Proper action for a stolen package from a Buy/Sell/Trade transaction

[buymycards]

Originally Posted by philo98

I had this happen with Fedex last month. They said it was delivered at the house but never was, it was even signed for. I had to go to 5 different Fedex places to get an answer and finally track down the package. The security guard at the last location told me this is occuring often now. They have too many new drivers due to the increase in online ordering, plus being designated a supplier of vaccines. I would imagine these instances will continue. For that, I took out my own 3rd party insurance to cover these kind of things over the next year or so.

As a former Postmaster who tracked down many packages, I can tell you that if you think that a 'delivered" package was not delivered to your address, your Postmaster can tell you, within 2-3 minutes, where the package was actually delivered. There were many times when I looked at the GPS tracking, and I told my customer to look on their deck, or in the garage, or on their back porch, because the GPS shows, within a few inches, where the package and the carrier was when the "delivered" scan was made. Of course, there were many other times when I discovered that the package was delivered to 406 Oak St. rather than 406 Walnut St., or that the package was delivered to a neighbor.

[jchcollins]

Originally Posted by buymycards

There were many times when I looked at the GPS tracking, and I told my customer to look on their deck, or in the garage, or on their back porch, because the GPS shows, within a few inches, where the package and the carrier was when the "delivered" scan was made.

This is one of the reasons I quit having packages delivered to my office. With the one that was "delivered" last year, but nobody had it - the USPS claimed there was no GPS scan detectable because they were inside our loading dock and behind a bunch of concrete and thick walls. I haven't had to challenge it since, but would assume my local carrier does not have that problem out on the street next to my mailbox.

[Jim65]

Originally Posted by buymycards

As a former Postmaster who tracked down many packages, I can tell you that if you think that a 'delivered" package was not delivered to your address, your Postmaster can tell you, within 2-3 minutes, where the package was actually delivered. There were many times when I looked at the GPS tracking, and I told my customer to look on their deck, or in the garage, or on their back porch, because the GPS shows, within a few inches, where the package and the carrier was when the "delivered" scan was made. Of course, there were many other times when I discovered that the package was delivered to 406 Oak St. rather than 406 Walnut St., or that the package was delivered to a neighbor.

Problem is so many Postal employees are too lazy to do this or they play dumb when you ask.

[sb1]

I have had only two different PO boxes in over 30 years. At each PO, nearly every clerk new me and each Postmaster also knew me due to my daily drop-offs and pickups. They went to great lengths whenever there was a problem, to find the item or get it to me.(like a 52 mantle that Fedex dropped off at the wrong house that got taken to the PO by the elderly recipient and the lady at the PO new to contact me).. Even now I sometimes go in and ask for some help on one stuck in the system and they get me the internal detailed report.

On the two occasions that I had postal insurance claims back in the old days, each was promptly paid without delay.

They hold my packages and even call me when I have several registered or other express items so that I can come get them.

It certainly doesn't hurt to develop and maintain a rapport with those handling your valuable items....

[facingthelake1188]

Hi Rick,
So the postal service can actually track packages via GPS? Is that on all packages or does a package have to be shipped priority or by another delivery method? What is the GPS attached to, the label with the scan bar code? Thx for this info.
Larry

Originally Posted by buymycards

As a former Postmaster who tracked down many packages, I can tell you that if you think that a 'delivered" package was not delivered to your address, your Postmaster can tell you, within 2-3 minutes, where the package was actually delivered. There were many times when I looked at the GPS tracking, and I told my customer to look on their deck, or in the garage, or on their back porch, because the GPS shows, within a few inches, where the package and the carrier was when the "delivered" scan was made. Of course, there were many other times when I discovered that the package was delivered to 406 Oak St. rather than 406 Walnut St., or that the package was delivered to a neighbor.

[Bigdaddy]

I would assume the GPS tracker is part of their hand held scanner. Wherever that scanner is when it scans the barcode and marks the package as 'delivered', then that is the GPS location.

[Jim65]

Originally Posted by Bigdaddy

I would assume the GPS tracker is part of their hand held scanner. Wherever that scanner is when it scans the barcode and marks the package as 'delivered', then that is the GPS location.

My old mail carrier would scan her packages at the truck before she put them in the bag. So its not foolproof.

[buymycards]

Originally Posted by facingthelake1188

Hi Rick,
So the postal service can actually track packages via GPS? Is that on all packages or does a package have to be shipped priority or by another delivery method? What is the GPS attached to, the label with the scan bar code? Thx for this info.
Larry

All packages that have a bar-code can be tracked. First Class, Priority, Express, Registered, Media Mail, Parcel Post. The carrier's scanner scans the barcode on the shipping label, and immediately uploads the info into the tracking system. The information is available to the Postmaster within seconds of delivery and it only takes the Postmaster or Supervisor a couple of minutes to pull up a Google Map that shows exactly where the delivery scan was performed. This info isn't available to most clerks and carriers - just management employees.

The problem is that some carriers don't want to carry their scanner around the route, so they scan several packages while they are inside their vehicle, which is against the rules and doesn't provide useful tracking data. I always spot checked the scans my carriers were making to make sure they were not making the delivery scans until they were actually putting the package in the mailbox. If a customer had a problem, and the carrier didn't perform the scan properly, I would have the customer come to the Post Office so the carrier could explain why he didn't do his job properly.

When used properly, the info on Google Maps will show, within a few inches, exactly where the delivery scan was performed.

As far as what James said about some employees being too lazy to provide this information, he is correct. When I was still working, several times a day I would receive an email or a phone call from neighboring Post Offices asking me to look up the GPS information for them. I didn't mind because I loved trying to track packages for customers.

[icollectDCsports]

Originally Posted by buymycards

The problem is that some carriers don't want to carry their scanner around the route, so they scan several packages while they are inside their vehicle, which is against the rules and doesn't provide useful tracking data.

On several occasions, I've received notifications that USPS deliveries were made to me, often very late in the day, when that for sure wasn't the case, but with the items actually being delivered the next day. I assume carriers are just scanning multiple items they plan on delivering but don't want to actually spend the time scanning upon each delivery. Glad the items have all arrived, so far, in such cases but of course, until I do get them, I worry that they've been mis-delivered or stolen. Very frustrating.

[ASF123]

Originally Posted by icollectDCsports

On several occasions, I've received notifications that USPS deliveries were made to me, often very late in the day, when that for sure wasn't the case, but with the items actually being delivered the next day. I assume carriers are just scanning multiple items they plan on delivering but don't want to actually spend the time scanning upon each delivery. Glad the items have all arrived, so far, in such cases but of course, until I do get them, I worry that they've been mis-delivered or stolen. Very frustrating.

Seconded - I’ve had the exact same experience, also multiple times (in the last six weeks). The false “delivered” scans are always recorded as being about 5 minutes before the official close of the day they had been scanned as out for delivery, but I get the alerts at around 4 am, so I assume it has something to do with gaming the scanning system to avoid a negative mark on a delivery record or something.

[bobbyw8469]

Your tracking number just got a hit....you have movement!!!!!!

[hammertime]

Patience is a virtue.

(one I often don't possess myself, but nonetheless)