Using the U.S. Postal Service’s Priority Mail, Justin mailed a gift from his home in New York City to a friend in Georgia. Package tracking meant that he was able to follow the gift’s journey and make sure it arrived safely. He was baffled, though, when the tracking information stated that it first traveled out to California for no reason, then made its way back to Georgia, eleven days later than anticipated. Where it was then delivered to the wrong person. In a different town. No one knows where the package actually ended up.

I mailed a wedding gift for my friends on September 6 2011 via USPS Priority Mail. It is supposed to deliver the item in 2-3 days. The item was shipped from NYC to Grayson, GA. However, my package somehow ended up in San Diego, CA, then to Lilburn, GA, then to Atlanta, GA, and finally, delivered to somewhere in Duluth, GA on September 19, 2011. No one at USPS knows what happened to the package or who they actually delivered the item to. No one understands why it took that long to deliver the package and why it ended up in California, etc.

I understand that people at USPS may not be happy right now due to layoff possibilities, etc. But they are truly incompetent and I am not sure who can help me at this point. I purchased the gift and also paid for shipping via AMEX. Do you think AMEX can help me at this point?

They very likely might. Call AMEX.

Come on, postal workers, we know you’re under stress, but this is just strange.If only this were unusual. Here are just a few similar stories we’ve published over the years:
USPS Sent My Package An Extra 6,283 Miles Before Reaching Destination 2 Miles Away
USPS Delivers Letter… 66 Years Late
My Very Important USPS Package Is Doing Laps Around New York City

A computer sorts something onto the wrong truck. It happens. The real question here, though, is what happened to Justin’s package? Even if Amex replaces the gift and postage, the mystery of where it ended up and who opened it will always remain.

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