Don't Use USPS 'Package Intercept' Service!!

[CaliCatKC]

Just a heads-up on a new service that USPS is now offering called "Package Intercept.'  It is a joke and a total rip-off!

I do a lot of shipping and this sounded like a wonderful service!  A couple months ago I accidentally shipped a package to '26 Main St.' instead of '25 Main St.'  My client received the usps tracking info and immedately contacted me about the error.

I had put the package in the post office's pakcage bin late on a Saturday night, so when my client contacted me early on Sunday morning, I went to usps.com and initiated the package intercept request. It said that my package was eligable so I proceeded to spend $11.50 (original shipping had only been $8) for the re-route.

All seemed well and my request went through.  I did see where it said that the intercept was not guaranteed, but no where on the info page did it say that the fee was non-refundable (AMX also reviewed the info page and concurred).

Well, the package was never intercepted even though tracking clearly shows that it did not leave my post office until Monday and did not get to (the wrong adress) until the following Thursday.

After I received an email from usps saying, 'Sorry we couldn't get to the package in time,' I initiated a refund through the USPS website and never heard anything. After a month I called USPS and was told by both the representative and her supervisor, that the fee is simply for their 'attempt' to locate and re-route the package and that it is non-refundable!

AMX refunded the charge for me. 

USPS is losing money.  They have a devised a 'service' that will take a crazy amount of money from your pockets for 'attempting' to re-route a package.  There is no proof or guarantee that they will even try to intercept the package. They don't have to! They get paid for this no matter what.

[JoyK]

I only wish I had read this a 1 AM today when I was stressing over the dam cheap item I mailed to the wrong address.  Oh well I guess I can't do anything now.  I thought I read if there was no intercept, there was no charge.   Glad to know your CC helped you out.  I just talked to he post office and they do not even try to intercept until it reaches the first location.   What a rip off.

what I would like to know is what recourse do you have when you send wrong item to wrong address?

any info appreciated

Joy

[moxiemo]

Wanted to update this thread a bit.

Sent out a package to a person I later found out was a known scam artist. The package was sent out a full 15-20 hours before this information graced my computer screen. Anyway, good thing I sent the mail priority so I had a tracking number. I quickly called USPS customer service and they directed me to their website and the package intercept option in the drop down menu. Phew. I immediately began the process, thanked customer service and hung up. No sooner than I did that the website told me my package didn't qualify for package intercept. Called back.......for whatever reason, after several tries, package intercept was paid for and was a go. Everything was great.  According to my text alerts and the website, my package was still in the city. Great, I can pick it up personally.  The next morning I received a text message telling me the package had been flown halfway across the country. Now how did that happen? It was steps away from the scam artist now. As soon as the sun rose the next morning I recieved another status update, the package was in the scammer's city. She was about to get my stuff!!!! So I called customer service and they started the spiel about package intercept not being guaranteed..... blah, blah, blah. Not understanding, scratch that, not wanting to hear that I asked why the package wasn't stopped when it was still in my city......Hold on. Let me ask somebody. When customer service got back on the line she said they had been able to intercept the package.

Great.

Hours later there was still no update on the website or in my messages and for all intents and purposes my package was on a mail truck and my con artist was posted up next to her mail box, waiting with bated breath for her ill gotten gains for she had the tracking number as well.  I called USPS again and expressed my frustration with being scammed and they gave me the number to the local post office. I called and spoke with a great guy over delivery services in Somerset, Kentucky. He told me he had my package on his desk, address label covered up and ready to be returned to sender but the computer system just hadn't updated yet. We talked about a few other things and he had even done a little research and discovered what I'd found out about the address I'd sent the package to as well.

Bottom line: USPS is in the business of getting the package there, not back. If you want the service to work you have to put some skin in the game and that involves more than paying the fee. After I signed up for package intercept I did a little googling and saw that the moans and groans came from people that did no follow up. Just FYI.

[QuangHo99]

did you able to stop the package? I mean you got USPS send you back??

[jeffpiatt]

Oddly I get an different problem my tracking numbers for incoming orders come up with insufficient data to intercept errors before asking for payment on every mail speed the USPS just introduced the service and doesn't have the equipment to pull it off reliability but its strange that I can't hold at post office any packages.

[Zekrom]

WOOOOWWWW... What a ripoff O_O 

I know its been 2 years, still...

[sharpiemarker]

I saw the 11$ fee and turned right around! lol

[starlitetech]

I've used the Package Intercept service 3, maybe 4 times since they started offering it and never once had a problem with it. They always found the package and redirected to where I asked them to send it to. Albeit it's a bit confusing because even after you redirect a package, it still has to go to the original destination city post office and only then will it started to travel to the new destination you specified. Also once the package hits the original destination post office, it is assigned a new tracking number which they send to you via email. So yeah its not a perfect system, but it does work.

[HWFRANJR56]

USPS IS CHEAP SO YOU DONT GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. BEST SERVICE IS FEDX IS THE BEST AT THE BUSINESS, THEY DONT LET USPS TOUH IT!! HA! HA!

[Nepenthe]

Hi, there!I have a package that USPS says it can't deliver as addressed, and as it is a valuable item, don't want it just hanging around until they decide to send it back. I was just researching this Intercept option today, and am curious for anyone who has used it: what does the tracking info. on the USPS site say after a pacage has been successfully intercepted? Does it just say "returned to sender" or something else? Thanx!

[delarkin1111]

Oh how I wish I had stumbled onto this link last week. USPS charged me $24 for the package intercept option to re-route my package to my business address...which is in the SAME zip code.....and then proceeded to route my Priority Shipment....which was my new smartphone....back to the address of origin. Quite enfuriating! I then had to pay a shipping fee to the seller for a SECOND TIME to re-ship the item. I was intending to petition for a refund but it appears they have a "get out of jail free card" with that disclaimer statement. So, word to the wise.....Do NOT let the USPS scam you out of your hard earned money!