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Are PO Boxes risky for Ebay and Paypal?
 

Thinking about getting a PO Box for stealth purposes. Is a PO Box considered risky to ebay and paypal?

I would suggest a UPS address. It is almost the same price as the USPS, but you will have a real address.

actually most Mom and Pa or small P.O. Box places allow you to reformat the address to fit or seem like a real address,

example
8323 Something St.
P.O. BOX 2222

to
8323 Somthing St
#2222

Best to get one at a PO box business vs the post office.

PO business is more forgiving replacing po with suite, #, etc

I agree. I was just suggesting something other than the USPS, because you can only use "PO BOX" with them.

I find PO Boxes quite useful and appropriate for Eb and PP - a lot still depends on how you operate with the account.

The risk is more in the manner of how the account is operated.

Be selective with what type of 'Box' you get.

Many stealth users have these types of addresses.

:mod:

Yup, this is exactly what I did w/ my first stealth account. You can use this format which I used successfully for a year or so (until that stealth got taken down :p)


PO Box 1234
Anytown, New Jersey 12345


500 Front St <---this is the real street address of your local Post Office
Unit# 1234 <--- your PO Box number
Anytown, New Jersey 12345


Try to send a test piece of mail to see if that format works and if it does, you're good to go.

BTW, this is covered in the stealth guide.

USPS Box in my town is cheap. The smallest box cost $32/year

The ZIP for PO BOX is different than the actual address.

The actual post office address is:
12345 Main Street
Anywhere, XX 70000

The PO BOX address will be:
12345 Main Street STE 789
Anywhere, XX 70091

If they see that ZIP code than they know the mail will going the one of the PO BOX

Good variations - I have also tossed in letters with the numbers (501A - A501, B501 etc) and have worked well with varying that up too

Lots of good ideas. Im gonna compare prices tomorrow and go from there I guess.

Bear in mind that does not always work for every country

Luckily the OP is US based

Only other issue is some places may not allow a street address for the Box number

:brushteeth:

Exactly right. Always try a sending out a test mail first to see if it goes through and reaches your po box.

Not trying to argue here...

A PO box is specifically a POST OFFICE box. If you go get a mailing address at a mom and pop shop that has mailing addresses like a UPS Store, then you do not have a po box.

example -

PO Box address -

Receiver name
PO Box 444
City In the USA, State
Zip code

A UPS store box address example

Reciever Name
Address of UPS store, #number goes here
City In the USA, State
Zip Code

The address line with the number can say #, suite, office, apartment, lot... it doesn't matter. The people that work there will put it in your box all the same. IMO opinion, this is the way to go!

There is a big difference in a PO box address and a real street address. You cannot be served with an order to appear in court at a po box. Because of that, ebay/paypal look at the account more closely. (that's purely my opinion, I have no fact to back it up, but wouldn't you be less suspicious of a real street address?)

If you put PO box in the address line meant to go to one of these UPS store boxes... it could get lost. PO box means it's going to the post office in that zip code. You can ask any post office person and they'll tell you the same thing.

:argue:......:fight:

In the USA you are now allowed to use the main address of post office. They even have a form that tells them you will do it. I run mutiple address via usps and had least amount of issues.

This changed a while back but my postmaster wont allow it. When I asked why she said this address is for us to you and not box renters. I explained that a form has been made to be allowed to do this. She said it is up to the local post master and I wont allow this.

Did not pursue it because I need this PO location as it allows me to drop tons of different names and never a question one single time so I am not rocking that boat.

But--- I went to the next PO which is much smaller and it has worked out so far well.

I also agree with the above. I have a couple UPS mailboxes for buying on ebay and other places and I really like their services better then USPS anyway. They are locally owned franchises and they will kiss your butt for business.

What appears to have happened is some Post Masters have taken it upon themselves to not allow this right.

As Sandy D posted above, she has been caught and not given approval.

My offsider managed to get the OK with accounts based on the West Coast.

Just an example of bureaucracy.

And we wonder about USPS.
:doh:

Its true what everyone is saying about not being allowed to use the address of the post office but there is a little more to the story then Post Masters selectively enforcing it.

Years ago you could get away with it almost across the board. It was frowned upon but unofficially you were allowed to do it. Officially it has always been prohibited.

Then last year the USPS started this pilot program called Enhanced PO Boxes to compete with the UPS stores and other mailbox service locations. This program at certain locations allowed you to officially use the street address of the post office, get a text message when you received a package, and receive Fedex and UPS packages at your PO box. In doing so, they decided to strictly enforce the no street address policy at all other locations.

This program however has been put on hold because mailbox service locations have filed suit calling this unfair competition. The street address ban is still in effect across the board except at the grandfathered Enhanced PO Box locations.

So pending the outcome of the lawsuit you will either be able to use the street address at Enhanced locations or the days of using the street address at PO boxes will be completely over.

I managed to grab up 6 Enhanced PO Boxes when the program was still in effect. It is great because you get all the function of a UPS/Private Mailbox location for $5-$7 a month compared to $15-$20. So I'm hoping for the best in the future for this program.

Is there anyway I can check online what post office offer this services?

I talk to 2 people at my local post office and they don't know and never hear of this program. But they allow me using the post office address but with a different ZIP that made for PO BOX only. I forget to ask about UPS/FedEx

Notable idea - I always do this to test - cheap stamp and off the letter goes.

The smaller ones tend to be quite stealth friendly