Mail Carriers Know More Than You Think – Here Are 12 Things They Know About You
Before you start freaking out, let me reassure you that mail carriers don’t look through your mail, but they still know more about you than your average neighbor. Meet Nigel, a 62-year-old man with 24 years of service working as a mail carrier. Here’s an interesting fact, the United States Postal Service alone has over 7,000 letter carriers who are tasked with delivering nearly 484.8 million pieces of mails, letters, and packages every single day.
That’s a lot of mail, so how is it that they know more about us without going through our mail? More importantly, what do they know about us? Nigel and his friend Jeff, who’s worked for the USPS for nearly 30 years, share with us what it’s like to work as a mail carrier, and what they know about us!
1. You’re on vacation
Mail carriers know you’re on vacation when your parcel delivery is on hold. If you’re going to be away for a long period of time, request your mail carrier to hold your packages because an unattended pile of mail outside your home alerts thieves that the house is empty.
2. You’re involved in a crime
Mail carriers come across numerous car accidents, including cars hitting pedestrians, cars hitting other cars and hit-and-run cases. Nigel, who keeps a notepad handy, quickly notes down the license plates of offenders and gives the same to the police. So mailmen know when you get into trouble.
3. You’re pregnant
When a woman is pregnant, she usually receives baby formula samples with pictures of babies and pregnant women on them. Apart from that, they receive thick stacks of maternity magazines, diaper samples, and other items which attest that the receiver is either pregnant or planning a pregnancy.
4. You’ve just given birth
Well, if pink and blue balloons aren’t enough to publicly announce the birth of a new child, I don’t know what is! Mail carriers know you have recently given birth when they see pink or blue balloons tied to the mailbox.
5. You’re in trouble with the law
Mail carriers can tell the difference between normal mail and court documents, so when you receive one, they know you’re in trouble with the law.
6. You’re selling drugs
Mail carriers know a person is selling drugs if their packages have a dozen stamps taped to them instead of a print label simply because they don’t want to leave a digital trail. Jeff has even caught someone making, selling and shipping MDMA pills!
7. You’re buying drugs
Mail carriers know a person is buying drugs if their packages smelled different, or if the packages have a weird substance leaking through them. If a lot of delivered packages have no return address, or if they’re from online or foreign pharmacies, there are suspected to carry drugs.
8. You brought home a new dog
“Beware of Dog” signs and dog barks often alert mail carriers letting them know that there is a dog nearby and if those dogs are aggressive they won’t hesitate to use a pepper spray, that they carry with them in their bags, to protect themselves.
9. Your child is graduating from high school
High school seniors get more mail than anyone, for that matter! Glossy college flyers and big booklets that advertise programs a college let mail carriers know that there’s a kid who has just graduated from high school.
10. You’re having an affair
Mail carriers know that a person is cheating when they see them sneaking around or looking guilty. In fact, Nigel has called the police a few times when he wasn’t sure if the stranger he was seeing was a thief or a lover!
11. You’re getting a divorce
If your package has a forwarding address or if you change your last name mail carriers know there everything is not well in your married life. Also, sometimes the absence of a car they’re used to seeing tells them that there’s something wrong in the couple’s lives.
12. You’re a caring person
Often times, some people leave nice surprises for their mailmen. These surprises include cash, gift cards, chocolate, notes, and wine too, for them to take around holidays and festivals. This is how mail carriers know that people who leave these little surprises are kind and caring people!
Have you come across a friendly mailman? Let us know in the comments below. Don’t forget to share this article with your friends!
