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Hello, when requesting USPS Mail forwarding, would it be accepted to use only your first name + last name initial (example: Jane D.) if you are receiving letters to your address in that manner at your home address? Or does it have to be a full last name for the system? Thank you in advance!
The first computer that your piece goes through sees the address and then ask if a change of address order (COA) is on file for that address? If yes it goes to the next question a COA for an individual, family or business? Then it looks at the name if it is the name on file the piece is forwarded if not it continues on going to where it is addressed? So if a letter has J. and the COA has James then it continues on and is not forwarded.
Now at that point if the carrier at your old address knows that J. is just an abbreviation of James he can fill in your last name and write on what is called the extract code and a clerk, instead of the automated computer can see to it that a piece is forwarded. The carrier can also take the faster of action of just delivering the piece as addressed if he doesn't know J. is James or even if there is an active COA for that delivery point. After all he is not a computer he does not look at every situation as yes or no, then next step yes or no. Or the even faster option of just returning the piece to sender with you either unknown at that address currently or you moved without leaving a forwarding address..
My only concern would be that without the last name on the mail, if a number is off or something or blurred in some way, they would not be able to see the mail was for John Smith, but John S. In smaller towns, they will usually get the mail to you if there is enough info. I checked and it was saying that all they care about is the address for delivery, but again, if blurred or off a number, the name might get the mail to the right place.
Its not a matter of the size of the town the carrier has the only human eyes that matter. And the construction of the carriers route determines if he "knows" hundreds or thousands of unique delivery points that he is responsible for.
If you get the zip code plus 4 which is read first, even without all of the digits correct on the street number the computer retains enough information after scanning the other names in that plus four which is either the odd or even side of a block or a unique bank of boxes where the carrier has to use his keys to open. Now if your name is not super common or you are surrounded by family family members on the same side of the block the computer will normally make a good guess and place the piece in the proper sequence
We have always had good luck with our postal workers when it comes to getting the mail to us if the address is not clear or the "number" is off, so for some it works! Of course, in the bigger cities, maybe that would not apply, so I guess it is one of the benefits of not being in bigger cities.
I am still stumped by the idea of using just one letter of the last name though. If we have to pick something up at the post office, we have to show ID.
We have always had good luck with our postal workers when it comes to getting the mail to us if the address is not clear or the "number" is off, so for some it works! Of course, in the bigger cities, maybe that would not apply, so I guess it is one of the benefits of not being in bigger cities.
I am still stumped by the idea of using just one letter of the last name though. If we have to pick something up at the post office, we have to show ID.
It has nothing to do with the size of the city, it is more a function of a regular carrier that goes that step.
Since the USPS is making getting changes of address more difficult in an attempt to slow down thieves I would suggest giving the carrier the change of address cards with the different name variations on them. The regular carrier , if he knows of you, is more likely to fill in the verification blocks on the cards than most window clerks without as close neighborhood ties as the carrier would. And after the carrier endorses the form it goes off to the central forwarding unit. And from there the computer recognizes J. and won't ignore it as it is looking for James only.
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