$1.05 fee for changing my address?

[bestplans]

Moving into a new apartment soon and filled out one of those paper forms at the local post office. No problem. But then I figured to be sure I'll do it online as well at usps.com and for that privilege I need to pay a $1.05 fee. Is this new?

[John Doe 123]

Moving into a new apartment soon and filled out one of those paper forms at the local post office. No problem. But then I figured to be sure I'll do it online as well at usps.com and for that privilege I need to pay a $1.05 fee. Is this new?

Its not new. It serves as a way to prevent fraud and verify that the person on the address change is the one putting in the request. I do not think revenue generation is the motivator.

[Brianmcg321]

Moving into a new apartment soon and filled out one of those paper forms at the local post office. No problem. But then I figured to be sure I'll do it online as well at usps.com and for that privilege I need to pay a $1.05 fee. Is this new?

Its not new. It serves as a way to prevent fraud and verify that the person on the address change is the one putting in the request. I do not think revenue generation is the motivator.

Its the velvet rope of fraud prevention.

[galawdawg]

Moving into a new apartment soon and filled out one of those paper forms at the local post office. No problem. But then I figured to be sure I'll do it online as well at usps.com and for that privilege I need to pay a $1.05 fee. Is this new?

Nope, USPS has charged a $1.00 fee to change your address online for at least ten years. The paper form works just as well if you don't want to pay the fee. No reason to do both.

[bestplans]

Moving into a new apartment soon and filled out one of those paper forms at the local post office. No problem. But then I figured to be sure I'll do it online as well at usps.com and for that privilege I need to pay a $1.05 fee. Is this new?

Its not new. It serves as a way to prevent fraud and verify that the person on the address change is the one putting in the request. I do not think revenue generation is the motivator.

I guess it's worth it then. Thanks.

[John Doe 123]

Moving into a new apartment soon and filled out one of those paper forms at the local post office. No problem. But then I figured to be sure I'll do it online as well at usps.com and for that privilege I need to pay a $1.05 fee. Is this new?

Its not new. It serves as a way to prevent fraud and verify that the person on the address change is the one putting in the request. I do not think revenue generation is the motivator.

Its the velvet rope of fraud prevention.

Seems pretty effective IMO. Without it, I am sure there are several people who would change my address just to mess with me.

[mister_sparkle]

If you submit the change online, USPS mails you a bunch of coupons for places like Crate & Barrel, Lowe's, etc., all of whom are worth potentially hundreds of $ in savings. I moved recently and saved a boatload.

[rkhusky]

On a similar topic, you can’t submit a mail hold anymore by just filling out a web form. You now have to create a USPS account. Always thought the prior method was ripe for pranking.

[goblue100]

Moving into a new apartment soon and filled out one of those paper forms at the local post office. No problem. But then I figured to be sure I'll do it online as well at usps.com and for that privilege I need to pay a $1.05 fee. Is this new?

Its not new. It serves as a way to prevent fraud and verify that the person on the address change is the one putting in the request. I do not think revenue generation is the motivator.

Its the velvet rope of fraud prevention.

Seems pretty effective IMO. Without it, I am sure there are several people who would change my address just to mess with me.

If I wanted to mess with you, a $1 wouldn't prevent it. Now if I wanted to mess with a million people, 1$ would do it.

[whodidntante]

I would pay 1.04 for this service, and not a penny more!

[TheGreyingDuke]

On a similar topic, you can’t submit a mail hold anymore by just filling out a web form. You now have to create a USPS account. Always thought the prior method was ripe for pranking.

When I last tried this (a month ago), I needed to wait for a mailed verification number and then log into my account and then make the request. By the time the letter came I was already back from the trip, so plan ahead (but not too far as the code had a life of about 60 days)!

[02nz]

If you submit the change online, USPS mails you a bunch of coupons for places like Crate & Barrel, Lowe's, etc., all of whom are worth potentially hundreds of $ in savings. I moved recently and saved a boatload.

I "move" about monthly for the Lowe's coupons.

[aspiringboglehead]

They once seriously messed up a temporary mail forward for which they charged me $1, and just on principle I requested a refund of the dollar. They didn't give it back.

[whodidntante]

If you submit the change online, USPS mails you a bunch of coupons for places like Crate & Barrel, Lowe's, etc., all of whom are worth potentially hundreds of $ in savings. I moved recently and saved a boatload.

I "move" about monthly for the Lowe's coupons.

You can double dip by buying Lowe's gift cards. They are often available for 10% off.

[Goal33]

On a similar topic, you can’t submit a mail hold anymore by just filling out a web form. You now have to create a USPS account. Always thought the prior method was ripe for pranking.

