First USPS tracking scan says "Return to Sender."

Ok, I am not a noob at this at all, but this is the first time I have ever had this issue. I did a direct deal with a vendor who will not be named. I have done many bulk deals with him and everything always works out. The package was dropped in the box yesterday (Monday, April 11th). This morning I woke up to check the tracking to see if it had started moving and the first scan says Return to Sender. I kinda paniced and didn't know what to do. I e-mailed the vendor and informed him of this situation.

The vendor I'm using at the moment is very busy and most likly won't see any of these e-mails for a few days. The tracking had another update that said Undeliverable as Addresed about an hour or so later. This is when I decided to do something that many would be too scared to do or condemn it as an ultimate OPSEC fail.

I called the post office that these scans were being made. It actually turned out to be a really small town of about 5k people. I spoke with the lady on the phone and at first she was confused that someone from Texas was calling them. I told her I ordred a pack on eBay and that I checked the tracking and this is what I found out. She understood my reasoning in trying to get the issue fixed before having to wait for it to be reshipped by the other person. Of course we all know what happens if one of these packs gets returned.

She looked up the tracking on her end to confirm that the scans were made at their location today. She went to look for the pack and I could hear her talking to other postal employees and what I heard was confusion on where it had gone, which leads me to believe there is no LE involvement, hopefully.

They couldn't find the pack though, She asked me for my shipping info and I gave it to her. She said if it turns up, she will put the correct details on the pack if it shows up with the tracking number I gave her, even though I know for sure they were correct to begin with.

I guess the main reason I am making this post is to find out if anyone has had a similar issue like this? It's not normal for the very first fucking scan on the pack to say Return to Sender. The pack litterally made it from the blue box, to the post office in the city the vendor resides in, and then went AWOL.

I'm hoping they just miss scanned the pack and that it is on its way to sorting center and then to me.


Comments


[1 Points] InTheDitch:

Vendors are human too, maybe he just made an honest mistake with your addy


[1 Points] RosyPalm:

It's not normal for the very first fucking scan on the pack to say Return to Sender.

The pack litterally made it from the blue box, to the post office in the city the vendor resides in, and then went AWOL.

No it's not, and since it never made it in the system you took a really bad risk contacting USPS already. The odds it went immediately back to the fake return address are about 99.99999999%

Unlike seeing it go back from your local PO where they have to hold it for 15 days, this package got spit out before the first step. It didn't go AWOL, it went back to the sender because they have no idea where it was supposed to go.

I'm hoping they just miss scanned the pack and that it is on its way to sorting center and then to me.

I'm hoping you're right, but you better have your house so clean it squeaks. Good luck and be careful.


[1 Points] highlyoriginalsn:

I had this happen, sort of. A friend sent me a package from Cali, and then once it hit the major city near me, apparently the tag with my address on it fell off - somehow it got sent back from to the major city close by, from another small town, then to me. No clue on how it actually ended up arriving - I did have to sign for it (since it had been moved around so much and was past the delivery expected date (I'm assuming that's why, as It was only regular priority) anyway I felt a little sketch for signing for it (after the fact) but to be honest I wasn't picking up that this was a situation where I being set up. Especially for a US to US package, I find it hard to believe a parcel would be picked up and seen as containing illegal material. There is not enough time in the world, nor money, to control all of the mail, however you never know. I guess a random search of drugs for let's say an employee at a PO could lead to them searching through packages for example. No one could call something like that though, anyway, if your vendor has done enough deals with you, then you should have nothing to worry about. I also think if they took your info, then you may be getting the package. Most the time they wont do that sort of thing. I'd be more worried the vendor did this on purpose to collect some extra cash. When and if this occurs, such as you don't get the package or the money back, make sure you let everyone know not to deal with this guy - anywhere, at all. No one likes a bum who will burn you when they get the chance. Escrow or not, person is a POS