
- If you think you are a victim of mail theft, contact local law enforcement and the United States Postal Inspection Service. In addition to the Postal Service’s reward on mail thieves, robbery of an on-duty postal employee carries a reward of up to $50,000. Tips can be made anonymously via 877-876-2455, or postalinspectors.uspis.gov.
Are blue mailboxes safe in Grand Rapids? Yes.
Are blue mailboxes safe nationally? Yes, unless you're in Philadelphia.
Or Atlanta...
Did the USPS issue a warning about using blue mailboxes? Officially, No. What they said is explicitly quoted above. Always be wary of click bait headlines.
But as suggested, take caution and always err on the side of caution.