ST LOUIS — Need to change your address? Know the facts. The U.S. Postal Service wants customers to know they may be paying too much for change of address (COA) services at non-postal websites.

“Some sites charge as much as $40 to register new addresses,” said St. Louis Postmaster Cathy Vaughn. “Others charge nominal fees upfront before tacking on hefty charges later.”

Approximately 42 million consumers change their addresses each year. During the process, they often find sites that charge while searching for change of address information online. Some sites falsely claim to be affiliated with the Postal Service.

“The Postal Service has no relationships with non-postal sites that offer change of address services,” said Vaughn. “Change of address requests made at the Post Office are available at no cost.”

The Postal Service offers three ways for customers to submit COA orders:

• Online at https://moversguide.usps.com/.
• The Mover’s Guide, available at all Post Offices.
• The Call Center at 800-ASK-USPS.

The Postal Service charges $1.05 for identity verification to process COA requests submitted online. The other two options are available at no cost to the customer.

“Customers charged more than a $1.05 for identity verification to change their addresses are using a non-postal site,” added Vaughn.  “Customers who used an external website and are requesting a refund at a postal retail unit should be referred to the business that operates the site.”

Anyone who believes they’re a victim of a mail crime should report it to the Postal Inspection Service by calling 877-876-2455.

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