WWYD- USPS package misdelivery

[Anonymous]

We are renting a house from a family deloyed overseas. A family member (same last name, so I'm assuming) mis-sent a USPS package to this family- the package had two labels, one for the military address and one for the domestic (our current address) and of course it came to our address. I wrote a big "return to sender" on the box and dropped it at a post office, only to have it delievered to us AGAIN a few days later! Now what? Attempt to return to sender a second time or offer to send to the family? Or throw it out and pretetd we never received it? Don't want to be a jerk but I don't know what's in the package so don't want responsibility for it.

[Anonymous]

Please don't throw it out. I would put a note, like a sticky note, on it saying 'does not live here, use military address' and leave it for the carrier to pick up.

The sender shouldn't have put two labels on it, that's confusing.

[Anonymous]

Line through any bar code on the package. No one is reading your note. The bar code is just being rescanned.

Also since you are renting from the owners, can you email them and ask what to do?

[Anonymous]

You’re confused at what to do? Really? You know the people you’re renting from, right? Do you have contact info for them or maybe through the property manager? Send them an email tell them what happened and ask them what they would like you to do. Don’t be an idiot and throw out the box.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You’re confused at what to do? Really? You know the people you’re renting from, right? Do you have contact info for them or maybe through the property manager? Send them an email tell them what happened and ask them what they would like you to do. Don’t be an idiot and throw out the box.

+1. Maybe they have some local friends/family you could leave it with.

[Anonymous]

Just return to the sender.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You’re confused at what to do? Really? You know the people you’re renting from, right? Do you have contact info for them or maybe through the property manager? Send them an email tell them what happened and ask them what they would like you to do. Don’t be an idiot and throw out the box.

+1 what a horrible idea to just throw it out. That just makes me sad to think of people being that way. Especially since this is possibly a personal item (from a relative) not just some junk Amazon order.

[Anonymous]

Take it to the post office and ask them to return to sender. You need a customers form to send it overseas and obviously the family that sent it wants to put that on you (plus shipping). The town address labels by the sender was a choice on purpose.

[Anonymous]

The magic incantation is "Not at this address"

https://faq.usps.com/s/article/How-is-Undeliverable-and-Misdelivered-Mail-Handled

Postal employees are trained to read a limited number of phrases.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Line through any bar code on the package. No one is reading your note. The bar code is just being rescanned.

Also since you are renting from the owners, can you email them and ask what to do?

Ohhh interesting- we received some mysterious packages one time and it wasn't the previous owner and we got no response on our neighborhood listserv. But I kept leavingthem out for the carrier but USPS kept redelivering. I think it happened twice before they finally didn't come back. I didn't know about crossing out the barcode.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Take it to the post office and ask them to return to sender. You need a customers form to send it overseas and obviously the family that sent it wants to put that on you (plus shipping). The town address labels by the sender was a choice on purpose.

I wouldn't assume this was intentional, it's more likely they were confused. Yes you need a customs form to mail overseas but if it is military personel they should have an APO address, which has similar postage rates as sending within the US.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Take it to the post office and ask them to return to sender. You need a customers form to send it overseas and obviously the family that sent it wants to put that on you (plus shipping). The town address labels by the sender was a choice on purpose.

Why on earth would you assume that? No one sent a package for their family to the wrong place. Get a grip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Take it to the post office and ask them to return to sender. You need a customers form to send it overseas and obviously the family that sent it wants to put that on you (plus shipping). The town address labels by the sender was a choice on purpose.

Why on earth would you assume that? No one sent a package for their family to the wrong place on purpose. Get a grip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Take it to the post office and ask them to return to sender. You need a customers form to send it overseas and obviously the family that sent it wants to put that on you (plus shipping). The town address labels by the sender was a choice on purpose.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Take it to the post office and ask them to return to sender. You need a customers form to send it overseas and obviously the family that sent it wants to put that on you (plus shipping). The town address labels by the sender was a choice on purpose.

I was in the post office and someone tried this. They required the person to formally refuse delivery. "Do you refuse delivery?" She has to say, "Yes" or they wouldn't take it.