I've had my POB since 1990 and was told yesterday that I need to re-apply when paying my yearly fee for my PO box.

The USPS counter person handed me the app and at first glance--Holy Toledo--has Homeland Security taken over the Post Office? They want either a copy of my mortgage, deed or lease, Passport, or home or vehicle insurance policy.

I could see, perhaps, a tougher scrutinizing process for new applications or persons who are unknown to them, but I live in a small town, have had a POB--again, since 1990--and am very well known to the local PO.

I guess they are making it very easy for me to consider dropping my POB, something that at one point I'd never believe could happen.

They want to verify who you are. I'm not sure why a state issued ID isn't enough though. Letting people have anonymous or POBs that are unverified isn't safe. Someone needs to know and verify who is using the box so that if it is used for something illegal there is someone to go after.

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C(-)ris
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lets face it, if you have a PO Box, you're trying to hide something.

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C(-)ris
I'm not sure why a state issued ID isn't enough though.

Without getting political, more and more people are pressuring cities and states to give such IDs to illegal aliens.

About time, actually.

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Good Luck!
Jamie Dresser
Other World Computing

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chopper
I could see, perhaps, a tougher scrutinizing process for new applications or persons who are unknown to them, but I live in a small town, have had a POB--again, since 1990--and am very well known to the local PO.

you may be well known to your local PO but not to the i-dotters above them who want all this paperwork. it's not like your local postmaster has the authority to say "oh, it's chopper's box. i know him. no worries."

i renewed my box lease in June but didn't see this so it must be new. i've been thinking of giving up my box next year but this paperwork would not be the deciding factor.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/10/2011 12:03PM by graylocks.

What proof of citizenship does Mail Boxes, Etc. require?

Above and beyond the obvious issues, I have pretty good experience with the PO. We've shipped hundreds of packages with them every year. And if you think I am going to trust them with copies of my mortgage documentation or vehicle insurance information, guess again.

Previously they looked at your driver's license to see that it matched the info on the index card you filled out.

About time, what Jamie of OWC? About time that verifying my DL against the info I gave them wasn't enough?

I endorse the PO ID'ing box holders. This program may eventually lead to Amazon being able to ship electronic things to my PO Box -- for now, the PO folks reroute the stuff addressed to my street address to my PO Box for me; they know that Amazon and other sellers are tied up by Homeland Security regs. So for me the verified box-holder regs could be a good thing.

We live in a rural area where theft from mailboxes is fairly frequent and the PO Box is a secure way to be sure we get our mail and packages.

Box rental rates are another matter, and we are downsizing this month from the biggest to the next biggest size and saving $100 a year in the process, as painful as it is.

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What it is, man, a low-down and funky feelin'

It was this way when I get to get my drivers license renewed. They wanted some form of "address verification". As they said it, anything with my name and a moderately valid address would work. Even a forged letter would have worked just fine. My old ID wouldn't work, and nevermind looking up tax documents(in Colorado, maybe other places, the DMV is part of the department of revenue).

It's billed as part of the "Real-ID" act.

Those other docs are perhaps less likely (I didn't say harder) to be faked than a Driver's License.

Prior to ratcheting up the angst learn a little first about why they want what they want and what they intend to do with it. Are they gonna store it? Research it? Rubber stamp the application locally? Send it off for someone else to do any of that?

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mattkime
lets face it, if you have a PO Box, you're trying to hide something.

Ha, funny. If you think I'll slide a copy of my mortgage across the desk for any reason at the USPS, think again.

They have a multitude of open boxes now, and mine will be next.

I got hit with this extra ID thing a year or so ago, they actually locked my box so that I couldn't open it, and I went to the clerk to ask why, they said that my application needed to be updated. I gave my Drivers License, and they asked for another form, and said that my Car Insurance Card would work. I keep that in my car, but looked in my wallet and had an old one, they looked at it, said that it expired several years ago, I offered to go to my car and get the current one, they said, that's OK this will be fine.

Chopper,

In this day and age of identity theft, I'm absolutely all for the USPS performing a more detailed examination of people getting P.O. Boxes. A criminal who has stolen someone's identity can use a PO Box under the false identity for credit cards, debit cards, bank account paperwork, purchases and a slew of other activities that will make the victim's life all the more difficult.

So, while the more detailed verification of identity may seem inconvenient to you, if it helps reduce the amount of identity theft and/or the damage that can be caused by it, then I'm all for it. I've had my identity stolen and believe you me, it's unpleasant to say the least.

