# Classified documents via Registered Mail? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 22, 2007, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classified-documents-via-registered-mail/416451 "2007-08-22T02:29:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![IAmNotSpartacus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@IAmNotSpartacus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IAmNotSpartacus)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2007, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classified-documents-via-registered-mail/416451/1 "2007-08-22T02:29:33Z")
So I am on another wiki link clicking adventure and happened upon the US Postal Service page. I noticed that Department of Defense classified documents, up to the SECRET level, are sent via Registered Mail. So, are the envelopes marked classified or something? If they are marked classified, what is to stop some nefarious person from mimicing whatever method is used and sending do-bad things via the mail? What happens if a piece of this mail happens to get mutilated? [Here is the link to the Wiki article](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Postal_Service#Registered_Mail) ---
**Author:** ![MC\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c77e96/32.png) [@MC\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MC_E)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2007, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classified-documents-via-registered-mail/416451/2 "2007-08-22T02:43:40Z")
[QUOTE=IAmNotSpartacus] So, are the envelopes marked classified or something? [/QUOTE] They are double wrapped, with no markings on the outer package other than the address. The inner package is properly marked for classification and addressed as well. [QUOTE=IAmNotSpartacus] If they are marked classified, what is to stop some nefarious person from mimicing whatever method is used and sending do-bad things via the mail? [/QUOTE] Trust me, if you get a classified package in the mail, you are expecting it. A package arriving with no prior notice would raise some suspicions. [QUOTE=IAmNotSpartacus] What happens if a piece of this mail happens to get mutilated? [/QUOTE] From the article, it is handled separately every step of the way and all actions recorded in a ledger. Any mutilation would be noticed and taken care of promptly, most likely by re-wrapping and sending it along to the next stop. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2007, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classified-documents-via-registered-mail/416451/3 "2007-08-22T02:44:00Z")
If you don’t tell everyone handling the envelope, who is to know what’s inside? Since each registered piece of mail must be accounted for every step of the way from sender to receiver, it should be rather difficult, if not approaching impossible, for it to get folded, spindled or mutilated, let alone lost. Anecdote - A certain meat packing plant (whose name shall remain nameless but think of the song about bologna) used to move its cash payroll via registered mail, instead of private courier or armoured car. It was considerably cheaper and more secure. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2007, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classified-documents-via-registered-mail/416451/4 "2007-08-22T03:17:45Z")
The Hope Diamond was sent to the Smithsonian by mail… ---
**Author:** ![IAmNotSpartacus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@IAmNotSpartacus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IAmNotSpartacus)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2007, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classified-documents-via-registered-mail/416451/5 "2007-08-22T04:46:09Z")
Excellent, thanks! ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2007, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classified-documents-via-registered-mail/416451/6 "2007-08-22T06:59:15Z")
[QUOTE=Duckster] Since each registered piece of mail must be accounted for every step of the way from sender to receiver, it should be rather difficult, if not approaching impossible, for it to get folded, spindled or mutilated, let alone lost. [/QUOTE] Yes. The mail I got from the FBI about a year ago was one of the _cleanest_ envelopes I’d ever seen outside of the box of envelopes in my desk drawer. And that was just something classed as U//FOUO (Unclassified, For Official Use Only, previously called SBU or Sensitive but Unclassified. ---
**Author:** ![ambushed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3bc359/32.png) [@ambushed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ambushed)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2007, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classified-documents-via-registered-mail/416451/7 "2007-08-22T11:39:31Z")
This reminds me of the Secret/SAR program I worked on that installed an unmonitored outgoing mail drop _inside_ a controlled facility right next to the unmonitored copy machines. No registered mail there. Sheesh. At least I made sure that didn’t last long. ---
**Author:** ![Fir\_na\_tine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Fir\_na\_tine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fir_na_tine)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2007, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classified-documents-via-registered-mail/416451/8 "2007-08-22T12:49:25Z")
[QUOTE=Duckster] Anecdote - A certain meat packing plant (whose name shall remain nameless but think of the song about bologna) used to move its cash payroll via registered mail, instead of private courier or armoured car. It was considerably cheaper and more secure. [/QUOTE] I spent one summer back in the 70’s working as a bank teller in Maine. There are lots of Canadian tourists here in the summer. Each week the local bank would end up with between $500,000 and $1,000,000 in Canadian currency that needed to be repatriated to Canada as the Federal Reserve wouldn’t deal with foreign currency. Each week we packed a duffel bag with the wrapped Canadian bills, brought it down to the local Post Office and sent it registered mail to a correspondent bank in Canada for redemption. Cost about $25. if I remember right. Always amazed me to see the little Post Office jeep driving down the road with it’s million dollar load. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2007, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classified-documents-via-registered-mail/416451/9 "2007-08-22T13:50:44Z")
Like has been said, Registered Mail is the preferred choice for sending valuables. And honestly, secrets are much less tempting to steal than a diamond ring. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2007, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classified-documents-via-registered-mail/416451/10 "2007-08-22T14:26:43Z")
I knew foreign students who would send money back home by mailing a single $100 bill in a first class envelope. If they wanted to send more, they’d send multiple envelopes. The fraction of a percent fee is much less than wiring money via other methods and nearly as secure.