Silk Road forums

Discussion => Shipping => Topic started by: b3tterliving on June 25, 2013, 06:00 am

Title: Is it safer to invent a business as a return address?
Post by: b3tterliving on June 25, 2013, 06:00 am
Lets say i wanted to start selling mushrooms here on SR. Would it be safer for my printed return address to read something like "blahblah gourmet products" Or just use a fake name and make it look like a person to person package?

Any advice/info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys.
Title: Re: Is it safer to invent a business as a return address?
Post by: thyme on June 25, 2013, 06:35 am
Based on everything I've read and seen, I'd be very careful to have it be a real return address that goes back to a real entity (even if that is not you.)
If your package gets a second look, the names/addresses will be looked at for some degree of validity.
Fictitious data is a large vermilion flag of red flaggishness, at least per the warrants/complaints/indictments.

Now here's hoping an irresponsible adult will come along and answer that question more conclusively for you. :)
Title: Re: Is it safer to invent a business as a return address?
Post by: PlutoPete on June 25, 2013, 06:39 am
The return address needs to be a genuine address, but obviously not your own :)
You don't want to give the impression that the contents may be valuable either, so i would avoid words like Gourmet.
Title: Re: Is it safer to invent a business as a return address?
Post by: dabdiego on June 25, 2013, 06:59 am
A real business in the same area code as the place the envelope/package will enter the system in, (or closest available post) be it a post office or shipping center or blue box, is the most important thing you can do. Be sure not to list the phone number of the company of the box, I assume this goes without saying. If you have done everything else right (i.e. MBB and decent packaging) they will not be calling the company to verify the shipped it. If they are looking into the package enough to call them, chances are it is lost anyways. Back to selecting an address. It is wise to pick a business that has some sort of information available online should it be searched for by the postal inspector for some reason. It should be a business that would ship a product in a box the same size and weight you sent as well. Lastly, it is beneficial to use a business you can find online and that offers shipping, but perhaps not using USPS or at the very least not doing a ton of volume in packages so that the PI would recognize the difference in packaging. Best yet, you could find a way to replicate the shipping methods of the company you wish to use. To do this, send an order for their product to a SAFE place where it is not tied to you. Replicating stickers and labels is not very hard with Photoshop these days.

Feel free to message us if you still have questions. We are happy to help you in a more personal setting. We will not reveal anything we do for our shipping methods, but rather will advise you on your own.

All the best,

Dabdiego
Title: Re: Is it safer to invent a business as a return address?
Post by: b3tterliving on June 25, 2013, 07:23 am
Thanks so much for the quick feedback guys. Greatly appreciated!