# Amazon package in my mail box; not USPS — illegal? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 10, 2022, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-package-in-my-mail-box-not-usps-illegal/971343 "2022-09-10T20:02:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2023, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-package-in-my-mail-box-not-usps-illegal/971343/62 "2023-08-07T20:51:05Z")
Considering that the USPS has actually signed a contract with Amazon to do these deliveries, I can’t help but wonder how this is still an issue 60 posts into this thread. ---
**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2023, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-package-in-my-mail-box-not-usps-illegal/971343/63 "2023-08-07T20:51:56Z")
To be fair, having a law to prohibit people from using mailboxes for general delivery/storage makes perfect sense. Otherwise, mail carriers might have to spend time sorting through a mess of materials, some of which are meant as outgoing mail, some of which are really just self-help deliveries, making for a more complicated process more often (understanding of course that people don’t always pick up the mail every day). My sole issue with the law is that it is poorly written, with extraneous clauses that seem to admit very different readings. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2023, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-package-in-my-mail-box-not-usps-illegal/971343/64 "2023-08-07T20:55:36Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > Considering that the USPS has actually signed a contract with Amazon to do these deliveries, I can’t help but wonder how this is still an issue 60 posts into this thread. At this point I don’t think anyone is arguing about that. What’s left to bicker about (there’s _always_ something left to bicker about 😉 ) is 1. Was the OP’s last-mile delivery actually performed by USPS contracted on Amazon’s behalf, or was it a rogue Amazon worker or contractor who illegally stuffed it into the OP’s USPS mailbox? 2. What are the laws on who can put what into which USPS boxes? Do we here understand them correctly? And are they well-written and relevant to the current world? 3. And the ever popular “If I was King we’d do it _this_ way!” “Well no, that’s silly. If instead _I_ was King we’d do it _that_ way! Neener neener.” ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2023, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-package-in-my-mail-box-not-usps-illegal/971343/65 "2023-08-07T21:28:38Z")
And if the thread goes long enough into #3 after #s 1 and 2 are addressed, it might get relocated into MPSIMS or IMHO. At least, that’s my observation about these kinds of FQs. ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2023, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-package-in-my-mail-box-not-usps-illegal/971343/66 "2023-09-21T22:04:22Z")
Amazon customers, if an Amazon subcontractor put the package in the mailbox, may find that their postal carrier took the package, and then requires postage to reclaim it. And the Amazon subcontractor _may_ find that they get in a bit of trouble at Amazon for breaking the law. ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2023, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-package-in-my-mail-box-not-usps-illegal/971343/67 "2023-09-21T22:05:07Z")
Oh dear I’ve created a zombie. I apologize, I didn’t notice the it was from a month ago. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2023, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-package-in-my-mail-box-not-usps-illegal/971343/68 "2023-09-21T22:49:15Z")
Hey! _I’m_ supposed to the the necromancer around here… 🤪 ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-package-in-my-mail-box-not-usps-illegal/971343/69 "2023-09-22T01:42:24Z")
> [@raventhief](#): > > Oh dear I’ve created a zombie. I apologize, I didn’t notice the it was from a month ago. Both the crowd here and the management are much, much less fussy about zombies than a few years ago. A month old is still fully warm, even still breathing a bit. Far from dead. Bottom line: Don’t sweat it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![CaveMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cavemike/32/16379_2.png) [@CaveMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaveMike)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-package-in-my-mail-box-not-usps-illegal/971343/70 "2023-09-22T03:16:47Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > A month old is still fully warm, even still breathing a bit. Far from dead. To be fair we never resolved your point #3 which would clearly involve package cannons and lots and lots of flypaper. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazon-package-in-my-mail-box-not-usps-illegal/971343.md?page=3)