USPS Informed Delivery

[SwampSurvivor]

I have to do this for my mail. The mail service where I live is absolutely awful.

 

[Lubener]

I filled in a online form to get mail forwarded when I moved. One option was "Informed Delivery". I checked it not sure of exactly what it was. So now a day or two before delivery I get a digital image (emailed to me) of most first class letters that will be delivered to me.

While most people have never signed up for this or heard of it, I would assume the USPS needs to take a digital image of every first class letter they process so can they figure out the ones that should be sent to people who signed up for the service and then delete the rest. Or maybe send to FBI or NSA. I sure do not know.

I do know that these days computer storage has gotten super cheap. It use to be expensive to store data, no longer. I work for a very large hospitality company (hotel) and I think for the mainframe we have five copies of all our data with a lot of that for disk mirroring as part of DR.

Does the USPS taking a digital image of most first class mail they process bother anyone?

Bothers me.

I have used Informed Delivery for around three years now and has saved me many trips to my home to collect my mail when I was being a caregiver 15 miles away. I only went home when something important was delivered. Yes, 99% of the time you get an image of the mail. Sometimes a "unable to provide image" would appear creating a mystery. Signing up with all the security measures was a pain but the service has saved me a lot of gas money. I would get an email around 8AM or you can log in directly at the USPS web site and see you mail to be delivered around 5AM.

 

[RooflessVW]

We signed up because our local carriers are so bad.

Now we can at least tell if what wasn't delivered was just junk or something important. Typically we only get bills (that we also get and pay online) and junk from the USPS. If there's a package coming it's 50/50 wether or not we get it.

 

[WagonWheel]

I find it a very useful service . Highly accurate with good images.

I’ve been using it for 3+ years. I find it reasonably accurate for a gov’t entity.

Biggest issue is items in the email frequently show up a day or two later, although they do say “coming to your mailbox soon”, so there is some wiggle room.

 

[Danh]

Louis DeJoy is very interested in your life. As is your cellphone provider, email provider, and internet provider.

Fwiw, this was in place long before he became Postmaster General.

 

[MasterSolenoid]

I've been using the service for a while and like it. I have no problem with them scanning the exterior of my mail and I am not at all worried about the images that they may retain. I think it is a useful service.

Its a good service to figure when you need to go to the mailbox and when you don't.

I agree ▲

I heard they started scanning ALL envelops because of the anthrax mailings years ago.
The only way the Govt could convince the public of scanning the mail, was to turn it into a 'free' service.

I've been using Informed Delivery for several years / it's great.
Puts you more in control of your life.

You know when to expect important letters (refund checks, insurance policies etc)
Also packages.

 

[K.Aoi]

Been using it for years, it's very convenient.

 

[alarmguy]

I filled in a online form to get mail forwarded when I moved. One option was "Informed Delivery". I checked it not sure of exactly what it was. So now a day or two before delivery I get a digital image (emailed to me) of most first class letters that will be delivered to me.

While most people have never signed up for this or heard of it, I would assume the USPS needs to take a digital image of every first class letter they process so can they figure out the ones that should be sent to people who signed up for the service and then delete the rest. Or maybe send to FBI or NSA. I sure do not know.

I do know that these days computer storage has gotten super cheap. It use to be expensive to store data, no longer. I work for a very large hospitality company (hotel) and I think for the mainframe we have five copies of all our data with a lot of that for disk mirroring as part of DR.

Does the USPS taking a digital image of most first class mail they process bother anyone?

Bothers me.

Not sure if you know that the Postal Service is also part of the USA security apparatus, always has been.
It has a "law enforcement arm."
This is some of the latest, you can bet this is just the tip of the iceberg. Dont think even if the day comes that something is "defunded" it will go away, its just one small aspect.
You dont think the price of a postage stamp only pays for the cost of postage do you? )

Defund iCOP: Republican lawmakers call for ending controversial USPS surveillance program

Republican lawmakers said they are pushing to end the U.S. Postal Service’s surveillance of Americans via its internet covert operations program (iCOP). The program purportedly monitored Americans via their social media posts, and lawmakers have pressed the Postal Service for answers about their...

gaetz.house.gov

US Postal Service 'runs secret program to SPY on Americans' social media'

THE POSTAL SERVICE is keeping tabs on Americans’ social media moves. The U.S. Postal Service’s law enforcement arm has purportedly been keeping close tabs on US social media posts by secretly laun…

www.the-sun.com

 

[TheLastWord]

Not sure if you know that the Postal Service is also part of the USA security apparatus, always has been.
It has a "law enforcement arm."
This is some of the latest, you can bet this is just the tip of the iceberg. Dont think even if the day comes that something is "defunded" it will go away, its just one small aspect.
You dont think the price of a postage stamp only pays for the cost of postage do you? )

Defund iCOP: Republican lawmakers call for ending controversial USPS surveillance program

Republican lawmakers said they are pushing to end the U.S. Postal Service’s surveillance of Americans via its internet covert operations program (iCOP). The program purportedly monitored Americans via their social media posts, and lawmakers have pressed the Postal Service for answers about their...

gaetz.house.gov

US Postal Service 'runs secret program to SPY on Americans' social media'

THE POSTAL SERVICE is keeping tabs on Americans’ social media moves. The U.S. Postal Service’s law enforcement arm has purportedly been keeping close tabs on US social media posts by secretly laun…

www.the-sun.com

Thanks dude. You are moving a worthwhile thread into lock territory. 🔐

 

[alarmguy]

Thanks dude. You are moving a worthwhile thread into lock territory. 🔐

No I’m not. Maybe you need to read the O.P.
Obviously you did not, dude.

 

[dnewton3]

We're too close to the political edge here; comments unwarranted.
closed.