Received a questionaire in our p.o. box. Following are the questions: 1. Driver's Lic. # 2. Business or Private 3. Physical street address 4. Phone # 5. ALL names, addresses and I.D. of persons receiving mail.

We've had our box for over 10 years. This is the first time we've ever had a questionaire to fill out. My concern is with number 5. Anyone know if this is normal or if I should be concerned.

Box is for personal mail. We live in a remote area and mail is only delivered out on hwy. Due to security issues we don't have a box on the hwy.

-- PO Customer (no@email.com), April 27, 1999

Answers

Maybe you have a new carrier and they don't know who all gets mail at your address. We just moved into our house about a year ago and soon after gpt a new carrier and started getting the old residents mail along w/ours met the carrier at the box and staightened out the address w/her. Then a few months later got a new carrier and had to do it all over again. One thing that gets me about the USPS is you go in and on one wall they have this poster "Is Your Business Y2K OK?" then on another wall they have this clock ticking down the time till the rollover. I don't think they are trying to make a connection but nonetheless it is daunting. Then I asked the clerk if the USPS was gonna make the rollover and still be Okay he ha d no idea and said he had never heard anything about it! I don't like to talk about y2k in public so I just shut my mouth got my stamps and got outta there. But every time I go in I feel strange.

-- Johnny (jljtm@bellsouth.net), April 27, 1999.

Each Postal Form has a number. Go to http://www.usps.gov/ and search with that document number.

-- J (jart5@bellsouth.net), April 27, 1999.

Here is another thought....

There was a discussion on this forum earlier which referred to Executive Orders. As a result of that discussion I ran across an Order stating that the Postmaster General was to be in charge of 'registering' people.

I'm still looking for that Order.

Another is that they are just updating their records. Perhaps a phone call to your local office would solve the question?

-- J (jart5@bellsouth.net), April 27, 1999.

I really don't think you should make too much of that postal question form. The postal system is constantly changing the delivery/carrier folks in rural areas. I live in a rural delivery area myself, and have seen this change of personnel all the time. And the new carrier will just use some "official" one-size-fits-all form. Many of these carriers are on contract and not actually core employees of the USPS. Almost like newspaper delivery people. I too was intrigued with the new countdown clocks that now appear in the post offices. I mentioned it to my own postal clerk a month or two ago and asked if they were getting in some of the old hand stamping, manual mode, equipment that doesn't need computers and electric? Also, were they going to have some kerosene lamps around for basic lighting? He just laughed. But he also said he had no idea what the postal service was doing. They don't provide much information to the ground level troups.

-- Gordon (gpconnolly@aol.com), April 27, 1999.

Back around Christmas a postal worker came to my house taking a cencus. All she wanted to know was the Name of the head of household and telephone number. I thought that was strange and was a little suspicious so I watched when she left and she did indeed stop at every house until she was out of sight. I heard later about the executive order and the way I understand it the Postmaster in each precinct is responsible for compiling a list of who lives in every house in his district.

-- Nikoli Krushev (doomsday@y2000.com), April 27, 1999.

PO Customer,

This may explain the request for information:

http://www.usps.gov/news/press/99/99021new.htm

[snip]

POSTAL SERVICE TAKES ANOTHER STEP TO PREVENT MAIL FRAUD

WASHINGTON  The U.S. Postal Service today announced new policy changes to protect the integrity of the mail and deter those who would use the anonymity of the mail to prey on unsuspecting citizens and businesses.

"Our primary concern is the protection of the American public," said Chief Postal Inspector Ken Hunter. "The changes respond to issues voiced by individual crime victims, the law enforcement community, consumer organizations, mail order firms and financial institutions."

The final revised rules, published in the Federal Register today, will provide commercial mail receiving agency (CMRA) customers and their correspondents the same security and protection currently afforded to post office boxholders and their correspondents. CMRAs are private businesses that, through a written agreement, accept their customers mail from the Postal Service, hold it for pick-up (private mailbox) or re-mail it to another address, Hunter explained.

Some individuals renting private mailboxes (both postal and CMRA) have used them to shield illegal activities such as schemes to swindle the elderly, credit card fraud and identity theft.

"The changes close a loophole that previously existed by strengthening the private mailbox identification procedures and providing for the maintenance of ongoing customer lists," Hunter said. Additionally, there will be an address format change so that correspondents will know they are dealing with the holder of a private mailbox at a specific street address and not an occupant of a "suite" or "apartment."

Hunter said the rulemaking grew out of increasing concerns from law enforcement, financial and commercial segments, who were seeing a rise in criminal elements taking advantage of the anonymity of mail to "steal" financial identities and re-route goods and services illegally.

"With the new rules, postal customers can be confident of addresses provided by prospective businesses. The requirements are similar to those for obtaining post office box service," Hunter added.

The revised rules will take effect on April 24, 1999.

[snip]

-- Kevin (mixesmusic@worldnet.att.net), April 27, 1999.

The requirements for ID is indeed a "legitimate" request -- in the eyes of the government, that is. This is part of the long established program of the government to compile and maintain a list of the actual whereabouts of everyone in the country. Part of de facto national ID and tracking program. ZIP+four was part of it. The survey mentioned above was part of it. P.O. Boxes have had similar ID requirements for some time. Now it's Private Mail Box (PMB) services' turn in the barrel. Just like in fascist eastern and western Europe (yes they are all fascist, just like Amerika).

If your papers are not in order (jawol), you vill not receif your mail (sieg heil!)

The rationale is to protect people against mail fraud. They missed also including "to save the children" in their rationale.

-- A (A@AisA.com), April 27, 1999.

Links:
http://www.usps.gov/dtf/26dtf_1.htm
http://www.usps.gov/news/press/99/99021new.htm

-- A (A@AisA.com), April 27, 1999.

It's all okay - big sister is taking care of you, she knows what's best.

It's for "security", you understand, and "your own good."

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), April 27, 1999.

Just entering my little paranoid world here. The "Drivers License #", "Phone #" and "ID#" for each person receiving mail at that address??? Ummm, sorry you can go elsewhere with those questions. None of your business. Bye. Name and address is enough for you.

-- David (C.D@I.N), April 27, 1999.

Used to be that the USPO was responsible for collecting and filing registration forms from resident aliens (legal residents who are not naturalized). Somewhere in the early 70s, I think it was, the PO announced it was no longer necessary for aliens to register at their local office. I seem to remember that the decision was handed down because the PO couldn't keep up with the data; they were years behind. They probably won't do any better with the info theyr'e collecting now. But I too would refuse to give out more than the names of people who live at this address.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), April 27, 1999.

Actually, the "Post Office" no longer exists. I believe that it was either 1973 or 1974 when the Post Office ceased to exist. The duties and organization was subsumed in the "United States Postal Service."

If you are concerned about issues of privacy, then go to your local branch of the Postal Service and ask about receiving your mail via General Delivery. This used to be the way everyone received their mail. My great-grandparents (I'm 25) didn't know anything about home delivery. That was considered a government subsidy when it started. And as we all know, according to the US Supreme Court, "That which the government subsidizes, it also ..."

I'll tell you, it's inconvenient to go to the (old) Post office to get your mail, but its a heck of a lot of fun taking down the mailbox. Almost pre-modern.

-- Jim the Window Washer (Ratoinal@man.com), April 27, 1999.

I agree with (now I can't remember who) that said no to the ID, the drivers license etc... that sounds like a perfect set up for some one to steal your identity.

-- Mary (CAgdma@homenomail.com), April 28, 1999.