USPS Smartpost Insurance Scam

Don't use it?

I wondered about that. The last shipment I got was from L.A. and it took nine days to make it 850 miles north into Oregon. Part of the trip was the flight to Kent, WA, about 400 miles north of me. Go figure.

Ship only UPS or DHL? I for one am reporting the delayed shipments to both parties in the hopes that the sheer number of emails to FedEX and USPS will prompt some kind of improvement. I haven't lost anything yet.

-- Fear not those who argue but those who dodge. -- Marie Ebner von Eschenbach

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Looks like they spelled it all out so no case against them.

I agree it appears to be of very little potential benefit to the user and definitely a hassle if something goes wrong.

I have always had good luck w/ USPS, particularly w/ the newer single-pricing boxes and w/ tracking/insurance thru USPS never had a loss that wasn't covered altho I can only recall one time ever needing it.

Tracking is available if one takes advantage of it; would think if FedEx were really serious about trying to promote the above they would realize they need to deal w/ the issue. I'd expect this won't last long as currently configured.

FedEx Smartpost is so slow. It usually takes 8 to 9 days to go cross USA. 3-4 days to just go to same or an adjoining state. They use USPS parcel post so there is a high percentage that your package will be lost.

They lead you to believe that there is $100 insurance on your shipments. However when a package is lost or not delivered, they will tell you there responsibility is only to pick up the package. The USPS system is responsible after the initial pick up, and of course, there is no insurance with the USPS Parcel Post system. They dispose of your package at the local post office the package is presumed lost, or probably employees split it all up

A too slow method to ship with deceptive insurance practices. False implied practices, such as making you think you are getting $100 insurance; they even ask for the phone number of the receiver. This is a business buyer beware situation. Don?t get involved unless you also insure your packages by a 3rd party and have over a week to get it to them.

I would like to report them to the BBB, FTC, US Government, but they are both untouchable. Anyone have any suggestions?

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Report it to the postmaster at the post office.

It should be considered mail fraud.if they are claiming the package shipped by USPS has insurance when it has no insurance.

Robert

On 2/14/2012 6:16 AM, Robert wrote: ...

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They aren't--posted the link to the T&C above.

It's clear even though the "service" they're hawking is a lousy product they covered their butts on their liability to only the time they handle the package prior to them handing it over to the USPS.

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Smartpost (misnamed) was bought up wholesale by fedex, who evidently haven't figured out that the turkey tarnishes their reputation, as they leave it running on it's craptastic model, as opposed to bringing it up to the usual FedEx standard. Don't blame the USPS - if you want to ship an insured package USPS, take it to the Post Office and do that, or have them come pick it up. As with any hub and spoke, they ship it to their hubs, regardless of it being past where you are. Mind you, the only place I deal with that seems to use it normally is Amazon free shipping, and 5-6 days of the delay there appears to be Amazon sitting on your package (they claim it's shipped, but no tracking information is available) because they want you to pay extra for faster shipping. Amazon did refund the package they failed to deliver here.

In any case, the solution is to not use them - vote with your $.

On the other hand, FedEx ground is fairly cheap, and FedEx Home Delivery is only a few cents higher than USPS Priority mail. And, usually several days faster, trackable, and insurance is cheap. I use it for a lot of my shipping to home addresses. They won't accept Home Delivery to a business address.

I have never had a problem with FedEx - zero damage, zero lost packages, etc. Domestic USPS is about the same, but I've had all sorts of packages disappear on international postal shipments. And, USPS won't insure full value on packages to many countries.

Jon

I don't know what happens in the handoff between Fedex & USPS, but I can tell you it is highly unlikely that USPS employees are splitting up your goodies. Mu brother is an electronics technician in a major USPS sorting facility, and the security is very tight. Occasionally, someone does get tempted to skim some stuff, but, since there are security cameras looking at pretty much every square inch of the building (and those are the cameras you can see, there are, undoubtedly more cameras that are hidden), the perpetrator gets led out of the building in handcuffs.

These guys do have a pretty strong union, but even picking up a magazine from the line and reading it is a fireable offense, and people do get fired for doing it.

So yeah, it does happen that mail gets pilfered, but not nearly as often as you might have thought.

If you truly believe that your mail is being screwed with, contact the postal inspector (you can find them oon USPS.gov). They take this stuff very seriously, and they do carry guns.

They don't seem to maintain same.....

USPS has their own federal LEO; the Postal Inspectors.

Has anyone here ever -seen- one of these mythical USPSPI beasties?

There was a TV movie, The Inspectors, based on them in 1998. Lou Gossett played one. He's had a helluva life: 160 programs (so far) in his acting career. Good actor!

-- Fear not those who argue but those who dodge. -- Marie Ebner von Eschenbach

Worked on their two-way radio equipment ~15 years ago. They even wanted to have a siren and lights put in their car, similar to what a police detective would have. There was a large maze of passages, one-way mirror glass set-up in the sorting facility. I heard two miles worth, think that was stretching it a bit... They could watch anything in the place with out being seen or detected.

Worked on pretty much all of the Fed's stuff at one time or the other, but the IRS and Postal Inspectors had the most impressive armament I ever saw with them.

They have their own entrance to every USPO, with spyholes/mirrors above.

On 2/16/2012 1:04 PM, Leon Fisk wrote: ...

In a shootout I'll be on DOE security's side at Oak Ridge Y-12, etc., ... :)

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As I said, it's not likely that anyone is going to pilfer mail in a post office more than once. They take it VERY seriously.

Also, FWIW, my brother told me that when they made the announcement of impending cutbacks at his facility (which employs about 700 people), the postal cops were there in force.

If they have a hiding spot in my PO, it must be mighty cramped . http://g.co/maps/cuy3b Though I think it's bigger than the PO where I used to live. http://g.co/maps/3ykas

I had one come to where I work, it was looking for the previous tenant.

BTW, Your sig needs a (space) after the -- to be proper & not quoted....

MikeB

I think this pretty much proves my theory. They're Smurfs. That's why we don't see them and they don't take up much room.

-- The ultimate result of shielding men from folly is to fill the world with fools. -- Herbert Spencer

And I thought those little blue fellers were neighbors suffering from SAD.