Most all of us have heard the term “porch pirates” over the past few years. Those pesky thieves who grab our packages from our door steps before we get home from work. But we wanted to make you aware that many USPS Letter Carriers (aka mailmen or mailwomen) may be mistaken for porch pirates. If you’ll read below we can help you determine if the person standing at your door is actually a postal employee, or an imposter.
As the United States Post Office continues to change, so has the personal. Today the post office is in the process of hiring thousands of new postal employees to deliver your mail and packages. However, these new employees are not eligible for postal uniforms until they’ve worked for over three months.
With turnover being extremely high, as delivering mail is far from an easy job, many of these new recruits don’t last very long in their new positions. The end result is that the person delivering your mail very well may not be in a uniform.
So how can you tell if the person standing at your door is really a USPS employee?
Most all temporary employees will wear a USPS authorized hat. If you see this hat it is a good sign that they are an actual USPS employee
Look for a letter carriers bag with an official USPS logo.
When in doubt, every mailman must carry their official USPS ID badge. This badge will have a USPS logo and a photo of the employee. Never be afraid to ask to see a mailman’s badge.
So please remember to be safe when approached by anyone claiming to be a USPS employee. While in most all cases the person on the other side of the door is legitimate, you can never be too safe.