I had this happen

[drawpoker]

On a similar topic, you can’t submit a mail hold anymore by just filling out a web form. You now have to create a USPS account. Always thought the prior method was ripe for pranking.

Never submit a mail hold. If you are going on vacation. Never. Get your neighbors or friends to take in the mail.

USPS now hires so many dirtballs, scumbags, and other assorted questionable types for p/t and seasonal positions. Our town a few years ago had an incident of a rash of burglaries, break-ins, thefts, at homes where the owners were away. Police traced it to a ring operating on information fed to them by USPS newly-hired.

Same thing happened when they did the census. They used to hire just anybody (maybe still do) for those temporary, $10 an hr. jobs. More crime. Later linked to people in that workforce.

[Startingover2019]

How did people ever effectively change their address before the internet? Why do you feel the need to do an online form “just to be sure”?

[sperry8]

I move often. I never change my address with USPS. Instead I change my address directly with all the companies I do business with. Then all the spam direct mail goes away for a few years. I really like that clean mailbox. Yes, it requires me to update singularly with banks, etc. But I'm happy to do it. Bye bye, worthless catalogs and grocery mailers.

[RickBoglehead]

As noted, it's free if done at the Post Office, or by requesting that your carrier drop off a Change of Address kit. Whether you do it online or not, you'll get the discount offers.

Also note that the USPS then makes money off your address change, the information is on a file available to mailers which allows them to update your address in their systems. If they are merely renting your name, they can hit their list against the change, and mail to the new address, but not save the correction.

This information is also used by data mining companies, compiled with hundreds and hundreds of other pieces of data.

Recent movers are considered "fresh meat". When you move, you are ripe for offers - new window blinds, paint, household renovations, security systems, etc.

[nolesrule]

On a similar topic, you can’t submit a mail hold anymore by just filling out a web form. You now have to create a USPS account. Always thought the prior method was ripe for pranking.

When I last tried this (a month ago), I needed to wait for a mailed verification number and then log into my account and then make the request. By the time the letter came I was already back from the trip, so plan ahead (but not too far as the code had a life of about 60 days)!

If you sign up for Informed Delivery, then you don't have to jump through the hoops because they've already verified that your address belongs to your account.

[RickBoglehead]

On a similar topic, you can’t submit a mail hold anymore by just filling out a web form. You now have to create a USPS account. Always thought the prior method was ripe for pranking.

When I last tried this (a month ago), I needed to wait for a mailed verification number and then log into my account and then make the request. By the time the letter came I was already back from the trip, so plan ahead (but not too far as the code had a life of about 60 days)!

If you sign up for Informed Delivery, then you don't have to jump through the hoops because they've already verified that your address belongs to your account.

Correct, for held mail. But for changing your address, it doesn't change anything.

[nolesrule]

On a similar topic, you can’t submit a mail hold anymore by just filling out a web form. You now have to create a USPS account. Always thought the prior method was ripe for pranking.

When I last tried this (a month ago), I needed to wait for a mailed verification number and then log into my account and then make the request. By the time the letter came I was already back from the trip, so plan ahead (but not too far as the code had a life of about 60 days)!

If you sign up for Informed Delivery, then you don't have to jump through the hoops because they've already verified that your address belongs to your account.

Correct, for held mail. But for changing your address, it doesn't change anything.

Right. I just went through all of this recently. One of the reasons for the credit card charge is so that they can do an address validation on the billing address to ensure that the card address is either the old or new address. I had some struggles because we had to do a change of address twice in roughly 5 weeks due to temporary housing.

[John Doe 123]

Moving into a new apartment soon and filled out one of those paper forms at the local post office. No problem. But then I figured to be sure I'll do it online as well at usps.com and for that privilege I need to pay a $1.05 fee. Is this new?

Its not new. It serves as a way to prevent fraud and verify that the person on the address change is the one putting in the request. I do not think revenue generation is the motivator.

Its the velvet rope of fraud prevention.

Seems pretty effective IMO. Without it, I am sure there are several people who would change my address just to mess with me.

If I wanted to mess with you, a $1 wouldn't prevent it. Now if I wanted to mess with a million people, 1$ would do it.

The dollar is not what prevents you from messing with me, it just covers the USPS interchange fees. They are making sure that the name and address on the change of address matches the cardholder. So you'd have to fraudulently acquire and charge one of my cards. If that doesn't prevent you then I guess I am losing some mail.

[1789]

I wouldn't worry about paying somebody 1.05$ today for no reason. Don't spend time with these things