USPS frustration

Discussion in 'Coin Chat' started by COOPER12, Oct 18, 2021.

  1. COOPER12

    COOPER12 Well-Known Member

    So frustrating . USPS is corrupt and in my opinion Crooks.

    Mailed 5 coins to ANACS on September 3rd . Package got lost and they still can not find it. I was told to file a claim .
    This package had 500.00 insurance
    My claim was denied . I had sent photos of the coins on the claim, I do not have receipt's though as these I have had for a long time.
    Is there anything else I can do? Feels like that is criminal.

    Also curious what is the best way to ship in the future .
     
    john65999 likes this.
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  3. potty dollar 1878

    potty dollar 1878 Well-Known Member

    Ouch yup sorry for your losses and yes they have gotten worse over the years.
     
  4. cplradar

    cplradar Talmud Chuchum


    This is why insurance is crap. They have every incentive to try not to get paid. Not just for the mail, but all insurance. This is why ANACS insists everything should be sent registered mail, because everywhere it is touched it has to be signed for. And it takes forever to be mailed.
     
    Two Dogs, Kasia and john65999 like this.
  5. ddddd

    ddddd Member

    Read this thread and try filing an appeal.

    https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1035092/update-good-news-need-some-advice-on-usps-claim/p1

    Here is the final positive outcome from that thread:

    5/26/2020 UPDATE:

    After a months long battle with the USPS, I am happy to report that a check showed up in the mail today, for the full insured amount. A lot of thanks go to TradesWithChops (the buyer) for being patient while I worked through this all. Our hope all along was to get the coins back, but it doesn't appear likely.

    Here's what happened:

    1. Waited the required period of time (15 days) before filing the first claim. Included original receipt showing insurance value paid for ($1700). Included a letter from a reputable dealer stating value of items (thanks Don). Included PCGS price guide for items, just for kicks. Included printout of "proof of delivery" signature, showing that it was never signed for by addressee. Included pictures of the coins. Received response almost immediately.
    Outcome: DENIED
    Reason: "Package was delivered" (it was not)

    1. Filed first appeal, on the grounds that I was including new information. This time I included all of the above plus a sworn statement from addressee stating no one was home and thus couldn't have signed for package. Included request for USPS to check geo-location of delivery scan to see if it matched with address. Received response almost immediately.
    Outcome: DENIED
    Reason: "Package was delivered" (so they say)

    So I realized that someone was just rubber stamp denying this, without any effort to find out what really happened. I had one more appeal in my pocket, but I wasn't confident the outcome would be any different so I needed help.

    1. Reached out to the USPS Inspector Generals office (OIG) for help. They have a web form where I submitted the story and asked for help. They responded in a few days telling me "After careful review, we have determined the U.S. Postal Service Consumer and Industry Contact Office is the proper office to handle your concern. We have forwarded this inquiry to your local consumer affairs office for direct response to you."

    2. Called the local U.S. Postal Service Consumer and Industry Contact Office, which for me is in Oakland, CA. This is basically the Customer Service branch of the US post office, and a different entity than where a claim goes. This is where I got lucky. The lady answering the phone listened to my entire story, put me on hold while she relayed my story to a co-worker, then came back and said she felt horrible for what had happened and would do everything she could to help. Whoa, what's this? Someone actually cares!? From then on, this sweet lady worked her tail off to represent my interests with zero blind loyalty to the post office. She called the offending post office branch (Laurel, MD) and repeatedly called them and emailed them until she got a response. From what she told me, she's still working on getting to the bottom of what happened out there and is working with the internal affairs dept. (or whatever the USPS calls it).
    HERE'S THE MOST IMPORTANT PART, FOR ANYONE TRYING TO DO WHAT I DID:
    The lady helping me opened what's called a "Service Request". This service request is a unique customer service record where she would file all of the notes about her investigation. This included her observation that the signature on the "proof of delivery" was never obtained (this is pre-covid), the geo-location of the delivery scan was different than the delivery address...shoot she even google mapped the delivery address and included screen shots of the street view. She was like my own personal detective. The key here is to have someone in the Consumer and Industry Contact Office open this service request with assigned number, so that you can include this in your claim/appeal.

