Originally Posted by scrappylady
Here is a good one for you.
We recieved a letter Friday that wasn't for us. The ONLY thing the same on the address was our house number 2345, street name and last name no where near the same. ( Plus these folks live about 15 miles from us. After 15 years, I know right where they live and have spoke to them on the phone !!!)
Now on the the rest of the story...So Saturday I take the letter to another post office and send it back to these folks, with written on letter "delivered to wrong address". WELL, Monday I get the same letter back!!!!! SO I drove back to the post office where we live and handed it to them and said, "please make sure this gets to the right house, this time"
I got the strangest look...like what are you talking about...I have recieved at least 20 pieces of mail for these folks over the years and even called them to make sure they have gotten some of it!!! Like graduation announcements, (easy to tell from the outside,) bills etc.... Makes me wonder where my mail goes!!
Probably one reason the letter came back to you....the barcode at the bottom of the envelope was not totally blacked out. If an incorrect barcode was sprayed on by a computer & that barcode is not TOTALLY blacked out, the computer will still read it as your address and sort it accordingly. If the mail is cased by hand, perhaps this other person's address is directly above or below yours on the carrier's case. Nowadays, there is a big push to sort & carry the mail faster to cut hours. Some carriers will sort 2 or more routes in a morning & then carry 1 or more on the street. They are not given the time to do the quality of work they did in the past. I carried mail for 32 yrs & I would hate to be a sub nowadays. They are pushed to bring in numbers like a machine. I loved my job & customers, but it's not the world it once was. I'm not trying to make excuses, just trying to explain what MIGHT have happened. BTW..we also get mail occaisionally for someone that lives a couple miles from here...not the same number, street OR name. His name is above ours on the carrier's case & we can always tell when our carrier is sorting in a hurry. We put it back in the box with the flag up so the carrier can see he made a mistake & redeliver it to the right house. Good luck, I hope your problems are solved soon & this gives you a little insight. Don't be afraid to bring it to the attention of your carrier. If you have a good one, he/she will probably thank you.