We have had 4 birthday cards with money mailed to us for my daughters birthday and none have come through. They were re-mailed as a check and they still didn't come. So I was wondering if anyone else is having this problem since I also overheard a complaint at the post office with the same issue but with an even more substantial amount of money. Both of my in-laws are postmasters with the post office and this shouldn't be happening this much unless someone at the post office was literally stealing them. and their cards were one of them. Would hate to think that's whats happening but I'm starting to believe it. So just wanted to know if there are more cases of this recently before I make my complaint. Thank you.

[This message has been edited by Christina Hangen (8/25/2014)]

I have had issues too. And I have went to the PO and they just shrugged it off. So, yeah... It is happening through out town.

I know they have had staff cuts. That may be the major issue. Congress set out to kill the Postal Service so it couldn't compete with for-profit ventures and they are doing an excellent job.

I understand about the cuts my in-laws having been dealing with it for quite some time, and its a very unfortunate situation, but it doesn't excuse a months worth of money coming in. its pretty easy to tell birthday money and every other piece of mail anyone sends to us that's not in a Birthday envelope gets sent. So somethings up. They sent a decoy card a week in a half ago to see if it would go through and of course it didn't. So just wanted to see if this is going on with everyone else.

If your relatives work or the post office then they need to be filing a major complaint. The person who sent it usually files when it is never received. Thanks for the alert. Will be sure and not send anything like that.

As a former Postal employee I can tell you for a fact that it is extremely unlikely that any personal mail is being stolen by any employee at the MCPO. I cannot speak for anywhere along the way, but I doubt it is being deliberately mishandled at the local level. It is possible that the sender put the wrong street address or zip code on it, (it happens frequently), or it was accidently delivered to the wrong address. For example, if you live on No. Custer, and a new carrier got the mail, he or she may assume that it went to So. Custer, and deliver it there. The best action to take if you are having any problems with your mail service is to do an ONLINE complaint. It gets a case #, and it must be responded to. It cannot become overlooked, or forgotten about. The first reaction is always to blame the carrier, but they cannot create mail for you. They can only deliver the mail they have in their possession. I hope this helps. Sorry about your cards, but I can tell you from personal experience that most carriers take extra care of the cards & packages.

Toni you just miss me! lol!

mine is missing to, again it was shrugged off to being a new person delivering still doesn't fix the issue of where did it go, and I just had someone drop it off to my home (thank you). saying I will be losing medical insurance for my kids. Lets hope this issue gets resolved very soon.

Is your mail being delivered to your house? If you don't have a locked mailbox, it could be being stolen after it's delivered.

Yes I have a locked mail box. Its been delivered to the right house and every letter that they wrote that was NOT in a birthday card made it to my home from the very same people so riddle me that. I don't want to bash anyone and it may seem impossible but let me tell you its extremely possible. Reason why my in laws are very upset, as they are post masters and have been working for the post office for 20+ years. So something is going on and from my understanding it is happening quite frequently in this town as of recently. Sorry to hear about you all who are also having this issue. Luckily it was just birthday cards for my 8 year old but some people its a lot worse.

[This message has been edited by Christina Hangen (8/26/2014)]

[This message has been edited by Christina Hangen (8/26/2014)]

My family lived in Hathaway for 3 years and we were always having problems with other peoples mail being delivered to our box, and the address wasn't even close to ours, so we always hoped that we got all our mail, assuming that the same was probably happening with some of ours. Now we live on Moon Creek and haven't had to many problems other then receiving a letter, well about only a quarter of the envelope and contents were left, in a bag from the post office, and that wasn't even in the bag all the way! Just tossed in and most of it hanging out. Now I assume that a machine is probably responsible for "eating" some of the mail. But what is left could be put in the bag properly. I do not want to make comparisons, but where we came from in Minnesota, we never had these problems, and if there ever were any issues they were very far and few between. And since living here have had numerous issues with our mail delivery and the post office, but quite literally have gotten used to it at this point. But I will add, whenever I go into the post office to get stamps or send something out etc. I always get excellent service at the front desk, so no complaints there!

I once had my carrier declare that I had moved and left no forwarding address (I have no idea why, the carrier blamed it on a substitute carrier). For a week or two I was getting nothing but mail to "Occupant" and nothing addressed specifically to me. When I asked my carrier about it I got a "surprised to see you" look and, "I thought you moved!"

That was a pain to clean up -- things like magazine subscriptions had been put on hold by the sender, etc.

At that same address, same carrier, someone sent me $50 cash that never arrived. I don't think the carrier stole it but it could certainly have been misdelivered by the carrier.

This was in Redmond, WA.

I would have to agree with Dee as I am also a former employee of the Miles City post office. Let me first start off by saying you should never send cash through the money because if it gets caught in the machines there is no way for the postal service to identify it the best way to send money is a money order or check as a money order comes with insurance so if it does get lost you still can get the money back. This also helps the employee to find a address to return any torn or opened mail. 99% percent of the time it is the machines in Billings or a processing plant. As the Miles City office sorts by hand. To all of friends at the Miles City post office keep doing what you do. I truly miss everyone.

