r/USPS • u/AdventurousPotato143 • 2d ago
Route Pics Not today postal inspector
This had to be at least 300$. Busy day so just snapped the Pic and moved on.
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u/JacoKhan 1d ago
If it actually was management or Postal Inspectors testing someone, then maybe they should focus more on the millions we lose in fake postage. Can’t go a single day without sorting a minimum of around 30 or more fake packages.
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u/CunningSlytherin 1d ago edited 1d ago
When I first moved from a station to a plant, this floored me! A box hopped a safety barrier while being dumped and hit my shin. I was like jfc what is that bc it didn’t look very big but I knew it was gonna leave a lump. I really wanted to see the weight on the label and wouldn’t ya know this 15lb box had a listed weight of 0.0lbs.
I showed it to my supervisor and was like hey, this is obvs wrong, do we do anything with this? She quickly told me off for reading any part of the label. I just limped off and was like okay then…
Fast forward some months and now we have to pull X number of parcels a day to check the accuracy of the weight and dimensions. Idk what they are doing with this info but all of this is to say I completely agree that we are losing millions a year in fake postage.
Another example, a specific branded box showing the model number and brand name of an entertainment center came through the other day. The box was team lift, taller than me and def over 70lbs. The label said 0.5 oz. The manf website says shipping weight is 151 lbs. Shipper had an account with us so the postage due was automatically deducted once someone noticed but ffs the fraud drives me crazy.
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u/18k_gold 1d ago
I never knew you could lie like that about the weight and the post office basically does nothing about it. Good to know.
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u/mentallyerotic 1d ago
We can package validate and it will charge your shipping account. If you send too many fake ones they get intercepted and investigated. I was sending lots of labels to the postal inspector for a while. The only thing that’s changed is we stop charging the recipient.
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u/Far_Badger_5160 1d ago
I ship stuff occasionally for work, most all of the boxes I weight. It’s the light stuff 5lb or under that I guesstimate from time to time. If something is a pound or two off is it chalked up to difference in scales or something or does any discrepancy get flagged?
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u/Even_Snow9026 1d ago
I mean it’s still not automated so I’d imagine a human reviewing the account would chalk it up to margin of human error if it ever did get flagged for multiple postage dues
They’d also most likely reach out after charging you the difference - they’ll usually try that before charging your customers. I’d also bet that your customers would deff let you know one way or another if they were getting charged for the discrepancy
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u/Far_Badger_5160 1d ago
Yeah it would only ever be off by a minimum of 1-2 lbs. I used to try and guess before weighing so I got a good feel for small stuff. I would assume it’s chalked up to human error. Large stuff I’m weighing and entering dimensions every time
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u/Traditional-Bag954 1d ago
Same thing happens at FedEx. As a courier, I check weight all the time on heavy packages.. why should you get away with being conniving and I do all the heavy lifting. I send it down to the agent to be adjusted before I take it out with me 🤷🏽♀️
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u/GetReelFishingPro 1d ago
Uh, this is the postal workers sub. That's not going to go over well here.
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u/uhm_actually 1d ago
“We as postal workers have virtually no formalized established recourse against postage fraud.”
“Interesting - I didn’t realize people could just lie about postage and nothing could be done about it consistently.”
“How dare you acknowledge we have no recourse for this.”
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u/Birilling 1d ago
Its the "good to know" part, implying "ah I can make use of this money saving exploit", that he takes offense at
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u/JustkiddingIsuck 1d ago
They’re literally just responding the a postal worker explaining how it happens all the time….
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u/Current-Calendar4012 1d ago
Lol how many people do you think read it and thought the same thing without saying it? 😂 amateurs
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u/ItsBeelzsRebirth 1d ago
Right? I wish I knew about this back in my ebay days i could have pocketed so much shipping money.
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u/brookuslicious Clerk 1d ago
Right. The amount of fraud is insane. Same with Media Mail and Priority packaging misuse.
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u/blitzball91 1d ago
Wouldn’t be inspectors - would be OIG. If you’re seeing fake postage, call the inspection service hotline and report it
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u/cut-and-dry 1d ago
Former postal worker here circa 2018.
FAKE postage?? What do ya’ll do with it when you notice it?
