mandpete

Since the beginning of the year my daughter has received three greeting cards which seem to have been sliced open on two sides. The latest being an Easter Card which arrived yesterday. The strange thing is the small amount of dollars in each card has never been taken, which leads me to think the envelopes are being opened in the UK - Greater Manchester/Yorkshire areas.

A parcel also arrived recently which had been opened and then resealed with some of the much anticipated chocolate missing.

I am not sure whether to complain to USPS or get the senders to complain to the Royal Mail.

Has this been happening to anyone else?

Derrygal

I just received an Easter card from my aunt in Scotland a couple of days ago. Just like you said - opened on 3 sides, but the card itself was okay. I know there wouldn't be any money in it. My aunt couldn't afford to send me money (she's 89) and I wouldn't expect her too. Still, it's strange the way the envelope arrived - opened on 3 sides but the card was intact.

Jerseygirl

I've had the same thing happen to envelopes and packages. Cash was left in the envelopes...although I do now ask people not to send cash.

I think it's US customs that open them...don't know what you can do about it.

mandpete

Three Easter cards for the kids arrived on Friday along with two letters from HMRC. I have just noticed that two of the cards have been sliced open both with money still inside. The letters from HMRC were still intact but arrived via Malta.

My Mum loves to send 'a few dollars' over every now and then but I think I'll ask her to just send cards/letters and I'll give the kids some money.

I will try and find out if it is US customs rather than either postal service.

pennylessinindia

my this happened to me last week and i blamed then Indian post, may have to take it all back
hang on is this an April fool!

Weeze

We've never had it happen, but our mail comes via Mr Weeze's work address in London with their post. That suggests it is US side it happens to me.

kimilseung

We had money taken from mail on a couple of occasions. We too tell people not to do it now. We suspected it was US side, but I forget what we based that on.

cosmicjunkie

Funny you should say this because I mentioned this to my husband just the other day.I too have received cards and letters which have clearly been opened or at least look like someone has tried to open them. Not all of these letters have arrived from England. Two weeks ago my long awaited green card arrived by priority mail in an envelope which was wide open!!! It could have easily fallen out!

fatbrit

Snail mail, eh? How quaint!

rpjs

Not noticed that lately, but last year I ordered some UK train tickets from TheTrainLine and the envelope was open at one end. It also looked very water damaged and I assumed it had got wet and rubbed open.

I'd've thought if mail was opened for any official reason it would be resealed with some tape bearing the mark of the organisation that opened it. Back in the day, we'd occasionally get parcels from my aunt in Holland that had been opened and re-sealed by HM Customs (and occasionally a letter inside saying they'd confiscated plant bulbs that she'd sent us).

mandpete

That's exactly what I thought too.

We have received damaged domestic mail from USPS in the past which has been placed in a sealed plastic bag along with an apology.

Bob

That's US customs having a poke around.

When the missus was moving back to the US years back, she sent a few boxes back in the mail, couple of them had been opened and reclosed by customs...the weirdest one was finding someone elses knickers in one of her boxes

Bob

Plant bulbs you say?

Jerseygirl

We once received the same...however that was the USPS...I think it's customs that are opening overseas mail and they tend not to make apologies.

rpjs

You think they'd've been satisfied with confiscation if they were more than plant bulbs?