It is definitely concerning when you are waiting for a package, only to find out it may possibly have been delivered to the wrong address. Especially if your package is arriving by USPS and the tracking number update shows a status of “Delivered to PO Box” when you don’t have a Post Office Box and you haven’t received your package.
In this situation, there are usually two reasons that your package is marked as “Delivered to PO Box” even though you haven’t received it and don’t have a PO Box.
Your Package Is Probably Still Arriving
In the first scenario, it’s very likely that (for what ever reason) the postal carrier wasn’t able to finish deliveries and instead of scanning it as “Rescheduled for next delivery day” miss-scanned the package as “Delivered to PO Box”. This is especially true if the time of the “Delivered to PO Box” scan was late in the day (later than you normally receive mail), or close to the end of the carrier’s shift. If the scan shows it was delivered very early in the day, it is possible the carrier mis-scanned the package at the start of their shift prior to heading out on their deliveries. In all likelihood, your package will arrive the next business day.
The best option in this case is to wait until your mail is delivered the next day to see if the package is included.
Don’t Want To Wait?
You can also call or visit your local post office or speak to your postal carrier, provide them with your tracking number, and explain your concern about the “Delivered to PO Box” tracking status.
Your local post office should be able to confirm whether the package was mis-scanned or mis-delivered. If it was delivered to the wrong address, they should be able to determine the GPS location (with a 6 foot radius) of where the package was delivered when it was scanned by the carrier’s Mobile Delivery Device. If the GPS location at the time of scan was not within vicinity of your residence, it was most likely mis-scanned and either still on route or lost. Your local post office can advise you on what to do moving forward, which may include waiting for re-delivery or filing a Missing Mail search request (after 7 days).
