USPS's Informed Delivery

[Elixer]

For those that didn't know, this free service basically takes a pic of all your mail (well, most), and can deliver that to your e-mail address, so you know what is coming.

So far, no real complaints, until today.
Today, they sent the e-mail and instead of the pic(s), it says: "There is a mailpiece for which we do not currently have an image that is included in Today's mail." Repeated 3 times.

Anyone have a clue on why that would be the case?

Those that want to sign up for this, go here https://informeddelivery.usps.com/box/pages/intro/start.action

 

[bradly1101]

I signed up when first offered. So far no problems. I like it.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

I have not used this service, but I have used their text alaerts, which has made it more efficient to alert me to their misdeliveries.

 

[Charmonium]

I signed up for this quite a while ago too. I'm not sure it's really of much use to me though. You can see what's coming but if it's anything that looks interesting you still need to wait for it to be delivered to find out what it's about. I guess if you're really waiting with bated breath for something it might be useful to know it will be delivered that day but it seems kind of gimmicky.

I assume that this was something that the mail sorting machines already do - take pix of mail as it goes through the sorter. So all they needed to do was mate the images to an email address. I hope they didn't spend a lot of money on this project.

 

[snoopy7548]

Sounds pretty cool. It could be a way to help fight mail theft if you know what should be in the mailbox each day, though I'm not sure how prevalent mail theft actually is.

 

[pcslookout]

Thanks.

 

[pcslookout]

Sounds pretty cool. It could be a way to help fight mail theft if you know what should be in the mailbox each day, though I'm not sure how prevalent mail theft actually is.

I would think it would cause mail theft maybe.

 

[pcslookout]

BTW can everyone in the family do it or only one person?

 

[Elixer]

BTW can everyone in the family do it or only one person?

Only one person at that address needs to do it, since it will take pics of everything coming to that address.
It doesn't screen by name.

 

[pcslookout]

Only one person at that address needs to do it, since it will take pics of everything coming to that address.
It doesn't screen by name.

Thanks but can you use more than one mobile number or email address for alerts ?

 

[BarkingGhostar]

Where is this picture-taking action taking place? I mean, if I get an email that shows five pieces of mail is supposed to be coming to me on a given day and only three come how do I know it just wasn't delivered vs. stolen? Is it the last mile postal carrier taking the pictures?

 

[purbeast0]

Can you tell them what to deliver and what to not deliver after you see pics of it? About 99% of the mail I get goes straight into the trash because it's all junk.

 

[Charmonium]

BTW can everyone in the family do it or only one person?

It's tied to an email account so anyone with the login info should be able to see. In terms of getting the notices, it looks like it only accepts the email you register with. But someone with the login could go to usps website and view the past 7 days of mail.

Where is this picture-taking action taking place? I mean, if I get an email that shows five pieces of mail is supposed to be coming to me on a given day and only three come how do I know it just wasn't delivered vs. stolen? Is it the last mile postal carrier taking the pictures?

I don't know but my guess is that it happens when the mail goes through the sorters. That would be the easiest way to do it.

 

[Elixer]

Can you tell them what to deliver and what to not deliver after you see pics of it? About 99% of the mail I get goes straight into the trash because it's all junk.

That would be awesome, especially come election time, but, nope, they still must deliver all the crap.

For what it is worth, the same day I got the e-mail with that message above, it was just 3 normal letters (bills), so, not sure why they couldn't take a pic of them.

 

[destrekor]

That would be awesome, especially come election time, but, nope, they still must deliver all the crap.

For what it is worth, the same day I got the e-mail with that message above, it was just 3 normal letters (bills), so, not sure why they couldn't take a pic of them.

Various reasons, my guess is the volume of snapshots happening (likely during the address scanning procedure) may at times overwhelm the camera? Or it's two separate systems but same conveyor or something and the piece of mail got flipped upside down for the picture?

I've seen that occasionally too, never took it to really mean anything, but I've never looked at it consistently to get a feel for what is and isn't more likely to skip out for the photos. I only ever look when I'm already in there looking for package shipments (or really any package and any Priority Mail item regardless of shape (flat envelope or box). I rarely care what's happening with regular mail, I just grab it when it gets here.

