PSA: Undeliverable mail (dead letters) can be opened by USPS if they remain unclaimed at the mail recovery center

I've seen a couple of discussions about real vs. fake return addresses here, so I took some time to look into the process of what happens to undeliverable mail.

Normally, the postal inspector needs to get a search warrant in order to open a domestic first-class package (Source) and priority mail falls under the same protection (See for example this appeal). If they suspect that a package contains something illegal, and they can articulate their reasoning to a judge, they can get a warrant and investigate the contents of that package. But in any other case, your packages are protected from being opened by virtue of the 4th amendment.

However, an exception to this rule is when the package is undeliverable and cannot be returned to the sender. Meaning, both the recipient address and the return address were invalid, missing or unintelligible. Or to put it in realistic DNM terms: the buyer fucked up his address and the vendor used a fake return address.

[The Mail Recovery Center] is the only place where USPS personnel are allowed to open your mail, as employees sift through it for clues to the rightful owner's identity.

Source: http://www.ajc.com/news/news/post-office-moving-atlanta-unclaimed-mail-auction-/nWkQs/

So what goes into the "processing" step? First, a Mail Recovery Clerk has to physically open the letters and packages to discern exactly what they contain, making people in this position just about the only individuals in the US legally allowed to open another person's mail without it being a federal crime. As you can imagine, this means security is tight and everything the clerks find has to be meticulously recorded and noted down to stop someone just walking out of the building with a pocketful of other people's stuff.

Source: http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2015/01/happens-undeliverable-mail-no-return-address/

After 90 days if the package is unclaimed they will open it and auction off its contents on this wonderful webpage. It used to be a physical auction but they moved it online in 2013 to save money.

That being said, I have yet to find a case where illegal contents have been found, and that it sparked up an investigation into the sender or the recipient. It may also be difficult for them to follow up on such a case, since it might still constitute a violation of the 4a, and a judge could reasonably say that the exception only allows them to open the package in order to try and determine the owner, or to auction off the contents. But still, good to know.

The bottom line: Using fake return addresses is still a better bet, until we see evidence to the contrary. I would be more inclined to guess that an employee of MRC who found drugs in a package would just pocket them or dump them, rather than go through the trouble of getting the postal inspector involved. On the other hand, a legit business that receives an unexpected bag of #3 would probably not be as complacent.

This also illustrates the importance of stealth even for domestic packages. If, in the rare case that the MRC opens your package, all they find is a bunch of worthless brochures and junk, they are much more likely to just toss it out than they would if it obviously contained a bag of powder.

Additional sources:

  1. http://www.21cpw.com/drugs-and-fraud-keep-boise-based-postal-inspectors-on-their-toes

  2. https://www.lewrockwell.com/2011/04/bill-rounds/be-careful-with-your-return-address/

  3. http://www.hipforums.com/forum/topic/341573-drug-mailing-the-potal-system-courier-shipping-long-post/


Comments


[2 Points] rabbitsfootx:

how can I find letters that were sent to me but not delivered? or are they a lost cause?


[2 Points] RosyPalm:

That being said, I have yet to find a case where illegal contents have been found, and that it sparked up an investigation into the sender or the recipient. It may also be difficult for them to follow up on such a case, since it might still constitute a violation of the 4a, and a judge could reasonably say that the exception only allows them to open the package in order to try and determine the owner, or to auction off the contents. But still, good to know.

It's difficult because they can't figure out the delivery address and the return address goes nowhere. They don't know who the buyer is, otherwise they would have tried to deliver the package.

They could probably use the mail cover program to triangulate the vendors location, but even then they wouldn't have much to go on unless they had dozens of packages coming back.


[1 Points] sdfhgdhjbdafcadv:

If they were undeliverable in the first place, I'd say there's very little chance that this could lead to a buyer bring tracked down.


[1 Points] None:

This is great info, you put some work into this and it shows. Thank you!


[1 Points] whadusaybrah:

Thanks for the info man. Good stuff.


[1 Points] ughhheriyou:

Agree with OP, better they find the package months later by bored employee then right away by citizen do-right. l.