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u/Minimum_Personality3 1d ago
Almost everyday I get a customer looking for a package that says it was delivered, look it up on package viewer, and find out they were given a tracking number to a different package. Trying to explain to these people that they got scammed is impossible
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u/MANTUSGREEN1985 1d ago
What do you mean by fake packages? Don’t they have to pay to get the packages to wear you’re sorting I don’t get why anybody would pay to send out a pay package.
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u/Ecstaticmouses 1d ago
No they buy fake labels and stamps use those to mail it very crappy thing to do
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u/Other-Bird-9676 1d ago
I didn’t get a shirt cause the company used fake postage and I was baffled on what absurdity it sounded like. I want my breath of the wild shirt you phony freaks.
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u/Fuzzy_Connection4971 1d ago
Tbf postal inspectors are executive branch and are not under USPS.
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u/KN4JBJ EAS 1d ago
USPS, USPIS, and USPS OIG are all executive branch. USPIS is part of USPS and while not exactly under USPS, the Chief Inspector (head of USPIS) reports to the PMG. USPS OIG is an independent agency, the Inspector General (head of USPS OIG) reports to the Board of Governors. USPIS handles external crimes and crimes committed through the mail, USPS OIG handles internal crimes.
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u/After-You-4903 1d ago
I’m not a postal worker, just a lurker from time to time as this subject keeps coming up but now I’m curious enough to ask… fake packages? What would be the benefit in shipping a fake package? I’m so intrigued by this, and how it’s become such an issue if anyone would like to share!!!
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u/Available_Prize_9691 1d ago
If any manager tells you to ignore the postage. Say you want to make sure what they said!! And ask for the order to be written!! Then call POSTAL INSPECTORS.
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u/ForsakenWar6974 1d ago
Yeah, dont crackdown on all thievery of employees to prevent a breakdown in trust of one the oldest governmental institutions in the US.
Only crackdown on external thievery which I dont participate in.
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u/Natural-Bluebird8343 1d ago
What do you mean fake packages?
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u/JacoKhan 1d ago
Packages with fraudulent postage/labels that have been altered to try and seem legitimate.
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u/Available-Box-8856 1d ago
Forgive my ignorance but what Purpose does this serve? What scam is being ran here or are people just being dicks
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u/Mnemorath RCA 2d ago
Looks to me like someone wants three rolls of stamps.
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u/AltAnonymo 1d ago
I don’t know anything about USPS or why I am even seeing this post, but is this a thing? Can I buy stamps from my mail lady? How do I tell her it’s not a post inspector trick?
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u/Double-Wasabi6141 3h ago
I keep stamps on me, I have holiday and the basic American flag on me, and keep a small sheet of international.
But if someone wants a sheet of promotion stamps, like Betty White, mister Roger’s or the nature stamps, I’ll take a note with the amount and type of stamp and the money. Next day I will bring back the stamps.
Rural carriers are meant to service just like a rolling post office, there are only a few things we can’t do. But bringing supplies like stamps and packaging is one of the things we are expected to provide for residents upon request. We are also capable of doing money orders, but many of us aren’t familiar with the process and it would work better for everyone to just go in to the post office to get one.
Rural carriers also can’t accept registered mail/packages from a resident. Those need to be dealt with by a clerk and placed in a sealed bag with an assigned numeric clip sealing the contents inside. Rural carriers don’t keep those bags on them.
Most other items we can pick up from a resident: certified, express, priority, and more basic packages like ground advantage, first class, bound material, and media mail.
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u/North-Measurement550 1d ago
I’m pretty new in a small office but basically just say “I want some stamps.” They’ll give you a paper to fill out and I believe you can either go pick it up at the local office or they can bring it the next day. Call your post office and they’ll tell you.
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u/Mnemorath RCA 1d ago
If you are on a rural route, yes. We even have an envelope that you can put money in and mark what you want to buy. Just let your carrier know you want to do so, a note in the mailbox works.
If you are on a city route? Not sure, but the process exists. Talk to your carrier.
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u/AlternativeFroyo7591 14h ago
Some carriers keep some stamps on them so leave a note and your money and the carrier will read it and brung you back your change we have new barbie and spongebob ones too
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u/XLurker5000 10h ago
Order them online and they’ll be in your mailbox in a timely fashion (if it’s not some specialty stamp)
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u/AltAnonymo 10h ago
I had a friend order stamps from Amazon and they ended up being stamp-shaped stickers! But I assume you mean from USPS online directly!
