Personal Finance

Has anyone had mail go missing in the Canada Post system?

  • Last Updated:
  • Feb 21st, 2013 6:18 pm
Tags:
None
Deal Fanatic
Oct 7, 2007
9404 posts
5374 upvotes

Has anyone had mail go missing in the Canada Post system?

I started noticing that some of my mail was going missing in November 2011 as I was missing certain mail that I knew I should be receiving. At the same time, I was receiving plenty of mail for addresses other than mine (sometimes 3 or 4 pieces a week). I reported this to Canada Post using their complaint system at their Head Office with no real resolution (i.e. report the complaint but nothing seemed to improve) and then finally managed to get a phone number for the supervisor of the processing plant where my mail is delivered. The supervisor said that they would put a "flag" on my file which meant that my mail would be checked before being delivered. However, it seemed to me that this would only resolve half of the problem (i.e. me receiving mail that wasn't mine) but what about my mail being delivered elsewhere? I felt like I was basically at the mercy of whomever received my mail to drop it back in the mailbox.

Well, after a few months, the problem seemed to resolve itself and I didn't really have any complaints.

Well, again in November 2012, this problem seemed to start happening again. I started to miss some very important mail and fear that some sensitive information may end up in the trash or the hands of someone who shouldn't be reading it. I reported it to the same supervisor and he just said that they would do the same thing and flag my file. I am just wondering if there is a more absolute way to ensure I receive all of my mail. Does anyone reading RFD work for Canada Post and understand their processes? Has anyone on RFD had the same thing happen and find a sure-fire way to correct? The supervisor I spoke to sounded empathetic but didn't really offer up any solutions.

Thanks.

P.S. I have a locked mailbox so I know that it isn't someone stealing my mail.
30 replies
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Mar 30, 2004
5302 posts
2996 upvotes
Durham Region
Mail goes missing. It's the reality of a system managed by Humans.

Computers have helped, but in the end of the day, even they aren't perfect with text recognition, so things occasionally end up in the wrong place.
Deal Guru
User avatar
Jul 30, 2005
12922 posts
106506 upvotes
Richmond Hill
I've had Canada Post screw up all sorts of things on me.

The worst was when I my mail temporarily forwarded while I was away, and instead they programmed to return-to-sender everything once the mail forwarding service expired :facepalm:

I only figured it out when I called Rogers after my cell phone account had been suspended because they thought I'd moved without updated my details.
Deal Addict
Nov 26, 2005
3214 posts
387 upvotes
Vancouver
ronin1701 wrote: I've had Canada Post screw up all sorts of things on me.

The worst was when I my mail temporarily forwarded while I was away, and instead they programmed to return-to-sender everything once the mail forwarding service expired :facepalm:

I only figured it out when I called Rogers after my cell phone account had been suspended because they thought I'd moved without updated my details.
looks like it is purely your fault...
Banned
User avatar
Dec 1, 2011
2427 posts
342 upvotes
Winnipeg
ccyk wrote: looks like it is purely your fault...
;) Canada Post employee I presume
Can you believe it? They sent my income tax return forms back to me! In response to question # 4, "Do you have any dependants?" I replied - "2.1 million illegal immigrants, 1.1 million crack heads, 4.4 million unemployable people, 901 thousand people in over 85 prisons, and 650 idiots in Parliament.
Apparently, this was NOT an acceptable answer.

Who the hell did I miss? :razz:
Deal Guru
User avatar
Jul 30, 2005
12922 posts
106506 upvotes
Richmond Hill
ccyk wrote: looks like it is purely your fault...
How's that?
Deal Fanatic
Feb 17, 2007
6412 posts
2624 upvotes
Mort Réal, QC
They deliver my mail to neighbours (sometimes a few streets away) and vice-versa.

I'm honnest enough to deliver the mail myself when it happens, but I can't say the same of them. So yeah, some of my mail gets "lost" or should I say in the wrong hands...

