An Post

bnev

My birthday was a few weeks ago and some of my relations posted cards with cash in them.

None of these cards arrived (even though some of them were placed in large brown envelopes so as to not look like birthday cards) This has happened a few times in the past with different people I know and I am just wondering if this is a regular thing?

An Post just basically said these things happen and there is nothing they can do. I know they say not to post money and that is fine. But surely they should be a little bit more concerned are their inability to guarantee delivery? :mad:

Paulw

bnev wrote: »

An Post just basically said these things happen and there is nothing they can do. I know they say not to post money and that is fine. But surely they should be a little bit more concerned are their inability to guarantee delivery? :mad:

Don't post cash - use cheque/postal order/etc.

Guaranteed delivery is for registered post. I don't think many/any country will guarantee 100% delivery of all postal items.

bnev

Yeah I know that sending money is not advised, which is why I never do personally. It's just a bit disappointing that all three cards sent went missing. It's not like this was a one time thing.

But like you said these things can't be guranteed, it's just annoying is all!!

Paulw

I can totally understand your anger/frustration. Never nice when that happens.

Next time, ask people to either send them registered or else send other forms of gifts.

RangeR

Make a formal complaint to GPO. If enough people make complaints about a specific area, the GPO will investigate. It has happened before and found that a tiny minority of postmen were on the take.

jor el

Yes, contact the GPO in Dublin, as going to your local post office is going to be a waste of time. It should be the sender that contacts them, as the recipient has no rights in terms of making a claim. As mentioned, it did happen in the past, and there was an investigation where a few sorting agents/post persons were being monitored. My brother had a few cards go missing that time.

After that, never ever send money in sealed envelope. A sealed card envelope screams CASH INSIDE. An open card envelope does not, and I've sent cash this way on a number of occasions. Even if sending a cheque/PO, leave a card envelope unsealed, as sealing it makes it look like it has cash inside. I've never had an open envelope card go missing, regardless of what was in it.

oneweb

One year I received a birthday card through the door in a sealed An Post branded plastic bag (similar to the airport liquids bag). Within the bag was a sealed envelope with the corner neatly torn off. It wouldn't have taken the brain of a squashed gnat to realise what had happened. Sure enough there was nothing left inside the card. We told the sender who complained to to Customer Service and got a "we're investigating" return reply. Sure enough they never heard anything back.

MunsterCycling

An Post don't give a crap about customer service and never have, I have had several items stolen from the post and nothing has ever happened. Poor crappy company with low morale and over unionised.

foggy_lad

they now have the perfect excuse and will no doubrt blame the machines used to sort the post which can apparently slice the edges off envelopes especially when the edge of the envelope is wet, and take out some contents but not others! i have had several cards(credit card type) delivered where the envelope has been opened this way and presumably checked for cash or card details while other post arrives in perfect condition!

an post are too much like eircom and bord gais and the esb, too long in the job to care about customers!

Shelflife

unfortunatly it doesnt take einstein to work out that its someones birthday and then go through all your post to get the goodies, an posts customer service is a joke but you should make an official complaint, trends will build up and action can be taken if enough people give information.

Mr. Presentable

RangeR wrote: »

Make a formal complaint to GPO. If enough people make complaints about a specific area, the GPO will investigate. It has happened before and found that a tiny minority of postmen were on the take.

No.
The OP cannot make a complaint. The only one who can make one is the person who posted the item.

Shelflife

yes technically the sender is the only person who can make a complaint about a specific piece of post , but the op can make a complaint in general about possible abuses with post that they get or should have recieved.

jor el

nipplenuts wrote: »

No.
The OP cannot make a complaint. The only one who can make one is the person who posted the item.

The recipient can make a complaint, but only the sender can make a claim.

chuckles30

definitely make a complaint to the gpo & if others in your area have also had problems, get them to complain too. If they continue to receive complaints from an area they will investigate.....even if they don't get back to you. There are only a small number of post-people who engage in this activity, but if people don't complain, then nothing at all will happen.

eth0_

OP - where do your relatives live? If they're in N. Ireland or the UK it could be down to the postal strikes we've been having.

I sent a birthday card to my mother (in Louth) from Edinburgh on September 10th and she still hasn't received it. I know An Post are sh*t but never this bad so i'm assuming it's down to the strikes.

MagicMarker

I can't believe 3 different relatives posting from presumably different locations all had their cards stolen.

