BOISE, Idaho (KBOI) – Just about everyone in Boise, the Treasure Valley, probably the entire country has received a package in the mail via the United States Postal Service. Some of us have received a small yellow envelope with our package displaying a “Balance Due the Carrier” asking you to enclose the amount due and leave it in your mailbox.
But the package is already delivered, so what do these envelopes mean and why should you pay?
Let’s start with the first question: what do the envelopes mean?
The small yellow envelope signifies that the sender of the package didn’t pay the full postage needed to send the package. The Boise Postmaster said this happens basically each and every day.
Rather than return the packages to the sender, the USPS delivers them and makes the recipient aware of the shortage, hence the envelope. Read More
Postage due mail comes from all different venues. If clerks or carriers within a Post Office are vigilant, businesses that we believe have deliberately sent a mailpiece without sufficient postage are turned in to the Revenue Protection division of the Postal Inspection Service.
As a carrier, I often pay for postage due items–but it is completely up to the customer as to whether or not to repay. They are not required to.
Just wondering, are these packages usually from family or friends?
Or is this just a way for business’ to cut their expenses?