Post Office Workers...I have a question

[dfchelbay]

We got a letter in the mail over a month ago from a person we do not wish to receive contact from. I put an X through our names, wrote refused and return to sender on the envelope and dropped it in a post office mail collection box. I got it back in the mail the next day and this was written on it:

"Why are you refusing"?

What business is it of the post office why I'm refusing a letter from a sender. So, once again I wrote in sharpie...refused, return to sender. Again, the letter was returned to us in the mail. I keep refusing the letter and it just keeps getting delivered back to our house. Every time I get the envelope I just keep dropping it back in a postal box. This has been going on for over a month now.

Anyone know what the deal is with this? Why am I not being allowed to refuse this letter?

 

[deedeetoo]

Why don't you just throw it away?

I think the post office wants to know if its the wrong address or the person doesn't live there anymore or something like that. Do you want the post office to return it to the sender? I don't think they are allowed to throw mail away if they can deliver it to the addressee. I think the only way you can refuse mail is if it postage due.

 

[maggiew]

I agree. I think they want to make sure that you didn't move. They have no idea that you, the addressee, is writing refused on it. It could easily be that you moved and the new resident is writing that on the letter.

Maggie

 

[Hoodie]

Why don't you just throw it away?

I think the post office wants to know if its the wrong address or the person doesn't live there anymore or something like that. Do you want the post office to return it to the sender? I don't think they are allowed to throw mail away if they can deliver it to the addressee. I think the only way you can refuse mail is if it postage due.

I agree with this. They are probably verifying the address and recipient. If the recipient has died or no longer lives at the address they would block all mail.

I'd throw it out or if you REALLY want it to return to sender I'd block your address out so the only address they have is the sender's.

 

[allison443]

I agree with the other posters...I really don't think the post office cares about your personal reason for not wanting this mail....but they want to know if there is a valid, postal-related reason.

Their job is to deliver mail to the proper recipient/address. Usually if something is refused it's because of wrong address, person no longer lives there, etc.

Since you don't want it, just throw it out. Or stick it in an envelope, address it to the sender, and return it to them if the idea is for the sender to get the message that you don't want to receive anything from them. I can't believe this little game has been going on for over a month.

 

[MyDizneyBoyz]

Bring it to your local Post Office and ask them directly.

I'm sure they have a valid reason and will probably have a way for you to handle it in the future so that you and the postal workers don't waste time and energy bouncing this letter around. Perhaps there is something specific you can write on it which will satisfy their questions so it will be directly returned to the sender.

 

[Sarahlovy]

I would just write "sender unknown." I used to sort mail for a large building, and it was the way we found to make it disappear.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

The post office is not in the business of "denying" mail to you LOL! They have a legal obligation to DELIVER the mail, not to run a screening service for you.

If it's addressed to you and you keep doing this they may decide that you have moved and take all your mail away.

If you want to send it back try "return to sender, not ordered" on it. That might work (it works for mail order packages), but.....

I agree with others you can try to go to the postoffice, but I don't think they are going to be able to "screen" your mail for you. (They don't want to get in the middle of your drama) But I think it's time to go to the post office or give up.

 

[kesha]

Give it to your mail carrier personally or take to the PO. If you opened the letter you will have to pay to send it back. If you just drop it it will come back to you.

 

[moongirl]

Why don't you just put it in a new envelope and send it back to the person unopened with "Refused" written all over it? I think they will get the message and you will get to stop playing this game with the post office.

 

[rubato]

By crossing your names out, I'm absolutely certain the letter carrier is confused now. Do you not live there? It is the job of the post office to deliver mail from the sender, because they paid for the postage. They are just doing their job. Throw it away, or mail it back to the original sender.

 

[pixiewings71]

I think I would write refused on it, black out your address information (with a sharpie or with a piece of paper taped over your info) and then take it to the PO mail box to send it back. I'm not sure why you don't want the letter, it's not my business, but the PO needs to confirm why you want to refuse it. They want to know if they should be returning all the mail for that particular addressee or not.

 

[MomToOne]

Well, I'm no postal worker, but I found this:

http://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/508.htm

Per the USPS, you can refuse mail, but only certain types (you cannot refuse certified mail, etc.)

And you cannot refuse mail that has been opened.

It does not say a reason for refusal needs to be written on it.

 

[Sal]

Long time Postal employye here. I would think "Refused, Return to Sender" would be adequate. However, if there is a bar-code on the front of the envelope, that will bring the letter back to you every time. To the mail sorting equipment, that bar code IS your address. Try totally obliterating that bar code.

It would also be helpful to talk to your carrier or Postmaster and get their input.

 

[chris31997]

We got a letter in the mail over a month ago from a person we do not wish to receive contact from. I put an X through our names, wrote refused and return to sender on the envelope and dropped it in a post office mail collection box. I got it back in the mail the next day and this was written on it:

"Why are you refusing"?

What business is it of the post office why I'm refusing a letter from a sender. So, once again I wrote in sharpie...refused, return to sender. Again, the letter was returned to us in the mail. I keep refusing the letter and it just keeps getting delivered back to our house. Every time I get the envelope I just keep dropping it back in a postal box. This has been going on for over a month now.

Anyone know what the deal is with this? Why am I not being allowed to refuse this letter?

I'm thinking because it was a personal letter it was confusing to the post office. Usually, I think, mail that is refused is from companies. I would speak to the manager at your post office and see if you can do anything about it. Otherwise, I would just thorw out the letter.

 

[dis-happy]

If you want to get your point across to the sender, you could put it in a new envelope, address it to the sender and mail it back with your "Refused" letter intact. GL!!!

 

[Chaoster]

I think the problem is you threw the letter in the mailbox. The mail was picked-up and sorted and resent to you. The sorting is done by computer, it cannot read refused or return to sender. I would think the carrier delivering the mail would be smart enough the read refused and return to sender and take care of it after seeing the letter 2 times or so. Just black out the bar code and leave it for you carrier.

 

[herdtoDisney]

Well, I'm no postal worker, but I found this:

http://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/508.htm

Per the USPS, you can refuse mail, but only certain types (you cannot refuse certified mail, etc.)

And you cannot refuse mail that has been opened.

It does not say a reason for refusal needs to be written on it.

You can actually refuse certified mail-you just cannot sign for it and THEN refuse it. I'm a carrier and people occasionally refuse certifieds.

OP, I'm not sure why you got the 'why are you refusing' note on it-I've never asked that, I just move it along. You don't have to answer that question. I'd put it right back in your box for your carrier to take away-when you put it in the collection box, it's dumped in with much other mail and ran through machines that don't read the 'refused', it just re-sorts it to your address again. If it's left for the carrier, he/she will put it in its proper place to be returned. It might be helpful to put a little sticky note on it and say, please return to sender.

That stands it out to the carrier so he/she doesn't think it's regular outgoing mail.

 

[seashoreCM]

Block out the bar code.
Cross out your address.
Write "Refused" on the front
Put it in a public mailbox in a different town.

 

[dis-happy]

Block out the bar code.
Cross out your address.
Write "Refused" on the front
Put it in a public mailbox in a different town.

LOL---I can imagine the OP stealthily driving to another town to hunt down a mailbox and put the envelope in. Then, like some Twilight Zone episode, the envelope is still delivered to him the next day.