[DirtyJerzey]

Just wanted to check up on this. Ive been handing flyers out to to smaller commecrial lots and a bunch of residentials. Anyway I was told that if I place the flyers in a mailbox if I run across the wrong mail man, they can actually call me and get me in trouble for not paying postage. From what I was told people had this happened to them or heard it happen to others, not sure how much truth this holds. I thought it was BS and they told me why do you think that Chinese Resturaunts that hand out their menus at homes they put them in the door handles and not in the mailboxes... anyone know if this holds some truth?

 

[THEGOLDPRO]

your friends are right, its aganst the law to put anything in a mailbox.

 

[Sydenstricker Landscaping]

It does hold truth. It is a federal crime and can be a felony charge. I think it is tampering with mail and tampering with federal property, which is a big nono Im sure some of the veteran snow guys here can back me on this

 

[NBI Lawn]

Mail boxes are a no no but paper boxes are ok I think. You just cant open up someone elses mailbox is how I understand it.

 

[THEGOLDPRO]

copied form the USPS site.

Customer Mail Receptacles
3.1 Basic Information for Customer Mail Receptacles
3.1.1 Authorized Depository
Except as excluded by 3.1.2, every letterbox or other receptacle intended or used for the receipt or delivery of mail on any city delivery route, rural delivery route, highway contract route, or other mail route is designated an authorized depository for mail within the meaning of 18 USC 1702, 1705, 1708, and 1725.

3.1.2 Exclusions
Door slots and nonlockable bins or troughs used with apartment house mailboxes are not letterboxes within the meaning of 18 USC 1725 and are not private mail receptacles for the standards for mailable matter not bearing postage found in or on private mail receptacles. The post or other support is not part of the receptacle.

3.1.3 Use for Mail
Except under 3.2.11, Newspaper Receptacle, the receptacles described in 3.1.1 may be used only for matter bearing postage. Other than as permitted by 3.2.10, Delivery of Unstamped Newspapers, or 3.2.11, no part of a mail receptacle may be used to deliver any matter not bearing postage, including items or matter placed upon, supported by, attached to, hung from, or inserted into a mail receptacle. Any mailable matter not bearing postage and found as described above is subject to the same postage as would be paid if it were carried by mail.

 

[Lynden-Jeff]

Dumbest law on the face of the planet. Thankfully I live in Canada where it is perfectly legal to put just about whatever I want in a mailbox.

 

[Clapper&Company]

There it is I knew the Law was coming out

 

[MrBigStuff]

Dumb law?
I for one do not want just anybody being able to rummage around in my mailbox. Identity theft is a growing problem here in the states and the last thing I want is some stranger opening my mailbox. We were taught that it was against the law back in the 60s where I grew up. Thankfully, most everybody respects that even today.

If I found your flier in my box, I'd likely call the post office to complain. I believe many others would feel and react similarly. It ain't Mayberry RFD anymore...

 

[DirtyJerzey]

that is what I figured, luckily I have not dont so yet. Thanks for the warning guys

 

[Sydenstricker Landscaping]

I did it a few years ago when I was young and didnt know any better. But luckily one person that received it called and nicely explained the law and what not to me. Then I signed them up for plowing, LOL. You cant put stuff on the box either!!!!! That entire thing is federal property, so unless you are the property owner, mailman or postmaster general, just look at it as "untouchable" Just spend the xtra $$$ for hangers or postcards and look more professional and not put yourself in any risk of jailtime/fines over it. just my 0.02

 

[Lynden-Jeff]

Dumb law?
I for one do not want just anybody being able to rummage around in my mailbox. Identity theft is a growing problem here in the states and the last thing I want is some stranger opening my mailbox. We were taught that it was against the law back in the 60s where I grew up. Thankfully, most everybody respects that even today.

If I found your flier in my box, I'd likely call the post office to complain. I believe many others would feel and react similarly. It ain't Mayberry RFD anymore...

Having a flyer put in your mailbox and having some one steal your mail is 2 differen't things. Mail tampering is illegal here, and it is very uncommon for it to happen, people just resepect it. We don't need a law about opening the mailbox to deliver flyers. If your that worried, get a locking mailbox with a slot in it, problem solved. Sounds like a big postal company scam to get more money for postage IMO.

 

[MrBigStuff]

>If your that worried, get a locking mailbox with a slot in it,

See. that's the beauty of it. I don't need to go out of my way, you just need to respect the law.

 

[Lynden-Jeff]

Well we don't need a law and we don't need locking mailboxes, so maybes theres something wrong in the bigger picture?

 

[gardenkeeper88]

I just called the post office to report such droppings. I recieved 3 fliers from different "busineses" and paper spam all folded into 1 flier. The post office asked me to give them to our delivery gal and they will be in contact with the companies. the 2nd time she sees anything from them it could end up in a fine up to $5000.00. And she thanked me very much.

 

[Mick]

While there can be debate on the purpose of the law, I will say from a former mail carrier's point of view that if flyers are in a mail box, that makes it hard to put the mail in there. Carriers, especially new ones, are under time pressure to complete their route. Typically, as you walk to the next address, you bundle the letter-sized inside the folded magazines, etc (called "flats"). You will have a handful of mail sorted by upcoming addresses in the non-dominant hand, flats in the crook of that arm and mail for that address in the dominant hand. You then flip the lid open and stuff the mail inside and close the lid. Now, if there are flyers (or even the previous day's mail) in the box, it will really slow you down. Besides the fact that the mail will wad up the flyer, make it basically a piece of waste paper and make it useless to the patron. Slowing the carrier is where management will get involved because now they will have to authorize overtime for dealing with the flyers. It may only seem like a few seconds, but multiply that by a hundred or so. Believe me, Postal management DOES NOT like overtime unless they've preauthorized it. A carrier comes back 1/2 hour or so late from his route with the flyers as evidence (the carrier will have called to inform management he will be late and why), management has no choice but to, first authorize the overtime for that day and, second, take action to preclude the same thing happening again.

 

[packey]

Never Never Never Never put a flyer in a mail box. It is illegal. and the fine is rough. Keep up with putting the flyers on the doors roll the flyers up and put a rubber band around them so you can hang them on a door nob. Use very bright colors This has worked better for me than any news paper, or radio add ever has. If you do not have time find a few kids or young teens and offer them .05 cents a flyer this works great.

 

[DareDog]

what about a paperbox?

 

[Runner]

Another thing to consider with the flyers in the mailbox, is the millions of people who mail OUT from their boxes. If you put a bill or something in your box to be mailed out, and there is a flyer(s) thrown in your box on top of it, are we to expect our postal carrier to read through a bunch of flyers to sort through to the mail that is to be sent - if any? I think not. Furthermore,...if someone goes into MY box and sticks a flyer or something in there,...they will get their wish....atleast part of it - they will DEFinitely be getting a CALL!

 

[grandview]

Make up a nice looking postcard and mail it.

I read this once but can find it about mailboxes. But it's something like this. The homeowner owns the mailbox,but the post office owns the inside of the box. It's a law from 1934 when the power company used to hand deliver the bill to the customers and they would put them in the mailbox.Since the Post office was losing money they made up the law about nothing in the mailbox without postage.

 

[Clapper&Company]

That was a few years after GV started plowing