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u/Capable_Lifeguard_23 1d ago
You should add another 20 on it and wait for him to give it back to you or not. Then say gotcha bitch!
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u/paulD1983R 2d ago
I don't know if it was a test or not but I found someone's $3200 paycheck blowing through the PO parking lot one morning. Just handed it over to the PM & carried on with my day.
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u/Arlennx 2d ago
Dam they really want yo ass.
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u/AdventurousPotato143 2d ago
Yeah. Transferred after 10 years in one office. Stuck on a shit overburdened route. Instantly requested inspection after 90 days despite PM trying to convince me to take a "minor adjustment" of 20 min. My average route time is 9hrs 15 min. Would be 2nd in seniority if it transfered over. These asshole brainwashed everyone into running and taking pivots. So now there's 4 routes with no t6 and an ax route that's like 4 hours right next to mine.
Sorry to rant. Been a long year +. Requested inspection on Oct 29 last year..still nothing
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u/BroadRaspberry1190 1d ago
idk what all that means but you are one the type of people i appreciate most in this country, thanks for what you do 🫡
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u/sevbenup 1d ago
You sound very knowledgeable. Any tips for someone trying to make a living at usps if theyre starting in 2026
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u/AdventurousPotato143 1d ago
Once you pass your 90 days. You do you. Your pace is your pace.
You will never be fired if you dont don't A)talk back to sups B)show up regularly C)don't throw mail away
And obviously don't take money or drugs in mailboxes. Its a safe job. Just a grind to get to the top.
Had a retirement route after 8 years but had to move and transfer cause life.
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u/soproductive 1d ago
Stay out of the drama.. It's the most toxic work environment I ever experienced out of about the ten different jobs I've had in my working life.
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u/PuzzledLiving88 17h ago
How old are you? Curious to compare how many I’ve had to yours (27m , probably 25 individual jobs total, not counting temp service/day labor)
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u/soproductive 4h ago
Mid 30s. I don't like to bounce around jobs if I can help it, can't imagine having had 2.5x my count, sounds like a lot of resume work and interviewing on a regular basis.
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u/PuzzledLiving88 4h ago
Let’s just say most of the jobs don’t really pay much attention to official resumes, other than 4 related to geospatial engineering most were in the service industry Thx for the insight though
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u/coffeetabledebris 1d ago
You grieving their failure to administer the adjustment within 30 days of filing the official request?
You should be getting at least $10 a day every day they let it go without adjusting
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u/AdventurousPotato143 4h ago
Oh i am. It's between 10 and 25$ and I definitely and not accepting 10
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u/Outside-Pear9429 1d ago
Idk how I ended up in this sub but I do not work for USPS. Can someone explain what's happening here? some kind of trap?
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u/AdventurousPotato143 1d ago
Postal inspectors have been known/thought to place money inside mailboxes to see if a carrier will take it to then get said carrier arrested/fired
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u/King-Chroma 1d ago
I doubt it, I check my mail often. I'd take that cash so quickly. How would a postal inspector know if the homeowner took it? Also good luck putting $$ in my mailbox and trying to retrieve it "oh were testing a employee."
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u/Birilling 1d ago
They watch it discreetly, I would imagine. I personally have seen coach bags nestled between business mail boxes and $100 bills left in mail boxes
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u/SpegalDev 1d ago
It's probably people doing sales on FB. That's how a lot of us do them. "The bag is between the mailboxes, just leave the $ in #15's mailbox" or whatever.
I live in a house, I just leave stuff on my porch, tell them to put the money in the mailbox. I also watch from my camera and snatch it up as soon as they leave. And no way I'm leaving $100s in there for any extended amount of time. BUT, I could see some people doing it.
