United States Post Office Inspection Service warns of fraudulent customer emails!

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The United States Postal Inspection Service wants to alert you about fraudulent emails sent to postal customers.

The sent emails claim to be from “USPS Global,” “Global Services” or “USPS customer services.” These emails inform customers that a package is being held for them and they will be charged for each day the package is unclaimed. The fraudulent email also gives customers an invalid label reference number. If you get one of these emails, DO NOT click the URL link! When clicking on the URL accompanying this number, a virus infects their computers.

Postal employees have been receiving complaints about these emails and have been apologizing for any inconvenience and assure customers that the emails are not from the Postal Service. Customers also should be informed that the United States Postal Inspection Service already is aware of the fraudulent messages.

If you would like like to report further fraudulent issues you  can do so by notifying the Inspection Service by sending an email to spam@uspis.gov.

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   The Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) approved the postage price adjustment for First-Class Mail and Standard Mail letters, flats, and cards (presort and automation) that contain a qualifying mobile barcode inside or on the mail pieces.
 
SUMMARY:
The Postal Service will revise the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail
Manual (DMMR) 709.3 to add a new temporary promotion in the summer of 2012 for Presorted and automation First-
Class Mail cards, letters and flats, and Standard Mail letters and flats bearing two-dimensional mobile barcodes or equivalent print technology.

DATES:
Effective Date: July 1, 2012, through August 31, 2012.

 
 
USPS -
WASHINGTON DC ~ Bipartisan plan announced by the United States Senate this week would throw a lifeline to the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) while keeping a six-day mail delivery for at least the next two years.  ~  Associated Press reported.

Senate Homeland and Governmental Affairs Committee will look at the proposal next week. In this new proposal, along with many other things, encourages cuts in employee staff and refunding the nearly $7 billion in overpayments USPS paid into the Federal Employee Retirement System.

This inturn could be used to offer early retirement to a large number of postal workers.

 
 
Click on the file below to see the details of the January 22nd Postage increase.

SOURCE USPS
Postage Changes for Jan, 22nd 2012
File Size: 129 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

 
 
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As more customers choose to conduct their postal business online, with their smartphones and at their favorite shopping destinations, the need for USPS to maintain the largest retail network in the country diminishes.

To that end, the Postal Service today announced it is taking the next step in rightsizing its expansive retail network by conducting studies of approximately 3,700 retail offices to determine customer needs. As part of this effort, the Postal Service also has introduced a retail-replacement option for affected communities around the nation

 
 
The benifits of using QR Codes by Rick Rea / Forum Communications Printing
2D QR Code / Scan Me
The benefits of using QR Codes
In my opinion QR Codes are the biggest innovation to hit the print world since color ink!
 

The reason I say this is that recent reports show many sites have more people access websites from mobile devices than from a PC.  QR Codes are for print what hyperlinks are for online.  Imagine a simple little scan from a mobile device and your client, prospect or participant will land directly on your product or service that you desire.  “It’s that simple”! No more typing into a small phone QWERTY keyboard is enough incentive to put a QR Code on every direct mail piece you can. The “KEY” QR Code use is to make it simple for your audience. With the enormous amount of smart phones on the market, which is rapidly growing the QR Code will be around for a very long time.

 
 
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Canada Post Employees Back-To- Work Tonight

USPS To Begin Accepting Mail Destined For Canada Tomorrow
 

Back-To-Work Legislation was passed by Canadian Government Sunday night.  Canadian Postal employees will be back on the job beginning tonight at 8:30 p.m.  The USPS will begin accepting mail for Canada, June 28th, 2011.   Mail being held in the USPS network since the lockout began is now being released and transported into Canada. 

 
 
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Canada Post and Union at an Impasse
A Vote on Back To Work Legislation Coming Soon

United States Postal Service is still not accepting any mail to Canada except for GXG (Global Express Guaranteed®). 

Legislation was introduced earlier in the week to the Canadian Government to force workers back to work.  With the contract negotiations between the union and Canada Post at a standstill, The Canadian Government will now begin the discussion and voting process to move forward.  Canada Post has notified the USPS that the Canadian Government has agreed to work through the weekend if necessary to bring this legislation to a vote.  We will await the results of the vote and Canada Post's anticipated return to normal operations.  Once Forum Printing has that information we will update you as to when we will again be accepting shipments to Canada.  

 
 
Canada Post Mail Trick - Forum Printing
CANADA POST SUSPENDS OPERATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY

USPS CONTINGENCY PLAN

Canada Post announced last night that they are suspending service nation-wide effective immediately and until further notice.  USPS officials have been in constant contact with Canada Post  and will continue to closely monitor the strike situation and work on contingency plans to keep as much mail flowing into Canada as possible.

At this time, the Postal Service will continue to accept and process mail destined to Canada.  If Canada Post is unable to end the strike by COB tomorrow, June 16, 2011, all mail service to Canada will be suspended with the exception of Global Express Guaranteed (GXG). 

 
 
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     2011 Mobile Barcode Promotion
The Mobile Barcode Promotion was approved by the Postal Regulatory Commission on May 17, 2011.
      Mobile barcodes are two-dimensional barcodes that can be read by any smartphone with a 2d barcode reader application. These mobile barcodes, when scanned, can direct an otherwise passive customer to take immediate action – make a purchase, register for an event, or download a coupon.

Program Goals
The Mobile Barcode Promotion was designed to build awareness of mobile barcodes and demonstrate to mailers how mobile barcodes can increase the value of mail, while "blurring" the lines between online and offline marketing.

How does the Program work?
The Mobile Barcode Promotion runs July 1, 2011 through August 31, 2011, providing business mailers with an upfront three percent discount on Standard Mail and First-Class Mail® letters and flats that include a mobile barcode.