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  • Report:  #176041

Complaint Review: UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE - CLEVELAND OHIO

Reported By:
- fort mohave, Arizona,
Submitted:
Updated:

UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
CLEVELAND, OHIO, U.S.A.
Web:
N/A
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THIS INCIDENT GOES BACK SEVERAL YEARS. BE THERE A STATUE OF LIMITATIONS, SO BE IT. MY BIG MISTAKE THEN WAS NOT GOING DIRECTLY TO THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, INSTEAD OF DIRECTING MY ATTENTION TO THE UNITED STATES POSTAL INSPECTORS. My problem began with a purchase of a $200.00 money order in the Akron, Oh. post office, my guess is late 1999 or early 2000. I purchased and mailed the money order and letter during that same visit. The money order was to my son in a correctional institution (prison if you will) in the state of Colorado. I had been sending him money in this format for several years. Since the time lapse is usually 5 days from the mailing point to the institution, I was alarmed when he wrote to me 10 days later, and mentioned to me that he had not received the letter or money order. I had him check with the institution mail officer, and I would check with the postal service on my end.

The institution reported to my son that they never received a money order for him, otherwise they would have "logged in" same. When I contacted the P.O. in Akron, Oh, they directed me to contact the nearest postal inspector, in the Cleveland, Oh office. Upon initial contact with the Cleveland office, I was told that the burden was on me to contact the postal service in St. Louis, Mo. I wrote St. Louis, they responded by sending me a photo copy of the money order, which had been cashed, NOT DEPOSITED. The money order had been cashed at a Cuban Bank, in Miami, Florida. Had my son broken out of prison, and moved to Miami? Was he paroled for good behavior, and never told me about his good fortune? No, after calling the institutional mail officer at the prison, he assured me that my son was still a guest, and his rent was paid up for several years. More importently, the institution never allows the inmate to sign any money orders, they rubber stamp the back of same with the words "deposit to inmate account". When I purchased the money order, I made it payable to my son, in MY handwriting! The individual who cashed it (forged it I should say) duplicated my handwriting with my sons name. This prompted me to notify the postal inspector in Cleveland of my findings. Three days later, he called me, and after hearing of my results, asked me to photocopy all documents, and send them off to him. That being done, I waited the three weeks that he requested , and contacted him back. He had nothing to report, and requested an additional "time out" so he can go more in depth with this matter. I never heard back from him again. I called back after 60 days, and was told that he had retired. I spoke with the new postal inspector, and he informed me that he knew absolutely nothing about my problem, but if I would photocopy all documents,and send them to him, he would get right on it. So, once again, I xeroxed everything I had, and forwarded them to the new postal inspector in Cleveland. I called several days later to verify that he received same, and was assured that he did. One month later, nothing! Two months later, nothing! So, once again, I call Cleveland, and am told by the New postal inspector, that the guy I was dealing with, had transferred to another duty station. How about that, what a great job, what great fringe benefits! Anyway, of course the NEW postal inspector (a lady this time) knew nothing about my problem, but asked me to copy all my documents, and send them along to her, and she would handle the situation. Well, after 4 years now, I think the USPO Postal Inspector didnt want to open a can of worms, or better yet, they want me to go away. Is there a organized theft ring inside the USPS, or are they really this incompetent? All I ever wanted was my $200.00 returned!

Michael

fort mohave, Arizona
U.S.A.

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8 Updates & Rebuttals

Leticia

Anytown,
Other,
U.S.A.
Thomas, I agree to a point.

#2Consumer Comment

Tue, March 14, 2006

I have had mail stolen before so yes, I know that it happens. But IMO the bank that cashed the money order is at more fault for cashing a money order that obviously was not written to the person cashing it. I'd really be worried about the bank because if they are just going to cash things for people without checking that it's the person what other illegal activities are they allowing to be done there?


Thomas

Dalton,
Georgia,
U.S.A.
USPS is known for opening mail and stealing it

#3Consumer Comment

Tue, March 14, 2006

I know how you feel Michael. My mother used to work in the postal service but in another country and the USPS is known for opening mail and stealing it. but anyhow i believe what may have happened is that an employee at the usps opened it and then send it to someone in florida and had them cash it. so it is the usps fault as they are illegally opening peoples mail. my mother send a letter out of state and it came back as damaged and no contents just the front part of the letter. it says on it return to sender does not live here. the person does live there cause some few days ago she got a letter from that person at that address. and it was only a flat christmas card. they must have thought oh money then opened it and found out there was none. my relatives cant send me anything like food because of the US Customs and USPS stealing the stuff.