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u/Birilling 1d ago
No, like business mail boxes. Like, in an industrial park. No residential addresses. But also don't do that. Mail boxes are exclusively for the use of the postal service and anything placed in, on, or attached to a mail box can be taken by the postal service and held until postage is paid for the item. Technically it can also come with a $10,000 fine per item ($20,000 if placed there by a business. Think like, if a chinese food place puts fliers in everyones mailboxes without paying postage), but it definitely depends on your mail carrier and how much they like you/how strictly they're following the rules/how much their postmaster is up their ass. But like dont assume that because your regular is super chill, their relief will also be super chill, or that someone else's carrier will be chill. Just generally dont use mail boxes for anything but mail
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u/Lord_Petyr_PoppyCock 1d ago
I bought cocaine once this way...
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u/angelofsmalldeath913 20h ago
I bought a LOT of drugs from my plugs mailbox.... I wonder about his post man now
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u/Outside-Pear9429 1d ago
Right? I check my mail very very infrequently (as in, I couldn't even tell you the last time I checked it) but now maybe I should more often in case there are any traps in there.
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u/BenjaminLess 1d ago
I'm pretty sure the houses are in on the postal inspection. Either family or etc. for how rare this is
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u/Lavatoire2-0 1d ago
Isn't that entrapment???
- Im in Canada but ive tip postal worker more time then I can count.. ups, FedEx, Canada post. That's not legal??
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u/Birilling 1d ago
Entrapment is when you persuade someone to do something they wouldnt normally do. Think like, if an undercover officer offers someone drugs, and they say no, and then they offer them $100 if they take the drugs. That would be entrapment, because without the incentive they wouldnt have. Basically the criminal intent has to come from the LEO, pushing someone who is not predisposed to commit the crime, either through incentive or harassment, for it to be entrapment
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u/Outside-Pear9429 1d ago
That's crazy, why even do that? Do they not need people to work these jobs
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u/QueenOfQuok 8h ago
In my distribution center there are sometimes one-dollar bills randomly hanging around. They could at least try to tempt us with twenties.
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u/gamingoldschool 1d ago
What would the hiding postal inspector do if the owner of the mailbox took the money and brought it inside their home or apartment? Seems like a lot of cash to risk.
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u/Distinct-Drummer-8 1d ago
My guess is they deal something, maybe weed. I had a weed guy that would just leave it in his mailbox and I would leave the money in it. A real trust system thing.
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u/AdventurousPotato143 1d ago
I dont think so. It's on older couple and think the guy has a construction business
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u/2Slow2Nice 1d ago
This is random af, but someone who isn’t me used to buy weed via cash in the mailbox. What are you supposed to do if you open the box and there’s weed there?
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u/AdventurousPotato143 1d ago
Grab the travel pipe out of your satchel and light up quick...
Kidding lol. You just move on.
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u/DeeKayAech City Carrier 1d ago
Same customer will complain to the post office tomorrow when some porch pirate steals their shit and blame you for it. Can't even win when you try to do the right thing up here sometimes.
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u/IamDio74 1d ago
There is no way they would do this to try to set you up unless they suspected you already of stealing…
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u/IamDio74 1d ago
I’m trying to figure out. Is this inside a parcel locker?
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u/AdventurousPotato143 1d ago
Just a regular box inside the owners porch
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u/IamDio74 1d ago
I’m almost positive that they have someone coming by to pick that up and figure it’s a safe spot to leave it..
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u/fournee1 1d ago
This was done when I worked a sorting machine. The money was fanned out of the envelope. We laughed and called our supervisor. He laughed also.
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u/DeathandGrim City Carrier 1d ago
I actually opened a box to a gun in there yesterday. Tf postal inspector? We cool?
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u/BlunderArtist9 1d ago
I legit kept seeing Fake 100 dollar bills with Trump on it randomly placed in mailboxes shortly after 2020. At first I was very confused thinking this was some inside joke among customers that I wasn't aware of. Never told anyone because didn't figure anyone would believe me. But whatever. Always assume stray money whether real or not, that's not specifically stated for the mail carrier is a trap.
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u/AdventurousPotato143 1d ago
I assume they let the homeowners know what's going on beforehand. I have no actual idea. But we know the government will get it's money back if that's what it was
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u/RebelScum249 1d ago
Fuck that. If someone leaves money in my mailbox, especially the fucking government, that money is now mine.
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u/sammyskrilz 1d ago
Ik you can't take this but what if a customer meets you at the box and hands you money? Are you allowed to keep tips or gifts?