    1. Now armed with this new Service Request number, which included all of the notes from this woman's investigation into the theft of the coins, I filed the final appeal. I simply stated the Service Request number and asked that they review all of the case notes, which showed the package was never delivered. I knew what the note said because the nice lady told me everything she wrote.
    Outcome: APPROVED
    ...and a few days later the check showed up. Cashed that sucker real quick before the USPS goes under.

    In the end, I wasted a ton of time with this hassle, but it felt good to have some resolution. Also, I will never ship anything priority mail with insurance again. It's like a sign saying "valuables inside - steal me". Also, the Laurel, MD post office is rotten. Beware.
     
    iPen, Chris Winkler, mlov43 and 13 others like this.
  6. cplradar

    cplradar Talmud Chuchum


    This is where you need a friendly dealer with a receipts pad.
     
    john65999 likes this.
  7. Collecting Nut

    Collecting Nut Borderline Hoarder

    The best way to send something is USPS using Registered Mail. You get tracking but nothing shows until it’s delivered. It cost a little more and it’s insured. It also takes a bit longer but it’s the safest way to send something. It’s out there somewhere so hopefully it will be found and delivered.
     
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  8. cplradar

    cplradar Talmud Chuchum

    This is what congressional office aids do. The first thing I do is snail mail, call and email my congressman's local office. Don't waste time with bureaucrats.
     
  9. cplradar

    cplradar Talmud Chuchum

    :( - It takes forever though because it doesn't have a guaranteed day of service delivery like priority mail
     
  10. baseball21

    baseball21 Well-Known Member

    Priority or express is fine. Photos won’t really help. You can appeal the denial but the biggest thing is to just have a legitimate source of value to show.
     
    john65999 likes this.
  11. COOPER12

    COOPER12 Well-Known Member

    What is the legitimate source? I attached ngc Price guide for each coin and the insured amount was below what the coins where worth.
     
    john65999 likes this.
  12. Collecting Nut

    Collecting Nut Borderline Hoarder

    No, but it’s safer. Every time it changes hands it’s signed for that’s why it’s slower. Priority Mail is faster but it travels through the regular mail stream. Registered Mail is only handled by humans, no machines. Priority Mail is almost all machinery driven. Registered Mail travels under lock and key. Priority Mail doesn’t.

    If you want safety, Registered Mail. If you want speed, Priority Mail. For faster yet, Express Mail.
     
    Spark1951, john-charles and cplradar like this.
  13. cplradar

    cplradar Talmud Chuchum


    Proof of Purchase. That thing that every deal is trying to avoid because they want to conduct business in cash only to avoid IRS scrutiny and deal freely in potentially hot merchandise. You really need a friendly dealer to help out.
     
    hotwheelsearl likes this.
  14. cplradar

    cplradar Talmud Chuchum


    No - it isn't if real money is involved. If you can't afford to lose it, then don't send it like that.
     
  15. cplradar

    cplradar Talmud Chuchum

    If the letter worked, that is a big plus. It is not unusual for them to only pay the purchase price and not the value.
     
    JPD3 likes this.
  16. cpm9ball

    cpm9ball CANNOT RE-MEMBER

    Good for you! Persistence pays!
     
    JPD3 and ddddd like this.
  17. ddddd

    ddddd Member

    Not me (someone else on the PCGS forum) but I agree that persistence paid off for that guy.
     
  18. baseball21

    baseball21 Well-Known Member

    Sales records. It’s never a fun process but I’ve always gotten the payout with sales records attached. Really just something to prove the value. They basically just reject it off the bat
     
  19. cplradar

    cplradar Talmud Chuchum

    I wish I could set up a service just to handle all of these problems with delievery services for people. So many coins are lost and stolen in the mail (FEDEX, UPS etc).
     
  20. COOPER12

    COOPER12 Well-Known Member

    How are you supposed to show proof of purchase for passed down coins , or coins you have had for years and do not have any proof of? Here is A idea , you offer insurance then pay up when you screw up and lose something or worse have one of your employees steal it. Anything else should be criminal.
     
  21. baseball21

    baseball21 Well-Known Member

    Again you don’t need too. Find comparable sales.
     
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