Worst experience ever!

I received a package containing 2012 Panda and 2012 Moose coins from a recognized dealer in Florida. It was sent with priority, registered mail and with signature confirmation. But someone in the apartment building signed the package for me without my consent while I was at work. And for worse, this is how I found my package. Someone opened my package!



questions: 1) how come USPS lets someone else sign a package when it was obvious that the package requires a signature confirmation from the true recipient, in this case me only?
2) can we ask the recognized dealer to make sure that, only the true recipient sign the mail?
3) is it a sign to stop buying? If not, any opinion to where I should ship my package to? I am definitely reluctant to send it to my home address.

I really feel bad and worried and thanks for listening!

 

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I can't believe that someone opened your package. I hope your coins were still there. You should use a PO box for all coin transactions. I have a sizable and expensive collection and often broker deals for coins between other collectors for big money. I don't want anybody to know where my safe is and I sure don't want to take the chance of anybody going through my mailbox.

 

If it was shipped Registered mail, you should be the only person allowed to sign for it.( I just went through this and they wouldn't even let my wife sign for me.) If it was shipped insured signature required, then anyone can sign for it. I personally opened a P.O. box not only to keep nosey neighbors from knowing of my coin collection, but got tired of the insured packages that required a signature just being left in the mailbox out front, because the mail carrier didn't feel like walking down my driveway and knocking on the door.

 

Thanks guys - I think I will open a PO Box tomorrow. Also, since I am expecting some deliveries in very near future, I am gonna ask my local USPS office to hold everything for me to pick up and sign in person. Thankfully, no coins were missing.

 

I'm really sorry this happened, question.

If no coins were missing why did someone bother to open it? The nerve!

 

Thanks and good question, why??? I was so worried that I decided right away to move everything to 'much discreet hiding places' away from the apartment!

 

Can't they open and inspect any packages in US after the new rules adoped by Homeland security?

As for OP i believe someone might have mistakenly gotten your package and opened it up without realizing it is not theirs. Happened to me once.

 

I really have no idea what exactly happened with my package. All I know is that someone has opened it and knows the content of my package. As another precaution, I will use a PO Box to send all my future purchase.

 

Thats definitely a possibilty. And to the OP, the dealer had nothing to do with it. This one is on the postal service.

 

I completely agree on that. I think the only mistake that USPS did was to let someone else to sign it for me without my consent since it was delivered by USPS priority, registered mail with signature confirmation. Why can't they just leave a 'yellow note' for me to pick up and sign my package in person?

 

Most likely, Blame the Dealer that sent it.

The photos of the box don't show the Registered Mail stickers attached to it. It shows that signature is required but the PO sells different versions of this and the less expensive options only verify that someone signed for it. Registered Mail, the most expensive option, means that it gets sent in a special locked facility on the trucks and they won't deliver it unless you sign for it and you first have to provide photo ID. The PO maintains custody tracking, throughout the entire mail process which is why it's called Registered.

If you believe the boxes were sent Registered, then contact you local Postmaster General. Someone didn't do their job, and they may have broken postal law. You should not need rent a PO Box for this service. For sending/receiving coins, Registered is the only way to go. It provides full protection of the transit process though it won't protect you from shady dealers who send empty boxes. If it turns out it wasn't sent registered, then I wouldn't be doing business with that dealer again. He should have known better.

 

My guess is that someone else thought the package was for them, and the postal carrier made a mistake of letting them sign for it. Another possibility is that your landlord signed for it, and then someone else started opening it by mistake. I would talk to your carrier and your landlord as soon as you get a chance and also consider using a PO box as suggested earlier. This will decrease the chances of this happening again. TC

 

That's why I use a PO Box

 

+whatever on the PO Box.

 

I think some honest person opened it by mistake (the note says "Sorry opened by mistake").'
I don't see a Registered Mail tag on the package.

 

Thanks guy for your concern. As some of you have said, it was confirmed by the dealer that the package was only sent by Priority Mail with Signature confirmation (not with Registered Mail as I initially thought). Unfortunately, USPS lets someone else unknown to me or to the building manager of the apartment. All I know is the name of the person who signed the package and no one knows who this person is. But again, he may just sign it and left it in the mail room and someone else has mistakenly opened the package as the sticky note said. So for now, all I can do is to order USPS to hold any mails that are delivered with signature confirmation. As soon as I found out that this problem with delivery can unexpectedly occur in daily life at any day, I have opened a PO Box for 'special delivery' and emptied everything from the apartment. I guess this is a life experience for me.

Thanks again and may peace be with you all always!

 

Yes, I too believe that one of your neighbors opened it by mistake. I've accidently opened a neighbors mail before I realized that it wasn't addressed to me despite the fact that it was in my mail box. I promptly put a note on the envelope with a sorry message and put it in the their mail box. I did sign my name and address in case they wanted to speak to me. It is my opinion that you have an honest neighbor. I have the opposite problem with my mail carriers. They won't drop off items to my mail box without a signature. Since my wife and I work during business hours, it makes it difficult to get packages. I wish they would just put it in my mail box. I'm in a very good neighborhood though.

 

Sorry to hear of your dilemma. This situation needs to be addressed to your local post office. At very least your local mail carrier is incompetent, and possibly untrustworthy. Call your local postmaster, and make sure you have the photos, dates, and the package you received ready in-hand. My father was a letter carrier for twenty-nine years, and realized the importance and purpose of delivery/ signature confirmation. Your situation is uncalled for and inexcusable.

 

Actually I've lived in apartments where it's usually the norm that USPS, UPS and other carriers will leave it at the office where a manager or assistant working there will sign for the package. I lived where the apt complex would put the packages in a secure room and would make each person actually sign for the package as well.

This really isn't a problem with USPS but your apt office. You should instruct them that any packages you receive you must be present to sign for if required or they should tell the postman to leave a "we missed you" card and you can go pick up at the post office yourself, that's if you don't want them signing to save you the time in picking them up yourself.

I'm pretty positive these apt complexes get small packages all the time and your package was opened by mistake by someone not paying attention. There's no reason to get all bent out of shape about it all, it sucks but nothing was lost or stolen and if it were, the apt complex would have been liable at that point since they signed and opened it.

 

All signature confirmation requires is a signature at delivery, anyone's signature. It simply confirms by signature that it was delivered to a person and not just left in the mailbox. If you want to make sure that ONLY the person it is addressed to can sign for it, that is called Restricted delivery. Once again something that cost extra ($4.55) and is almost never used. Restricted delivery can only be added to Insured mail over $200, COD, Certified, and Registered mail. And you can only get this at the Post Office.

With Registered mail the person signing for it is supposed to show ID, but it can be signed for by someone other than the person it is addressed to. And in all the times I have signed for Registered mail, including mail for others, I have only been asked for ID one time.