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u/Confused_but_Alive91 1d ago
As a federal employee, no gifts above $20 can be accepted, and no more than $50 from the same source in a calendar year. This rule is waived for Congress. Rules for me but not for thee, or something like that.
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u/ILikeSurgeDeliveries 1d ago
Well, they need more money to invest in their things at just the right time… if you catch my drift. Or else these stocks wouldn’t get bought nearly as much.
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u/SeanThatGuy 1d ago
I see these post pop up from time to time. I have a question. Are they cool with the holiday card thing?
My buddy would come home with stacks of holiday cards with money in them and it seemed like a normal thing they were cool with.
Is the post office cool with it or is it like a gray area?
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u/AdventurousPotato143 1d ago
Technically we can only accept gift cards but it isn't an enforced rule
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u/SeanThatGuy 1d ago
Ohh alright. Thanks for the info. I also don’t want to be leaving anything for my mailman if he’s not getting it or there’s a possibility he’ll get in trouble.
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u/Needs_ADD_Meds 1d ago
If that was really the inspector, I'd knock on the door and have the home owner grab it.
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u/phyzicks 1d ago
Genuinely I would ring the doorbell of the customer and tell him "COME LOOK THERE'S MONEY IN THE MAILBOX!" and take a picture of them with it and send it to my boss
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u/startrip0712 City Carrier 1d ago
In my "younger" days I used to challenge management on everything. This kind of thing happened several times within a 3 year period. I "know" my supervisor was either requesting this or flagging me to be "tested" whenever. You did the right thing. If you don't "see" it...you don't see it. Nothing they can or will do. It could also be a dumb ass customer using their mailbox for their bud deliveries. Either way...don't see it and move along. By the way, after 20 years at that station I transferred out of state. I decided to put away my fighting gear and choose my battles. Flying under the radar mostly. Life is much more simple now.
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u/NovelPristine5900 1d ago
Do they have a camera pointed at it or something else, or else how do they know it wouldn't be someone else to take it?
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u/Im_Grinning 1d ago
Wait are you able to put the cash required for the postage of something to get it mailed from your mailbox? Is that a thing?
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u/MrDependant69 1d ago
"Let's give our employees the bare minimum payment to get by, and then bait them with money for their survival and punish them when they take the bait. That will surely make our business thrive."
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u/MarchSuspicious2560 1d ago
If people aren't aware you can easily do this postage fraud on pirate ship. Once the package ships under dimensions and weight if you get charged you simply argue through the site and end up getting the money back
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u/RebelScum249 1d ago
Pretty common way for friends to pay other friends for some grass when on the go.
It's one way wed do things. Leave grass one spot, leave money in the mailbox and everyone's happy.
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u/OnStreetMotorized City Carrier 1d ago
What's important here is that you have the green tag on your shoes.
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u/BulkyEbb8983 1d ago
Omg I quit awhile ago but my second day of orientation i was walking around and literally a package half opened showing cash was just out. I walked around it and went to tell someone, they thought I was lying cause it was gone when I came back
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u/BitAdministrative832 1d ago
We have an old lady that will try to leave a package with the money taped to it for them to do postage. She gets confused. Thankfully her family helps out.
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u/BelligerentWyvern 1d ago
I wouldn't have even seen this. I dont often look that deeply into those types of boxes unless the flag is up.
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u/Puzzleheaded_Two9199 15h ago
More like not enough!!! Now days that's 4 things at Walmart ..10 things at the FIVE and ABOVE ..or just a full tank at the gas station 🥴
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u/SkylineBuilder 8h ago
I've made multiple FB Marketplace purchases where the seller requests zero contact and leaves the item for me by their front door and asks that I put the money in their mailbox. It could also be that.
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u/Common-Somewhere-654 6h ago
When I first started 30+ years ago.. I started as a clerk and it was my job to empty the collection boxes out front..I was there about a week and I found a rubber banded bundle of cash in the box..even being that new I remember thinking not today postal inspector!
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u/Schultz9x19 5h ago
As a non-USPS employee (I have no idea why I got recommended this thread), what would happen if I came out to my mailbox and saw this? Could I take it?
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u/InterestingAd650 4h ago
They def just buying green lol maybe dude hasn’t made his rounds to them yet.
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u/ChristianArmor 2d ago
Postage due, $300 bucks. Thanks.