To respond to Dick Moore, I doubt amazon.com will ship more electronic stuff to a P.O. box any more than they do now. If the item is small, maybe. But, large items are likely to continue to ship via UPS or a similar commercial small package carrier and they cannot deliver to a USPS P.O. Box. Small package carriers like UPS can deliver to a commercial mailbox provider like Mailboxes, etc, UPS stores and similar shops, which is why many people choose one of them over the USPS P.O. Box.

Robert

And what of the possibility of my personal information being compromised after I slide it across the counter at the USPS--is this not a valid concern?

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chopper
And what of the possibility of my personal information being compromised after I slide it across the counter at the USPS--is this not a valid concern?

i guess you're worried about identity theft. they already know where you live. is your SS# or mother's maiden name on any of the documents they asked for? that info is not on my mortgage or car insurance card. what exactly are you worried about?

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If you want to fix our country, work with us in the states. statesproject.org

"Success isn't about how much money you make. It is about the difference you make in people's lives."--Michelle Obama



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/10/2011 01:00PM by graylocks.

Chopper,

You have a valid concern. However, as graylocks pointed out, the USPS already has a significant amount of information about you. Asking to verify it as well as identity and physical address isn't unreasonable. Even the local library ask for similar information when you apply for a library card. BTW, did you consider using the USPS web site to renew your PO box online? It might have avoided much of the agita.

Robert

Two forms of ID. That's becoming standard in many other venues.
One picture ID and one proof of residence.
Your voter or car registration should be accepted as residence proof in lieu of a deed or rental / mortgage agreement. Heck, I've used a phone bill.

They won't take a birth certificate, though.


We had to get P O Boxes when the University up the street students were having some sort of contest smashing mail boxes, first with beer bottles then apparently with baseball bats. That class must have graduated and under classmen didn't carry on the tomfoolery. I've since put up a mail box, but many on the street just don't want to fight with the town to replace them with reasonable speed whenever the snow plows knock them over.




Before they built the new post office with lots of boxes there were waiting lists and you had to prove even then that you were in the serving zip code area.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/10/2011 01:54PM by billb.

Without rational reason to be concerned this is rapidly devolving into tinfoil hat territory.

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chopper
And what of the possibility of my personal information being compromised after I slide it across the counter at the USPS--is this not a valid concern?

Are they actually going to make a copy of this info, and keep it on file? Maybe they are just verifying that it matches, then returning it to you, right across the counter.

Jeff

The USPS does not keep the requested documents or a copy thereof. The documents are verified at the point of application and returned to the document owner after application review.

Acceptable documents are listed in the Domestic Mail Manual Section 508.4.3.2: [pe.usps.com]

Without rational reason to be concerned this is rapidly devolving into tinfoil hat territory.

Actually, it kind of started there.


It might have avoided much of the agita.

No, it would not.


They won't take a birth certificate, though.

For obvious reasons. But save it for your passport application.


Common carriers cannot deliver mail to a POB because they don't pay US postage. They can deliver to a PMB because thats a delivery to a street address like any residence or business.

An exception to a common carrier delivering to a POB is the Last Mile policy where the carrier *does* pay US postage.

Most companies will not deliver high-dollar gear of any kind to a POB because of the potential for fraud. It's not likely that increase ID requirements on the part of the USPS will change that.

Some companies will allow you to ship via US mail, so a POB can be used, if the company allows.

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In my small berg (600 people) there is no USPS street delivery, every one in town has a POB and since UPS & FedEx uses the Post Office as their last mile of delivery option everything goes to the PO.

Only exception is oversize and overweight deliveries that the PO won't handle and they are delivered to my doorstep by the delivery vans.

And, every few years I must prove that I live in the town by providing a recent utility bill with my name and address on it and my drivers license. If I live in town and not in a rural delivery area my POB is free as there are no other options for delivery.

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Black

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mattkime
lets face it, if you have a PO Box, you're trying to hide something.

Really, guys? I have a POBox because I'm a home-based business and required by ordinance (in some places, not all, I know) to not receive business mail at my home address. Also, my mail lady is a bit of a psycho and would routinely damage things sent to my mailbox. Overall I prefer the POBox, though I wouldn't say no to a UPS Store that also accepts packages (my house has no front porch so rain is an issue.)

I've got no problem with asking for more than one (or even two) forms of ID; my State DL and maybe a few other cards. All the guys at my little town PO know me, though, so I don't think it'd be much of an issue.

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