Effective November 12, 2015, the Postal Service™ is revising Handbook AS-353, Guide to Privacy, the Freedom of Information Act, and Records Management, to include modifications which were published in the Federal Register on August 21, 2014 (79 FR 49543–49544).
The Postal Service operates an online tool that permits individuals and businesses to submit change-of-address requests quickly, easily, and securely. The Postal Service has become aware of a practice involving the submission of multiple, repetitive COA requests for a single address. This practice requires the Postal Service to take the time, and engage in the expense of reviewing, evaluating, and addressing the submission of those requests.
The System of Records 800.000 Address Change, Mail Forwarding, and Related Services is being modified to permit the Postal Service to use COA data to identify and address the practice of submitting multiple COA requests for a single address in a practical, cost-effective way, while preserving its ability to protect customer data and process legitimate requests promptly.
Handbook AS-353, Guide to Privacy, the Freedom of Information Act, and Records Management
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Appendix — Privacy Act Systems of Records
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Section E. Complete Text of Systems of Records
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USPS 800.000
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SYSTEM NAME:
Address Change, Mail Forwarding, and Related Services
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PURPOSE(S)
[Add new item 3 to read as follows and renumber current items 3 and 4 as items 4 and 5:]
3. To prevent abuse of the change-of-address process.
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We will incorporate these revisions into the next online update of Handbook AS-353, Guide to Privacy, the Freedom of Information Act, and Records Management, which is available on the Postal Service PolicyNet website:
n Go to http://blue.usps.gov.
n Under “Essential Links” in the left-hand column, click PolicyNet.
n Click HBKs.
The direct URL for the Postal Service PolicyNet website is http://blue.usps.gov/cpim.
— Privacy Office,
General Counsel and Executive VP, 11-12-15