Either you have the worst luck imaginable or you have 3 relatives who didn't send you anything.

bcirl03

Our post is always going missing, that includes personal as well as bills etc.

A lot of our post arrives with the corners slightly slit open. I'd recommend you check yours the next time it arrives, you'd be amazed how many you will find.

Tried complaining with little joy and that was with the local post office and the GPO. Not surprised given the history of An Post \ P&T.

RangeR

Actually, over the years, a small percentage of my mail had rips at the top of the envelope. Surprisingly, there were never any rips in utility bills or bank correspondence.

punkindrublic

I receive quite a lot of mail and laely I ALWAYS have problems with Anpost.

Last week I opened a new bank account, the letter containing the PIN number arrived in my door fully opened, like when the post man put it in the door the letter, card, leaflets, all fell out. It had clearly been opened by hand. (also the envelope said PRIVATE & CONFIDENTIAL on it which made me even more angry someone had the nerve to open it)

Before this I had ordered some clothes from Topshop and they arrive in a grey jiffy bag which was completely ripped open and the clothes were hanging out. I know its possible that it was torn in transit but there were no marks or dirt or anything.
Another time a package arrived that was opened and re-sealed, and I spoke to the sender about this and they confirmed they didn't have to open it after sealing or anything. It only came from the county next to me so it was a bit odd.
And a lot of my letters arrive partially opened/torn.

tbh I think its the postman. Hate to make false accusations but hes pretty shady and just started the job in the past few months. Before him we had a woman delivering mail and never had a problem with her!

punkindrublic

bcirl03 wrote: »

Our post is always going missing, that includes personal as well as bills etc.

A lot of our post arrives with the corners slightly slit open. I'd recommend you check yours the next time it arrives, you'd be amazed how many you will find.

Tried complaining with little joy and that was with the local post office and the GPO. Not surprised given the history of An Post \ P&T.

They seriously don't give a f*ck, I complained about my mail too and they just said things sometimes get damaged during transit and they were sorry, yadayadayaaaa.

bnev

eth0_ wrote: »

OP - where do your relatives live?

My relatives were all in Dublin. So the cards only had to come across the city. I rarely see them so they thought it would be better to post....not wise I know!!

bnev

MagicMarker wrote: »

I can't believe 3 different relatives posting from presumably different locations all had their cards stolen.

Either you have the worst luck imaginable or you have 3 relatives who didn't send you anything.

Why presumably different locations? They were all through the same post office in West Dublin, my relatives still live close to each other.

It is the not being able to believe that three went missing that has me annoyed....if it was only the one I would just put it down to bad luck.

Thanks for placing doubt on my family! I will never look at them the same again

jor el

MagicMarker wrote: »

I can't believe 3 different relatives posting from presumably different locations all had their cards stolen.

Either you have the worst luck imaginable or you have 3 relatives who didn't send you anything.

The theft probably happened at the central sorting centre, so it wouldn't matter where it was posted from or going to, if it all went through this mails centre at some point.

Shelflife

Its important to complain though, if nobody complains officially, then officially there is no problem.

we complain a few years back about the reduction in the number of guards in the town, because alot of the complaints were unofficial the policy makers deemed that they couldnt justify 2 guards in the town.

wideband

Lo,
In the past week money was taken from my daughters birthday card too and I was quite upset over this. I went online to see where I could complain and this post popped-up. Thanks.

In my case, the envelope was unstuck and re-stuck with heavy glue, quite professionally. In my own opionon the card looks like it was taken away by an Anpost worker and then return into the delivery system.

When I called Customer Services to let them know what had happened, the response was far from what I expected.....he started telling me that "Anpost was the best postal service in the world and that only 3 item a week go missing, even Joe Duffy agreed" :eek:, no matter what I said I was wrong.

Looks like the response to complaints are well rehearsed by the Customer Service Dept. I agree with previous posters.....keep calling and making official complaints in writing and follow-up on the out come of the investigation.

http://www.anpost.ie/AnPost/MainContent/Customer+Service/Our+Commitment+to+You/Our+commitment+to+you.htm

People can and will advise against posting cash, but its just not the same when the kids open an envelope to find a cheque of postal order for €20.

Arciphel

bnev wrote: »

Why presumably different locations? They were all through the same post office in West Dublin, my relatives still live close to each other.

This wouldn't be the D15 depot in Coolmine would it? :rolleyes:

I have had a lot of hassles with them over the past 3-4 years.