![]() But while USPS acknowledges there is a problem, it wouldn’t say how it plans to close the loophole that allows fraudsters to cash in on someone else’s identity. What is more baffling is that there seems to be an equally simple fix. A fraudulently filed change of address form can have lasting fallout for the thousands of individuals whose mail is hijacked and rerouted every year, with criminals able to obtain bills, credit cards and other sensitive information that can be used to raid bank accounts or make fraudulent purchases. It’s neither new nor a particularly sophisticated technique, and has long been known to fraudsters and federal investigators. ![]() Postal Service processes changes of address. The fraud relies on a simple flaw in how the U.S. That was enough to set in motion a domino effect that upended the life of a former Microsoft executive several states away, as the person who signed the form effectively hijacked the executive’s home address in just a few minutes. The person signed the form, handed it in and walked out. post office and filled out a change of address form, just as tens of millions do each year to route their mail to a new address. And corrected addresses get delivered without delays.Sometime in November, someone walked into a U.S. Several thousand records each year are either corrected or removed from the client’s mailings through these automated services – saving money, avoiding time-intensive manual processes, and eliminating waste. This client also uses the Address Element Correction (AEC) service five times per year to fix questionable addresses that have inaccurate or missing elements. This way, more potential address changes are captured during this additional correction process. For example, for this client, it was recommended that ACS would be especially effective for mailings further out from their NCOA processing date. MMI Direct also advises on which mailings are the best candidates for using ACS. MMI Direct then assists with the back and forth exchange of data between the client, their data management partner and the USPS, making the process efficient and easy for the client. MMI Direct sets up the specific IM barcode on each mailing that provides the instructions to the USPS to perform the ACS process. These updates are then made to their donor database. As mailing results trickle in over a 12-week period, the USPS sends the client a weekly electronic report with change-of-address information and other reasons for non-delivery. ![]() Here’s how they helped a client with a large volume, national direct mail program of over 20 mailings per year.Įvery year, the mailer uses ACS on four renewal mailings to keep their donor address data as accurate as possible. Our colleagues at MMI Direct are pros at helping our clients use these USPS Services. How a Nonprofit Uses Address Correction Services This service is available for a modest fee. Bad addresses are turned into accurate addresses (complete and standardized for full automation) or identified as potentially undeliverable. These problems can delay delivery or even make delivery impossible.ĪEC corrects addresses through computer-automated processes and can involve evaluation by local delivery offices if needed. Address Element CorrectionĪddress Element Correction (AEC) is an additional service that identifies addresses that are missing address elements or contain incorrect address elements that require additional handling. ACS is very inexpensive and is available for First Class Mail, Parcels, Periodicals, and Marketing Mail. And corrected addresses can be delivered faster in upcoming mailings. You save money by removing bad address records from your mailing lists. This reduces the amount of returned mail and the time and cost of dealing with manual address corrections to your database. ![]() Here’s how it works: After your mailing drops, the USPS provides any change-of-address and other non-delivery information to you electronically. ![]() We’re very excited about the many benefits of the Address Change Service (ACS) offered by the Postal Service. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |