I have a security session called “Six Super Simple Steps for Online Security,” and the easiest, super-ist, simplest step is to sign up for USPS Informed Delivery.
What Is Informed Delivery?
A few years ago the USPS started offering households the ability to see scanned images of incoming mail and to track USPS packages that would arrive soon. Today about 39 million households have signed up (about 30%).
Why Should You Sign Up?
- Do it before the bad guys can
It’s fairly easy to sign up for Informed Delivery, which means that the bad guys have been able to manipulate the system. Claim your address before an identity thief signs up and is able to monitor your incoming mail. - It’s darn convenient
My husband was expecting a check in the mail last week. I was able to verify that the check was arriving without having to check the mailbox every half hour. - It’s handy for gifting season
My nephew is off to college this week, and he’s getting cards and packages in the mail for his big transition. With Informed Delivery, my sister could check the mailbox and monitor incoming packages.
How Does It Work?
Once you sign up and verify your identity with USPS (a safeguard to make it harder for bad guys to sign up for you), you’ll start getting daily emails like this:
It’s easy to glance through and see if there’s something worth getting off your rear to retrieve from the mailbox, and it’s helpful to see when packages are on their way. Plus you can report when something that was scanned in didn’t actually appear.
Please note that sometimes it shows a piece of mail is arriving that day, but it doesn’t get delivered until the following day. So, don’t panic. After all, it is the USPS. Also, it doesn’t scan any bulk mail like catalogs, magazines, local weekly ads, etc.
Good point. Another interesting thing is that advertisers can pay to connect their mailings with Informed Delivery, so you sometimes get an additional link with the scanned image of a marketing mailout.
I have had Informed Delivery for probably a year or so. I love it. It does everything you mentioned and more. We have quite a few misplaced pieces of mail across our neighborhood, and this really helps. Plus, I know when I’m receiving packages.