But it could be handy to see the recorded mailings when aware from home, see what mail might be sitting there so you know what's waiting, and what, if anything, needs to be immediately secured by someone you know but honestly I can't imagine many pieces of mail that critical that aren't tracked. I guess new bank cards perhaps? But more so only good to know so if you get home from out of town and you don't see it there, you may need to worry (or wait a day or two in all reality).

 

[Chaotic42]

My USPS carrier wads up envelopes and destroys packaging when he delivers them. I'm not expecting much from this service.

 

[destrekor]

Can you tell them what to deliver and what to not deliver after you see pics of it? About 99% of the mail I get goes straight into the trash because it's all junk.

That would be awesome, especially come election time, but, nope, they still must deliver all the crap.

For what it is worth, the same day I got the e-mail with that message above, it was just 3 normal letters (bills), so, not sure why they couldn't take a pic of them.

Not going to lie, that would be an epic service. BUT, I'm fairly certain tampering with mail delivery by any hands would still be illegal, other than of course serving as courier service between the end points.

 

[destrekor]

My USPS carrier wads up envelopes and destroys packaging when he delivers them. I'm not expecting much from this service.

That's shitty. Ever report him if you had anything actually ruined because of it? USPS is great, but individual mail carriers vary. Don't put up with shitty performers on any job, report their asses.

Unless... do you have a mailbox or something that kind of requires manhandling the mail to insert it? Because that would be your fault then.

Pretty sure if there's a physical mail box or other mail receptacle, they must place anything that can fit into it (and probably interpreted as anything that can be made to fit). I'm probably wrong on that point, but it feels right. lol

 

[Chaotic42]

That's shitty. Ever report him if you had anything actually ruined because of it? USPS is great, but individual mail carriers vary. Don't put up with shitty performers on any job, report their asses.

Unless... do you have a mailbox or something that kind of requires manhandling the mail to insert it? Because that would be your fault then.

Pretty sure if there's a physical mail box or other mail receptacle, they must place anything that can fit into it (and probably interpreted as anything that can be made to fit). I'm probably wrong on that point, but it feels right. lol

I've got a crappy apartment complex mailbox. This means that if I get a huge weekly flyer, it takes up all available space. If they then try to put one of my $100 textbooks in there, it requires a sledgehammer, which he seems to enjoy using. I've had this problem at every apartment I've ever had. They all refuse to just put packages at my door.

 

[deustroop]

Here I can direct the mail service (Can Post) not to deliver "Junk Mail ". Dollar stores sell adhesive backed banners that fit on the apartment mail slot that say " No Junk Mail". That does it. I only receive mail addressed to a person. So by and large I know what's coming. For parcels, there is a post-provided secure holding bin on the ground floor. Nice service all round.

 

[Brainonska511]

I've got a crappy apartment complex mailbox. This means that if I get a huge weekly flyer, it takes up all available space. If they then try to put one of my $100 textbooks in there, it requires a sledgehammer, which he seems to enjoy using. I've had this problem at every apartment I've ever had. They all refuse to just put packages at my door.

Your mailman sucks. I have a standard apartment mailbox, but weekly fliers for local shops just go in a pile outside of them and the mailpeople leave packages outside of my door.

 

[IronWing]

I just learned that the USPS collects meta-data on every single piece of mail delivered. No wonder NSA needs that much storage space.

 

[deadlyapp]

I've been getting this for a while now but basically get no use out of it. If I was more concerned about mail theft then I'd look at it more, but as it is, I have to open my mail anyways so the email just gets deleted. My mail is locked in a lockbox for our complex.

 

[slayer202]

I just learned that the USPS collects meta-data on every single piece of mail delivered. No wonder NSA needs that much storage space.

pretty crazy. I just signed up, semi hesitant to willingly be a part of this, but as soon as I did they showed me scans from the last week, so they're doing it anyway

 

[IronWing]

pretty crazy. I just signed up, semi hesitant to willingly be a part of this, but as soon as I did they showed me scans from the last week, so they're doing it anyway

For it to work, they have to scan every piece of mail to find out if any particular piece is addressed to a subscriber. The data mining potential is enormous.