Shit. You’ve lost your USPS package! A primer on the Mail Recovery Center.

Well, if youve lost a package and are freaking out, you have found the right place. Today, for me, is the day you dream of. I recovered my package. But theres a long diatribe before we get to that. Let me start off by saying 1) There is hope and 2) Mark me down as the first person who has ever recovered a package (if you believe the blogs). Most of them will scare the living bejeezus out of you. Nobody it seems ever gets their package back. The MRC is the black hole of packages. What am I talking about. If you havent heard it yet, its the MRC. (dun dun DUUN) The dreaded mail recovery center.

So lets start back at day 1. I sent a package from a kiosk, priority, signature confirmation, and insured (Thank you Lord). A $500 item I might add. I completed the little computer algorithm and sent my item. It was on its way, and amazon was about to pay me for shipping it. Heres where things went wrong. Terribly wrong. 5 days later after wondering what was going on I see this. Note that I did remove the tracking number for security.

I got a message from the buyer. “Where is my package?” And naturally being pissed, he complained to amazon. Before they reversed the payment, I did. Which really sucks, I might add. But I didnt want to be disciplined by amazon. After  all, he didnt have the package either. Ouch, thats $1000 Im out at this point if youre counting. Here is the point where you are likely at. Holy shit, what do I do!!!??

I went to the post office, talked to the postmaster about the situation and she helped me fill out what they call a “search”, she was also able to locate a picture of the package. Fun fact, your packages are photographed along the way…which is a whole ‘nother interesting idea, but, wow…anyways, looking at the picture, she saw it didnt have a return label. Which means either I forgot to do it or it fell off, Im still not sure, but Ive been an Amazon seller since the mid 90, I’ve actually got a personally signed letter from Jeff Bezos from when he welcomed me. Yeah, that long ago. But enough of that for now. Suffice it to say, Ive sent A LOT of packages. I dont think I didnt put one on. At this point, also a gentle reminder to put a receipt INSIDE all packages with your address on it. I’ll tell you why later.

So at this point I at least figured out one problem. There is no return address.  The other problems took some digging and phone calls to Orlando at the recipients post office. I talked to the Orlando PO manager several times, after filing an online problem form on USPS.com. That by the way, is the only way to get them to call you. I played nice, trying to figure out what happened. I also, eventually talked to the actual postman who “delivered” the package. At this point, youre already seeing how much work this is taking. So man up if you want that package back. So he says, he gave the package to the front desk secretary at the apt complex, who signs for the package (eg not the actual recipient). The package is then put in a room for 3 days until someone realizes that there is no such person. In this case, an exchange student from Africa who is a Disney actor, but he addressed it to his “Americanized” name. Shit. Guess what, you cant sign for a package if the ID doesnt match the address. Boom. There it was. Now we have no recipient and no return address.

So after he fails the ID test at the front desk, the staff at the apt complex gives that package BACK to the same postman and he takes it. By the way, I dont think you can do this, without postage and all, 3 days later. However, nonetheless, it is now marked as delivered and signed for and that is no bueno.  I also find out that there are “behind the scenes” scans that occur. I did not see that it was signed for, but my postmaster did, and the person that signed for it wasnt the correct person. It was the front desk person. I actually called them as well, and they said thats their policy. So they accepted a package that was addressed to the wrong person. Great. And now by USPS, its been delivered. Awesome.

This brings up another interested point. Insurance. I had insured the package, and if you didnt, you may be screwed. And so I filed a claim on the package, which you can do after 15 days of it being “lost.” I figured, its been gone 15 days, so much for priority, so I should go ahead and file a claim. By the way, forget about priority from here on its. Its a very slow go. This is what a received about a week later.

So now I have no package, Im out $1000 and my insurance is denied. God bless America.

I had been tracking the package via text, which I strongly recommend doing, and 7 days later, I got a text that it was headed to the Mail Recovery Center in Atlanta, aka the Dead Mail center, as in graveyard. Its also important to know that the MRC is massive, if you dont believe me, look on Google Maps. Also it is unreachable. You will find old phone numbers, some that ring and some that are dead. Also you will find emails of people that have helped in the past, they all bounce back. Dont waste any time trying to communicate with them. Even the postmasters cant. Im serious, I asked.

Well, I figured it would get to Atlanta in a few days, hell, its in Orlando. No, it takes 2-3 weeks. Remember, forget about Priority.  I read about the Mail Recovery Center and it is not good. Dozens of blogs about how stuff is stolen, sold, and trashed. See any links here. This information will break you. Filled with horror stories of lost mementos and valuable items. All gone. Then you find this site, where they actually sell you shit in bulk boxes!!!! Sorry for the swearing but at this point, this represented my sentiment. Im out $1000 and youre profiting on it!!

 

At this point I filed an MRC search. Now, nowhere online will is say you can do this, and nobody I talked to at USPS even mentioned it to me. What is an MRC search? A mail recovery center search. I dont know if its true, but the way I see it, you should fill it out before it arrives there, not after. So do it, now, if you havent. Otherwise, your stuff ends up in auction. Go here..  https://amps.usps.gov/mpsa/lst  Also note that this site keeps changing URL. I found several dead ones, and likely by the time you read this in 6 months, it will be different. Find it. Also note their indexing on Google doesnt help. Thats right, “Close Window – AMPS” is the correct link. So effective.

Well time went on, and still no update, so I found out you can fill out an appeal for the USPS. So I did, then again, I waited. And waited.

Finally, a MONTH after the package was lost, it reappeared in tracking and I got a text. ITS ALIVE!!!  Now I dont know what happened behind the scenes. Did the MRC use the search when it scanned?  Did the insurance people work harder to find it?  Did a driver find it under his seat? I dunno, but its being forwarded somewhere. Hopefully me, bc Im out $1000!

And like that, it was suddenly back on track and headed back to me. Praise the Lord. Whats lost has been found. It arrived safely and appeared undamaged, though well travelled.

Inside I did find this letter.

As you know the MRC is legally allow to open your mail and investigate. Clearly it was opened and evaluated. This goes back to what I said earlier. Put a slip inside all packages with your info on it, just in case it ends up at the MRC. Lesson learned. I did not in this case.

I took the time to write this log, because there is very little good information out there. Having been through it, I felt there needed to be a much better resource. Please like or comment on this if you appreciate this post. Or buy me a beer if you meet me.

So in summary.  Yes, you can recover mail from the MRC, but you had better have it insured and you better be prepared to spend hours on the problem. If its under $100, it may not be worth it. Fill out all required forms and find out what happened on the recipients end, even if it means calling their apt complex. Always attach return address firmly or stamp it on all packages, just in case someone gives you the wrong name.

Thats all I have for today. Stay strong.

-Merican Dreamer