Holiday Security Tips: The Package You Save May Be Your Own!

This holiday season the U.S. Postal Service looks forward not only to delivering  holiday cheer, but also nearly 600 million packages between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve. That’s a 10.5 percent increase over last year.

The U.S. Postal Service offers 12 Secure Shipping Tips to help brighten everyone’s holiday season.

1.  Don’t leave your mail or parcels unattended — especially overnight. You wouldn’t leave your wallet or purse on the front seat of your unlocked car in the driveway at night. Neither should you leave your mail or parcels unprotected for any length of time. Remember — your mailbox is not your backup file cabinet.

2.  Be a buddy — help a neighbor in need. If you have a stay-at-home neighbor, enlist their help. Ask to schedule your package deliveries to their address, increasing the likelihood someone will be home to receive your package.

3.  Consider an alternate shipping address. Some employers will allow you to ship small amounts of personal items to your work location. Inquire whether your employer will allow you to do so, and plan your shipment accordingly.

4.  It’s 3 PM … do you know where your package is? You could. The Postal Service provides real-time tracking for a wide-range of products. You can monitor your package’s status from tender to final delivery. Registered users of USPS.com can also receive status updates via text alerts delivered to their mobile devices.

5.  Change of plans? Change your package’s delivery address—while it’s in transit! If you’ll be away when your package is being delivered, try USPS Package Intercept. Prior to delivery, you can redirect most domestic package shipments to the sender, a new address,  or the Post Office to be held for pickup. The service is fee-based, but you are only charged if the package is successfully re-directed.

6.  Customize your delivery. Provide the Postal Service personalized instructions. If your package doesn’t fit in your mail box and you won’t be home to receive it, you can provide delivery instructions online and authorize your carrier to leave it in a specified location. Visit USPS.com, track your package, and select Delivery Instructions. You can also request your package be left with a neighbor or held at a Post Office for pickup.

7.  Your package on demand. Ship using “Hold for Pickup” to your local Post Office. Priority Mail Express Hold for Pickup service lets customers claim packages on their schedule, at more than 30,000 USPS locations, where their packages await safely and securely. Automatic notifications via e-mail or SMS text messaging are also available.

8.  Keep thieves at bay while you’re away. Hold your mail at your Post Office. If you’re going away for a few days, and don’t want to risk leaving your package unattended, take advantage of the Postal Service’s Request Hold Mail service. Your letters and packages will be held securely at your local Post Office until you’re back in town to receive it again.

9.  Secure your shipment using USPS Signature Services. The Postal Service’s Signature Services help ensure your package ends up in the right hands, by requiring a signature at time of delivery. Choose from a variety of offerings including Signature Confirmation, Signature Confirmation Restricted Delivery, Adult Signature Required, and Adult Signature Restricted Delivery. Also available — Signature Confirmation, which provides you the date and time an item was delivered or attempted, and includes a record maintained by USPS and available electronically or by email, upon request.

10. Protect your package every step of the way, and insure its valuable contents. Opt for Registered Mail service — the Postal Service most secure form of mail delivery. Registered Mail receives special-handling from tender to delivery, documenting the chain of custody of your important item. Electronic verification of delivery or attempted delivery is available upon request. Insurance may also be available to protect against loss or damage.

11. Control your package’s delivery date using Priority Mail Express. Now, you can choose your delivery date, using Priority Mail Express. It’s the Postal Service’s fastest domestic service (with limited exceptions), available 365 days a year. It offers a money-back guarantee and overnight scheduled delivery to most U.S. addresses — including PO Boxes. You’ll also get proof of delivery signature record, tracking services, and $100 insurance (most shipments).

12. Upgrade the security for all your mail, not just your parcels. Consider renting a Post Office Box at your local Post Office. Your mail remains secure within the Post Office, accessible only when using the right key or combination. Many Post Offices lobbies are open 24/7, allowing you to retrieve your mail on your schedule.

Please also remember, report suspicious activity immediately. If you notice an unfamiliar vehicle following behind the USPS truck or unknown persons hovering around mailboxes, report the activity to your local police department and local Post Office immediately. The package you save may be your own!