Mailin’ It! - The Official USPS Podcast

What happens when a piece of mail or a package doesn't arrive when and where it's supposed to? In this episode of Mailin’ It!, hosts Karla and Jeff explore the fascinating world of the USPS Mail Recovery Center, where dedicated employees work to reunite undeliverable mail with its intended recipients or senders.Joining the conversation is the Executive Manager of the Mail Recovery Center, who explains their mission to “complete the delivery cycle.” From damaged labels and incomplete addresses to packages separated from their contents, the team carefully examines items, researches clues, and uses specialized technology to identify their rightful owners.The discussion also explores the center’s history, tracing its origins to the Dead Letter Office and the early days of the Postal Service. They explain how the recovery process has evolved, including computerized matching systems, missing mail search requests, and auctions for items that cannot be reunited with their owners.Listeners will hear remarkable recovery stories, including a package containing valuable items that was successfully delivered after being missing for 20 years. They also share practical advice for preventing undeliverable mail, such as using clear addresses, including contact information inside packages, and choosing appropriate tracking and insurance options.Above all, this episode highlights the dedication and investigative work of the Mail Recovery Center’s employees, whose mission is to complete the delivery cycle and give missing mail another chance to reach its destination. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For more than a century, the United States Postal Service has helped bring holiday wishes to those in need through USPS Operation Santa. What began as a tradition of receiving letters to Santa has grown into a nationwide effort powered by the generosity of people who want to make the season brighter for others.In this episode of Mailin’ It!, hosts Karla and Jeff welcome USPS Brand Marketing Specialist Monica Johnson to discuss the history, growth, and heartwarming impact of Operation Santa.The conversation begins with real letters from children and families across the country. Some ask for toys and holiday surprises, while others request everyday essentials like clothing, blankets, and shoes. These touching stories reveal how a simple gift can make a meaningful difference in someone's life.Monica explains how Operation Santa works, from submitting letters to registering as an adopter and fulfilling holiday wishes. She also discusses the safeguards that protect participants' personal information and how the program continues to evolve.This episode celebrates the generosity and community spirit that make Operation Santa special. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What would happen to the mail - and the nation’s ability to communicate - if a major Cold War emergency struck? The U.S. government spent decades preparing for that possibility, and the Post Office Department became an important part of its civil defense plans.Mailin’ It! hosts Karla and Jeff talk with USPS historian Steve Kochersperger and Smithsonian National Museum of American History military history curator Frank Blazich about the Postal Service’s fascinating role in Cold War preparedness.They explore how roughly 1,500 Post Office buildings were designated as fallout shelters by the mid-1960s, with space for approximately 1.3 million people. Those shelters were stocked with emergency food, water, medical and sanitation supplies, and radiation detection equipment. Postmasters were even prepared to serve as shelter managers, responsible for maintaining order and rationing supplies.Thousands of postal vehicles were designated for emergency transportation, while special safety notification and change-of-address cards were created to reconnect displaced Americans with their families. The Post Office Net enlisted amateur radio operators to provide a backup communications network if conventional systems failed.Fortunately, many of these plans were never needed for their intended purpose. But the preparation wasn’t wasted. The infrastructure, emergency planning and nationwide reach that made the Postal Service valuable during the Cold War continue to play an important role when communities face hurricanes, wildfires, natural disasters and other emergencies.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Returns have become a defining part of online shopping, with U.S. retail returns reaching an estimated $849.9 billion in 2025. In this episode of Mailin’ It, Karla Kirby and Jeff Marino explore how retailers can move beyond viewing returns as simply a cost and instead make them a strategic part of the customer experience.Nagee Jackson, Director of New Business Acquisition at the U.S. Postal Service, explains why an effective returns strategy starts with understanding customer expectations, product value, return rates and the true cost of bringing merchandise back. He discusses how different products—from clothing and perishables to collectibles and electronics—can require very different approaches.The conversation also examines USPS return solutions, including Ground Advantage, Priority Mail Return and scan-based returns, which can help businesses align costs with actual return activity. Nagee emphasizes the importance of planning ahead for peak season, analyzing historical return data, establishing clear policies and preparing for the physical volume of merchandise coming back.For consumers, the episode offers practical advice on what to look for in a retailer’s return policy, including return windows, shipping costs and return methods.The episode concludes with a look at how USPS sales teams can work directly with businesses to develop customized shipping and returns strategies. In the “Did You Know?” segment, Karla and Jeff highlight John Wanamaker, the pioneering retailer and former Postmaster General whose innovations helped shape both American retail and the Postal Service. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this true-crime episode of Mailin’ It, hosts Karla Kirby and Jeff Marino sit down with Postal Inspector Stefan Hinds to explore an investigation that began with a Hampton, Virginia, shooting and ultimately exposed a sophisticated identity theft and check fraud network. A search of an apartment uncovered cash, printers, phones and counterfeit checks, leading investigators to a broader scheme involving “card cracking,” in which fraudsters recruited people to provide access to their bank accounts so counterfeit checks could be deposited and funds withdrawn before the checks bounced. The investigation expanded to a Chesapeake hotel, where inspectors discovered stolen mail, check-washing equipment and master postal keys, eventually connecting the operation to ringleader Christopher Warren through financial records, surveillance and his own social media activity. Warren was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison and ordered to pay $305,000, while other members of the conspiracy also received prison sentences. The episode concludes with a look at Project Safe Delivery, the Postal Service’s efforts to strengthen collection boxes and replace physical postal keys with electronic security, along with advice for customers on reducing the risk of mail theft. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.