My small town has one postal delivery person, and we have had minimal issues since he started over the summer.
Today, a small plastic package with a clothing item was delivered to my door inside a bag with a printed apology from USPS for a "damaged package". The package was covered in what smelled and looked like feces. The original bag was placed inside the printed bag and sealed but you can see and smell the feces. The inside and outside of both plastic bags were smeared and smelly. The clothing item is disgusting and garbage.
I attempted to call the local post offices with no help, only an option to file a claim for them to investigate through the automated system.
I posted in my town community group about the occurrence and the postal worker responded and asked what I would have liked him to do. I suggested not delivering a package that was covered in hazardous materials, take it back to his supervisor and let them deal with it, or marking it undeliverable due to condition of the package. He was rude, and told me to report him. He even suggested opening my mail with gloves on so I don’t get poop on my hands again. And said good luck getting my mail on time in the future.
So I did report him– to the USPS inspector and the department of health in my state due to the feces and pathogens/germs/diseases that can be in it.
AITA for feeling disgusted and taking things to this level after the interaction with the postal worker who delivered the package?
Is there somewhere else to report this to that would be more appropriate?
TIA!!
Info: so the package was re-bagged and there was no external feces when it was delivered? I feel like the person you reported was not the person with the authority to dictate that package was undeliverable.
The original package which was covered in feces and opened, was placed into a clear plastic bag with a printed apology about damage on it. You could smell the feces through the bag. And there were questionable brown marks all over the clear printed bag.
You may have to go to the original seller on that. I’m not sure this is the post office fault…
So the seller shit on it and mailed it? If there isn’t some kind policy against packages having shit on them when mailed we should really consider getting one.
NTA
That’s disgusting (the package)
NTA that is absolutely ghastly and that postal worker is an asshole for just telling you to open mail with gloves on. You’re right to be concerned about the health of you and the people around you. You should probably do a thorough cleaning of your mailbox, and I hope the report to the inspector goes well.
I just want to know how this even happened! It’s got to be a gross but interesting story.
Not TA. Poop isn’t cool.
If it was paid order – I would make pictures of the package and request return and full refund. The person/company which sent this package has tracking number and everything else to deal with delivery service – it’s their business.
My partner is a mail carrier and he wouldn’t in a million years have delivered something like that, especially since it would be a big danger to him as well. I can’t even comprehend this story! And yeh, you did right to report it to the local PO and then escalate it further, because their reaction makes no sense. Definitely NTA in this instance, but dang, who did you piss off to get poop sent to you? Mostly kidding, but I do wonder if someone has it out for you in town? This is a wild story and I hope it gets dealt with.
Yes, you should report him to the postmaster general for your area, and provide any photos/videos/documentation that you have of this incident. They are are your “area distribution center” post office, which is where the mail from your local post office goes before being distributed to other locations. I only know where mine is because I used to work in a mail center and picked up/dropped off mail there.
If you go to the closest big city they may be able to help.
Postal worker here.
You DID THE RIGHT THING.
NTA NTA NTA
Thank you. Is there another place I should have filed the complaint?
USPIS, US postal inspectors, is the right place.
If you have not also opened a complaint with the local PO, do so now. (Sorry, I’m really grossed out right now.)
If you have a case number with USPIS put that in your complaint with the local PO. *Definitely* let them know you contacted the health department.
Put: date, time of day, carrier’s name if known, carrier’s description if not known, address, and tracking number in the complaint.
Local PO is going to send you some kind of “it’s been dealt with” BS (I know this because they had me do them when I was injured; they are supposed to close everything in 24hrs or less). Don’t let them get away with it.
Once you get the generic response, respond back. You want to know what exactly has been done. Keep opening that claim up until you get resolution.
I say this as a carrier. Don’t let up on them.
Thank you.
I will get all of this done now!
It’s definitely gross and not safe for anyone involved.
All the other mail probably touched the poop, and no one knows.. that’s all I can think of. An outbreak of e coli, or something can really hurt sick people in the community.