Thomas

Dalton,
Georgia,
U.S.A.
USPS is known for opening mail and stealing it

#4Consumer Comment

Tue, March 14, 2006

I know how you feel Michael. My mother used to work in the postal service but in another country and the USPS is known for opening mail and stealing it. but anyhow i believe what may have happened is that an employee at the usps opened it and then send it to someone in florida and had them cash it. so it is the usps fault as they are illegally opening peoples mail. my mother send a letter out of state and it came back as damaged and no contents just the front part of the letter. it says on it return to sender does not live here. the person does live there cause some few days ago she got a letter from that person at that address. and it was only a flat christmas card. they must have thought oh money then opened it and found out there was none. my relatives cant send me anything like food because of the US Customs and USPS stealing the stuff.


Thomas

Dalton,
Georgia,
U.S.A.
USPS is known for opening mail and stealing it

#5Consumer Comment

Tue, March 14, 2006

I know how you feel Michael. My mother used to work in the postal service but in another country and the USPS is known for opening mail and stealing it. but anyhow i believe what may have happened is that an employee at the usps opened it and then send it to someone in florida and had them cash it. so it is the usps fault as they are illegally opening peoples mail. my mother send a letter out of state and it came back as damaged and no contents just the front part of the letter. it says on it return to sender does not live here. the person does live there cause some few days ago she got a letter from that person at that address. and it was only a flat christmas card. they must have thought oh money then opened it and found out there was none. my relatives cant send me anything like food because of the US Customs and USPS stealing the stuff.


Denny

Honolulu,
Hawaii,
U.S.A.
I dont see how its the USPS's fault..

#6Consumer Comment

Mon, February 13, 2006

You mail an unsecured form of payment and someone else cashed it, after opening the mail and seeing it was for a money order. BLAME the bank who cashed it. Its not the USPSs fault for someone else's mistake Mail gets lost. You have to face reality that sometimes your mail will land in the hands of the wrong people or someone else (I still get mail to some dude who hadn't lived at my place of residence for the last 5 years). so, your mail got lost and ended up in the hands of someone else, who took the liberty of signing and cashing the money order. The blame goes to the BANK who cashed it. Why did they cash a money order without verifyling the id. The USPS is only responsible gfor the money order up until its cashed. Once its deposited or cash, you have to deal with the financial instituation that did.


Denny

Honolulu,
Hawaii,
U.S.A.
I dont see how its the USPS's fault..

#7Consumer Comment

Mon, February 13, 2006

You mail an unsecured form of payment and someone else cashed it, after opening the mail and seeing it was for a money order. BLAME the bank who cashed it. Its not the USPSs fault for someone else's mistake Mail gets lost. You have to face reality that sometimes your mail will land in the hands of the wrong people or someone else (I still get mail to some dude who hadn't lived at my place of residence for the last 5 years). so, your mail got lost and ended up in the hands of someone else, who took the liberty of signing and cashing the money order. The blame goes to the BANK who cashed it. Why did they cash a money order without verifyling the id. The USPS is only responsible gfor the money order up until its cashed. Once its deposited or cash, you have to deal with the financial instituation that did.


Denny

Honolulu,
Hawaii,
U.S.A.
I dont see how its the USPS's fault..

#8Consumer Comment

Mon, February 13, 2006

You mail an unsecured form of payment and someone else cashed it, after opening the mail and seeing it was for a money order. BLAME the bank who cashed it. Its not the USPSs fault for someone else's mistake Mail gets lost. You have to face reality that sometimes your mail will land in the hands of the wrong people or someone else (I still get mail to some dude who hadn't lived at my place of residence for the last 5 years). so, your mail got lost and ended up in the hands of someone else, who took the liberty of signing and cashing the money order. The blame goes to the BANK who cashed it. Why did they cash a money order without verifyling the id. The USPS is only responsible gfor the money order up until its cashed. Once its deposited or cash, you have to deal with the financial instituation that did.


Denny

Honolulu,
Hawaii,
U.S.A.
I dont see how its the USPS's fault..

#9Consumer Comment

Mon, February 13, 2006

You mail an unsecured form of payment and someone else cashed it, after opening the mail and seeing it was for a money order. BLAME the bank who cashed it. Its not the USPSs fault for someone else's mistake Mail gets lost. You have to face reality that sometimes your mail will land in the hands of the wrong people or someone else (I still get mail to some dude who hadn't lived at my place of residence for the last 5 years). so, your mail got lost and ended up in the hands of someone else, who took the liberty of signing and cashing the money order. The blame goes to the BANK who cashed it. Why did they cash a money order without verifyling the id. The USPS is only responsible gfor the money order up until its cashed. Once its deposited or cash, you have to deal with the financial instituation that did.

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