I escalated it all the way to the Ombudsman, and they said they put a "note" at the sorting office: yeah whatever....
Newbie
Nov 25, 2012
53 posts
18 upvotes
Mississauga
ronin1701 wrote: How's that?
Were you expecting them to resume sending the mail to the original address once the forwarding service has expired? I probably would have assumed the same, but I try to read the fine print when I can.
Deal Guru
User avatar
Jul 30, 2005
12922 posts
106506 upvotes
Richmond Hill
Japots wrote: Were you expecting them to resume sending the mail to the original address once the forwarding service has expired? I probably would have assumed the same, but I try to read the fine print when I can.
Does this answer your question? :arrowd:

http://www.canadapost.ca/cpo/mc/persona ... porary.jsf
What is a temporary Change of Address?

If you are temporarily relocating your business or residence somewhere and planning to return to your old address, submit a temporary Change of Address.
:arrowd:
ronin1701 wrote: I've had Canada Post screw up all sorts of things on me.

The worst was when I my mail temporarily forwarded while I was away, and instead they programmed to return-to-sender everything once the mail forwarding service expired :facepalm:

I only figured it out when I called Rogers after my cell phone account had been suspended because they thought I'd moved without updated my details.
Deal Guru
Aug 14, 2007
12807 posts
3837 upvotes
--
I use to do case mods and mid chips on ps2, and the xbox (and 360 drive) and a guy I had on AIM back then I only knew online but we always played the same games online) he paid me $500 for a xbox with an Xecture3 chip, case a paint job, 2 controllers paint job, led lights in each controller port and memory card slot, 1TB hdd.

It got to him in Ohio and it was completely destroyed (and I mean completely destroyed, dents everywhere and whatnot) I had pictures of it completely mint right before I sent it. (he sent me the pictures, I highly doubt the guy did that damage himself, if I was a jerk I would just ignore him and close that paypal acct)

The guy wasn't even mad, said he was extremely happy (I even offered and did pay for shipping back to me and paid the taxes/duties, I didn't have to but I felt obligated, so he sent it back and I filed a complaint with CP and even though I had full insurance on it they did nothing, and believe me this went on for weeks, I was 15 or 16 I think so what could I do threaten wit a lawyer? What lawyer would listen to someone that age).

In the end I did my whole xbox (1 week old) gave him a 1.5TB HDD and sent it back (paint job and all). Each one would take about 4-7hrs and I did maybe 30-40 with paint jobs
Sr. Member
User avatar
Aug 31, 2008
721 posts
1203 upvotes
North of T.O.
I would say that Canada Post is known for losing mail as well as non delivery of mail...you call, you email, you get blah, blah, blah. I have even gotten parcel slips, gone to the post office to pick up and item is not there, and never does arrive, more blah, blah, blah. Canada Post is a giant headache and a drain on tax payers.


choclover wrote: I started noticing that some of my mail was going missing in November 2011 as I was missing certain mail that I knew I should be receiving. At the same time, I was receiving plenty of mail for addresses other than mine (sometimes 3 or 4 pieces a week). I reported this to Canada Post using their complaint system at their Head Office with no real resolution (i.e. report the complaint but nothing seemed to improve) and then finally managed to get a phone number for the supervisor of the processing plant where my mail is delivered. The supervisor said that they would put a "flag" on my file which meant that my mail would be checked before being delivered. However, it seemed to me that this would only resolve half of the problem (i.e. me receiving mail that wasn't mine) but what about my mail being delivered elsewhere? I felt like I was basically at the mercy of whomever received my mail to drop it back in the mailbox.

Well, after a few months, the problem seemed to resolve itself and I didn't really have any complaints.