Interesting. On Aug. 4th, I sent a letter to Parker, CO. which is usually three days...finally showed up at the destination on Monday the 11th. I had followed with another letter that was there in three days. Also received a copy of a picture from a cousin in Ft. Collins, CO and it was ripped in half and in a baggie with a note of apology. All within this month. I have sent to Helena, Billings and Hardin and all arriving the next day..so...I don't think our Post Office has a problem. Only sharing in the event that it might help to pindown an area where problems exist.

I wasn't here to stir anything up. Thought I was being pretty mature about this but apparently the post office is upset about this post. If you were in my shoes would you reach out if a number of money cards or gift cards go missing in the mail when any other mail comes in on time whether it has one number missing on the address or not. It is fishy whether it's being stolen or not. I'm only asking because it seems to be a number of instances that this is happening. So is there something new going on? New employees? A new system? Is it Billings? I'm not sure. I was only asking if it's just me that this is happening because I've never dealt with this issue ever maybe one card missing every couple of years. I wasn't even pointing fingers at a specific person because I don't know. But if there is away to remove this post please email me and let me know so I don't upset anyone further please. I've tried contacting the admin but I'm getting no response. Thank you all again.

Christina Hangen wrote:

"I wasn't here to stir anything up. Thought I was being pretty mature about this but apparently the post office is upset about this post."

What makes you say that the post office is upset about this post? Did someone say something to you outside of this discussion thread?

Well not directly to me but to my mother in law. But looks like I can't take it down but oh well. Hope the issue gets resolved.

You will be able to tell when Obama's thugs show up at your door, for they will be the ones wearing the jack boots.

This summer one of our rural mail carriers was allowing a boy about age 9-11 place the mail in our neighbors' and our boxes. I always thought there was a minimum age required to handle mail deliveries??

Only employees can handle mail!!!

I call B.S. It really doesn't do much good to file a complaint when the complaint is forwarded to the post master here who really doesn't take the complaint serious until you get pissed off. My boyfriend and I battled this post office for almost a year due to missing mail. I went in and asked about it, not once, not twice but five times... the post master said to me and I quote "I don't know what to tell you" I guess if he was the one missing mail that included three pay checks which put his mortgage in jeopardy then maybe it would have been taken more seriously. Finally when my boyfriend had a day off he went in and got pissed which in turn made guido the post master decide to look into it. We were told in the beginning that it was a mistake made in Billings, then it was a mistake made in Denver. Well when guido took it seriously he found out that the mail carrier took it upon themselves to forward my boyfriends mail to Pocatello Idaho!!!! The funny thing is is that I did most of the investigation myself and knew more about the problem than he did. I would suggest that anyone having problems with the mail service here cut and paste this thread to show that several people are having problems with mail delivery here. Its is funny...my boyfriends daughter just told me she mail her dad a birthday card over a week ago and guess what, we have not seen it. It is pretty easy to tell a birthday card or any card for that matter apart from regular mail and often those cards have gift cards or money in them. To think that stealing doesn't happen just cause you worked at the local office is naïve, thievery happens in lots of places by people that most wouldn't suspect.

[This message has been edited by Carol H (9/23/2014)]

[This message has been edited by Carol H (9/23/2014)]

I dont know what the problem is, but the last two times I mailed something from a Miles City address to a Miles City address, it took two and a half weeks for them both to show up. I very rarely use the mail system, and this is probably why.

RA is right. Rural mail is subcontracted and subcontractors are not US postal employees. So, anyone with the rural mail contract can deliver the mail. Or have their kids do it.

From the rural carriers information handbook "Do not carry unauthorized persons in the vehicle while on duty nor employ a
driver or helper without the approval of your postmaster or supervisor." Where the USPS is a union based organization I highly doubt that they would approve of a 9 - 11 year old be the one handling or delivering mail in any capacity.

[This message has been edited by Carol H (9/23/2014)]

The rural mail carriers I know are independent contractor to the Postal Service. They drive their privately-owned vehicles in the course of their work. If the guy was having his son help him on his route, he was spending some time with the kid and teaching him something worthwhile. Sounds like a good Father to me.

It seems you have more of a problem than the usual incompetence one expects from the Postal Service. Start writing letters emails to the Inspector Generals office detailing your experiences and copy the Montana Congressional Delegation on them. If IG knows Congress is getting flogged with this, they are probably more likely to respond.

[This message has been edited by Oddjob (9/23/2014)]

Well its time for some positive experiences!! The post office has improved greatly from years ago and this postmaster has done more than those in the past. I am very happy with my carrier and he seems happier than he did over a year ago.

my daughter sent a money order for her rent, to a p.o. box right here in town, and her landlord never received it.

My understanding is that all Miles City mail goes to Billings for sorting then it's shipped back to MC. Maybe it's a Billings problem?

You are correct!!! So alot of the complaining should be directed at Billings, mail is processed thru Billings and distributed.

The biggest issue with this post office is it being understaffed!!! Carriers and Clerks are being over worked!!!

If there are carriers out there...How many hours are you working a day, a week and do you get enough time off, what are your days off?

[This message has been edited by mcnew (10/6/2014)]