USPS Says 'Informed Delivery' Feature 'Safe and Secure,' Protects Customer Privacy, Security

A U.S. Postal Service spokesman said our Tuesday story and subheadline spotlighting potential privacy implications of an electronic feature called "Informed Delivery" (see 1704030028) is "alarmist and misleading." He said the USPS feature's subscribers have their mailing addresses authenticated through a third party, payment transaction history or an in-person presentation of credentials. All such emails originate from a USPS address, and are branded with official agency graphics, images and logos, and also include an unsubscribe option, he said. Customers can use the feature via app on MyUSPS.com or dashboard on USPS.com, he added. "While there is always the possibility -- as there is with any email from any source -- that some phishers may attempt to take advantage, the Postal Service protects its brand and unbranded emails should be recognizable as spam." USPS, he said, takes the privacy of customers' mail "very seriously" as well as its cybersecurity responsibilities. It "adheres to the privacy requirements of the Privacy Act of 1974, which controls when and how the USPS shares personal information and limits the conditions in which that information can be disclosed externally to outside parties," he added.