US Postal Inspection Service - Address Verification
 

I've just had a strange letter purporting to be from the US postal service. It's not sealed in an envelope, just stapled to to a return envelope.

united states postal inspection service



St. Louis Division

Date: 11/21/2005

RE: Address Verification

TO: POSTMASTER/STATION MANAGER

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

»**» RESTRICTED INFORMATION ****

**** This matter is confidential and no inquiries should be made at the address in question. Please complete this form**"*"*

My Name
My Address



If you have any questions, please contact me at .





Sincerely,

Kevin P. Clarke PO BOX 566

DES MOINES IA 50302

****** * * * *** * *

Does the above listed currently receive mail at this address? Yes

(Please provide COA details if the individual moved or moved left no forwarding)

List all names receiving mail at the above listed address if it exists:

If the above listed address is a post office box, please provide a photocopy of the box application.

Name and telephone number of person completing this form.

Name Telephone Number

Question is, is this genuine? Getting paranoid about identity theft. Then hubby was worried someone was trying to send me something that shouldn't be sent through the post. Has anyone received one of these or know what it means? Is it usual?

Re: US Postal Inspection Service - Address Verification
 

From a little creative Googling, it looks like a) you weren't supposed to have received that - it's for Post Office use only, and b) a government agency is trying to verify your address (or that of someone who used to live at your address) in order to serve some kind of legal notice on you.

This Google cached page has a document about half way down which had the exact wording of the document you received. Searching the page for "verification" will take you to a description of what the document is and what Government agencies can use it for.

Does it identify which agency issued the form? The other possibility is that it's a scam using a version of a government form to make it seem more believable.

Either way, it doesn't look like it's something you should fill out and return.

Re: US Postal Inspection Service - Address Verification
 

Thanks for that db. I'm still none the wiser as to whether I should fill it out. I'm just worried that it could be a scam so I shouldn't. Or could it be something to do with USCIS in which case I should.

The only thing I removed from the details of the letter are my name and address and the post master city. Where it says 'contact me at' it has nothing. Just a full stop. Seems suss to me that the info should be missing.

Re: US Postal Inspection Service - Address Verification
 

As I said, you shouldn't fill it out either way. If it's official, it's supposed to be filled out by the Post Office, and has ended up in your mail by mistake. If it's a scam, clearly you don't want to fill it out.

Re: US Postal Inspection Service - Address Verification
 

Calmed down now and had a proper look. It appears that it was addressed to our postmaster to fill out and it ended up in our mailbox by mistake. The return envelope is stapled to the letter and that is definitely genuine.

Any ideas/speculation on who would be asking. I think it may be USCIS. But it has my maiden name and USCIS have my married name. If it is from them then if it doesn't get sent back it may cause problems with my AOS.