What action can I take for lost mail and passport USPS?

Question

I am a little annoyed right now. I waiting for my family's 4 passports. One arrived. Two are reported arrived. And one on it's way. I called the post office and the substitute postal carrier says he delivered all 3 but we did not receive it. We have locked boxes so it couldn't have been stolen out of it.

This is the second time (that I know of--kind of scary) that they have lost my mail. Last October my regular mail carrier was out for a month getting his appendix out. We went on vacation for a week and put our mail on vacation hold. When we returned our whole week's mail was missing. They never found it, either.

What can I do to prevent this from happening in the future? Is there someone I can complain to? When I call the post office they act like it's my fault. Also what action do I need to take regarding my lost passport and other important documents (birth certificate and marriage certificate? Are they responsible for the cost of replacing?

My postal carrier remembers delivering 1 passport. The substitute is saying he put the other 2 missing ones in my box....but how can they magically disappear. I have a feeling he put them in someone else's box.

Well...after almost 2 weeks!! A person who lives in another part of my town brought me my 2 passports. I guess the mailman delivered it to the wrong address. I am so thankful they are found! Thanks for all your input!

Answer 1

Get a P.O. box.

Answer 2

If the carrier remembers delivering at least three passports, then your problem lies somewhere else.

UPS, FedEX, DHL, etc. all lose items. The above answerer is off base by saying to ship via those carriers.

Answer 3

If you could hold the USPS responsible for lost mail, a 1st class stamp would be $4.95. The best way to avoid this is to use FedEx or UPS. I don't know if that is an option for passports.