A Connecticut family that put invites for an upcoming Halloween block party in their neighbor’s mailboxes got spooked when the USPS figuratively rang their doorbell holding a big open bag. It was a bill from the USPS charging them 44 cents for postage for all the invites they had put in the mailboxes.

WFSB reports how the USPS notified the family that it’s against postal code regulations to put notices in mailboxes without paid postage on them.

“One Monday I had a note it is illegal to put these in mailboxes. Day 2 I had a bill for assumed 80 in the box, times 44 cents for the stamp,” the father, Jeff, told WFSB. “I haven’t paid it yet. I’m trying to have the conversation that no one is willing to have.”

It’s customary in the neighborhood for families to stick notes in each other’s mailboxes for birthday parties and thank you notes.

The regulation is probably meant to curtail marketers from spamming people’s mailboxes, but come on, it’s a freakin’ Halloween block party thrown by the neighborhood. With the USPS hanging on for its life, is this really the best use of their time?

“It’s very unneighborly. It’s something I wouldn’t expect from a small town,” an East Hampton resident told WFSB.

The USPS did not return WFSB’s requests for comment.

Post office charges family postage for block party invites [WFSB] (Thanks to Wayne!)

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