For me, one of the most exciting things about the holidays is all the greetings and messages of kindness I receive, as well as the experiences and gifts I share with friends and family. many of us will spend time writing and mailing our holiday cards to loved ones across the country and sending gifts to our nearest and dearest. I’m sure most of you, like me, will try to get everything to the post office in time for delivery on December 24th.
postal inspectors know how important these cards and gifts are to you. That’s why we work so hard this time of year to make sure each of those special Christmas greetings and gifts of love and affection reach their destinations safely.
You may be wondering, “Who are postal inspectors and what do they have to do with the security of my mail?” The Postal Inspection Service is the federal law enforcement and security branch of the Postal Service. Postal inspectors protect the mail, the postal employees who move the mail, and the customers who receive the mail. We ensure that the billions of pieces of mail handled by the postal service each year reach our customers unopened, unread and intact with the help of our postal police officers, technical, professional and other specialized support. all this security comes with the price of a seal.
With the holidays fast approaching, and since it’s also the busiest time of year to send letters, we’d like your help spreading the word about keeping your mail safe. Here are five important tips:
- do not leave mail and delivered packages unattended. Just as you wouldn’t leave your wallets and purses in the front seat of an unlocked car overnight, mail and packages shouldn’t be left in mailboxes or on front porches for too long.
- leave the city? store your mail at your local post office. If you’re planning a trip or know you won’t be able to check your mail for a few days, consider using the mail hold service on usps.com. letters and packages will be safely stored at your post office until you pick them up or have them delivered to your home.
- plan ahead. send using hold for pickup. When shipping packages, you can choose the hold for pickup option, and recipients can pick up their packages at their local post office. if you are waiting for a package, you can redirect it to your local post office by selecting hold for collection using intercept a tracked package & manage on usps.com.
- customize delivery. If you know the package won’t fit in your mailbox and you won’t be home to receive it, you can authorize the carrier to drop it off at a specific location. Visit usps.com, enter the tracking number under track a package, and select delivery instructions.
- Insure your shipment using usps special services. signature confirmation helps ensure the package ends up in the right hands by requiring a signature upon delivery. For your most valuable packages, you can opt for the certified mail service. certified mail receives special handling from the moment it is sent to the moment it is delivered, with documentation every step of the way.
For more great tips you can use not just during the holidays, but all year long, visit our website: https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/. I hope all of your special holiday deliveries reach the special people in your lives. Have a wonderful Christmas season!
