U.S. Postal Service gives Six Tips for Protecting Your Mail, Packages

Washington, D.C. – Every day, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service works to protect your mail, USPS employees and USPS facilities.

It’s just as important to it as it is to you that these items reach their destinations safely, and the Post Office could use your help to keep your mail and packages safe. 

Here are a few tips to consider this holiday season: 

1.Don’t leave your delivered mail and packages unattended. You wouldn’t leave important items sitting on the front seat of your unlocked car overnight. So don’t leave your mail and packages sitting in mailboxes or on front porches for any length of time.

2.Going out of town? Hold your mail at the Post Office. You can sign up for Hold Mail service on usps.com if you plan on being away from home for a few days. Your letters and packages will be held securely at your Post Office until you pick them up or request they be delivered to your home.

3.Plan ahead. Ship using Hold for Pickup. If you are sending packages, you can choose the Hold for Pickup option on usps.com. The packages will be safely held at the recipient’s local Post Office until they can pick it up. If you are expecting a package, you can redirect it to your Post Office by selecting Hold for Pickup using Intercept a Package under Track & Manage on usps.com.

4.Customize the delivery. If you are expecting something you know will not fit in your mailbox and you won’t be home to receive it, you can authorize the carrier to leave it in a specified location. Visit usps.com, enter the tracking number in Track a Package, and select Delivery Instructions.

5.Secure the shipment using USPS Special Services. Signature Confirmation helps ensure the package ends up in the right hands by requiring a first initial and last name at the time of delivery. For your most valuable packages, you can opt for Registered Mail service. Registered Mail receives special handling from the time it’s mailed until the time it’s delivered.

6.Monitor your front door. If you have a home security camera system, and you catch any mail thieves in the act, save the video and alert the Postal Inspectors. 

For more great tips you can use not just during the holidays, but all year long, visit: uspis.gov.