Well, again in November 2012, this problem seemed to start happening again. I started to miss some very important mail and fear that some sensitive information may end up in the trash or the hands of someone who shouldn't be reading it. I reported it to the same supervisor and he just said that they would do the same thing and flag my file. I am just wondering if there is a more absolute way to ensure I receive all of my mail. Does anyone reading RFD work for Canada Post and understand their processes? Has anyone on RFD had the same thing happen and find a sure-fire way to correct? The supervisor I spoke to sounded empathetic but didn't really offer up any solutions.

Thanks.

P.S. I have a locked mailbox so I know that it isn't someone stealing my mail.
Banned
User avatar
Dec 1, 2011
2427 posts
342 upvotes
Winnipeg
All I'll say is, e-statements were created for a reason. We aren't the only ones that don't have faith in Canada Post. I avoid them like the plague. I would send birthday cards via FedEx if it weren't so expensive.
Can you believe it? They sent my income tax return forms back to me! In response to question # 4, "Do you have any dependants?" I replied - "2.1 million illegal immigrants, 1.1 million crack heads, 4.4 million unemployable people, 901 thousand people in over 85 prisons, and 650 idiots in Parliament.
Apparently, this was NOT an acceptable answer.

Who the hell did I miss? :razz:
Deal Addict
Sep 24, 2007
4107 posts
1543 upvotes
Ontario
I'm pretty sure my mailman is taking my mail, especially giftcards. During the facebook/future shop $5 giftcard promo last year, I missed out on over $120 of cards... all in envelopes with future shop logo on it and a plastic giftcard inside... cant prove anything though. at least he delivers my mail to all of the "apartments" in my house without problem and not marking them as "no such address"
Deal Addict
User avatar
Apr 30, 2012
3252 posts
2873 upvotes
Montreal
Recently, I noticed that I didn't receive my Visa credit card statement in my mail. Normally, I receive it at the beginning of every month. This time, it was the 12th or something of the month and still didn't receive the statement. I never received the statement.
Deal Guru
User avatar
Jul 30, 2005
12922 posts
106506 upvotes
Richmond Hill
How about this?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/s ... -post.html

[QUOTE]Calgary man finds his lost mailed albums on eBay

A Calgary record collector who spent months pursuing Canada Post for a lost parcel containing 40 records from a French band says he found them himself — on eBay.

Al Cohen, whose family owns a record store in the Inglewood neighbourhood, said the experience left a bad taste in his mouth.

“I don't know what's going on. Something's going wrong,” he said. “Do I have to be an investigator for them?”

The ordeal began when Cohen ordered 40 copies of a record from the obscure reggae group Stand High Patrol. The band said it was the only order outside Europe that it had ever received.

The box never arrived, so Cohen said he called Canada Post repeatedly.

Even with the tracking information, they couldn't tell him anything about the parcel.

“For months and months this kind of went on,” he said.

Then Cohen received a letter from Canada Post stating the box had been found in a warehouse in Ontario for "undeliverables," even though it had his address on it. But the box was empty.

Cohen found all 40 records on eBay.
Shocked at eBay discovery

"Just for giggles, I was on eBay and ... checked to see if anybody was selling them ... and somebody was selling the exact amount of copies that I had ordered," he said.

Cohen contacted the Ontario sellers and was told they had bought the records at an auction through the company that buys all of Canada Post's undeliverable items.

A spokesperson for Canada Post says it's not known why the box wasn't delivered or how the parcel got separated from its contents. But since the records were sent from France, this is the responsibility of that country's post office, the spokesperson said.

"Our policy is that we keep things in our system for up to seven months to try and connect with the addressee or the sender," said John Caines.

"In this case that never happened, and then after that they go to public auction like other couriers do."

He said packaging may have played a role, and reminds those sending mail this holiday season to package it properly.

"If you package things properly in a good hard corrugated cardboard — if you wrap it in good strong wrapping paper and put good wrapping tape on it — the chances of it surviving any mishaps through the operation are very good," said Caines.

Canada Post said it does understand Cohen's frustration, but Cohen said it's of little comfort to him as it's too little too late.

