What do I do when I don't receive a package?

Question

My mail forwarding never went through for some reason. My previous landlord may have just thrown the package that came in the mail for my son's 1st birthday away instead of telling the mailman that we don't live there anymore. It was a valuable package, what do I do when I didn't receive it because the change of address didn't go through and my aunt didn't receive the package back? It was sent over a month ago!

Answer 1

You don't indicate how the package was shipped, but as you indicate the your mail forwarding never went through, will have to assume that it was shipped via U.S. Mail.

As it has been a month, not what you are going to want to hear but chances are good that it is was delivered to your old address and not given back to U.S. Postal Service Carrier for re-delivery, or if it was, has been forwarded to lost mail services if your forwarding address was unknown.

Chances of seeing it again/getting reimbursement for the contents is going to depend on how it was shipped.

If it was shipped with any tracking information (Delivery Confirmation or Express Mail) and/or insurance or Registered Mail if the contents of the package was over $500).

If it was shipped with Delivery Confirmation or Express Mail, a tracking number would be put on the package and a receipt given to your Aunt and your Aunt could enter the tracking information on USPS.gov's website and it delivered, it would show what date the zipcode it was delivered to. In this case you could file a complaint with your local post office (I would recommend going into the post office, getting a paper form, filling it out and turning it in...I have never had any luck with filing a complaint online).

If it was shipped via Insured Mail or Registered Mail, your Aunt would have been given a receipt with a tracking # and could initiate a lost package/request for insurance coverage, but would need receipts showing how much the items in the package to file with her claim. More information is available at the USPS website
http://www.usps.com/all/insuranceandextraservices/welcome.htm

If the package was shipped without Delivery Confirmation, or being Insured/Registered, or any receipt at all showing that the package was mailed, you can still file a complaint and request for an investigation. Only hope I can offer you is that one time I sent a package to my brother when he was in the service and moved around quite a bit (and was not good about keeping up on his mail forwarding information) and I received a package back that I had sent him in the mail for Christmas around Halloween of the next year.

In the future, for you own information (and educating your relatives), if you have to mail something that has a value that you could not stand to be out the money for, make sure that you send the package via insured mail and keep the insured mail receipt showing the value of the item AND receipts for the value of the item being sent until you know the package has arrived at its destination safe and sound.

Current rates for insurance can be found via this link (Express Mail is automatically insured up to $100) and starts at $1.35 for $50 worth of coverage.
http://www.usps.com/insurance/welcome.htm

Answer 2

GO for post office and rent a post box it is very cheap and u can keep all ur Secret messages or order

Answer 3

accept that the package is gone forever and move on