However, the band did send him a replacement shipment.[/QUOTE]
Deal Fanatic
Feb 17, 2007
6412 posts
2624 upvotes
Mort Réal, QC
All those stories are depressing. To think, their only line of business is delivering mail and parcels, and they can't even get that right :facepalm:

Too bad this is in the wrong forum... Shopping discussion material ;)
Banned
User avatar
Sep 24, 2006
4699 posts
206 upvotes
Where about do you live? Does your mail come in the new postal transformation system where it comes sequenced by machines? There is a small chance the mail is being sorted by machines incorrectly, and the carrier is just delivering it in the order it's given to them in.


OR, the Mailman suffers from laziness dyslexia, and doesn't realize you are not the house that mail belongs to.

For a quick solution, leave a friendly note on your mailbox explaining the problem, and see if it gets fixed.
Deal Addict
Dec 26, 2009
3155 posts
1869 upvotes
They may be (and I think ARE) very good at what they do, but they deliver a LOT of mail.

Even if they have 99.997% success rate (which would be exceptional in most businesses!), there would be a lot of misplaced pieces of mail and angry customers!

The only time I'm aware of lost mail was a claim I sent to my insurance company. Though I suspect it was actually the insurance company that lost it.
Deal Addict
User avatar
Dec 12, 2006
4360 posts
585 upvotes
Messed Up Area
Canadapost has slipped in the past few years in my opinion, I have had many expresspost items gone MIA, and many bills just suddenly not appear for months on end. Then all of a sudden bills appear ( at least i knew i had them and looked online to pay ) 4 months later. I get others mail in my post office box all the time, yet 2 times a year i have to sign sheet who can receive mail in my box, kind of redundant but if they allow any why make use waste time and sign off.

If you are missing key bills or mailings like credit cards contact companies and get replacement cards ( I know acting paranoid, but who knows who has you vital info now )
Deal Expert
User avatar
Mar 23, 2009
22529 posts
8938 upvotes
Toronto
choclover wrote: I started noticing that some of my mail was going missing in November 2011 as I was missing certain mail that I knew I should be receiving. At the same time, I was receiving plenty of mail for addresses other than mine (sometimes 3 or 4 pieces a week). I reported this to Canada Post using their complaint system at their Head Office with no real resolution (i.e. report the complaint but nothing seemed to improve) and then finally managed to get a phone number for the supervisor of the processing plant where my mail is delivered. The supervisor said that they would put a "flag" on my file which meant that my mail would be checked before being delivered. However, it seemed to me that this would only resolve half of the problem (i.e. me receiving mail that wasn't mine) but what about my mail being delivered elsewhere? I felt like I was basically at the mercy of whomever received my mail to drop it back in the mailbox.

Well, after a few months, the problem seemed to resolve itself and I didn't really have any complaints.

Well, again in November 2012, this problem seemed to start happening again. I started to miss some very important mail and fear that some sensitive information may end up in the trash or the hands of someone who shouldn't be reading it. I reported it to the same supervisor and he just said that they would do the same thing and flag my file. I am just wondering if there is a more absolute way to ensure I receive all of my mail. Does anyone reading RFD work for Canada Post and understand their processes? Has anyone on RFD had the same thing happen and find a sure-fire way to correct? The supervisor I spoke to sounded empathetic but didn't really offer up any solutions.

Thanks.

P.S. I have a locked mailbox so I know that it isn't someone stealing my mail.
For the longest time I was getting somebody else's mail. What we didn't understand was why, because it was a different name, on a different street, and at a different postal code. However, despite our numerous phone calls, it kept arriving at my place. Maybe 1 letter a week.

We dutifully remailed everything, but I could see others just throwing it in the garbage.

At my old home a lot of my mail was going to another address. Different name, different address, and different postal code. I had to call several times before they fixed it, several weeks later. WTF?

Top

Thread Information

There is currently 1 user viewing this thread. (0 members and 1 guest)