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Private Mail Service: More that Just Mail

Jul 25, 2017 | , ,

A Business is more than printing a business card.

You have an idea and you want to make it a business.  Great!   Yes, you need a name that characterizes the product or service; yes, you need a business card and website.

Also necessary is a DBA (Doing Business As) registration with the county, and if you are selling a product, getting a Sales Tax Number from the state.   And before you obtain either of these, get a private mail box that has a street address.  Here is why.  Obtaining a DBA and Sales Tax number require a street address, and unless you are willing to have your residence listed as public information where customers or sales people may arrive at any time, a private mail box will mask your residence.

Protecting your residence information may seem like a small risk during the excitement of starting a new venture, however once it becomes public information, it cannot be removed.

The US Postal Service prohibits the confirmation of a mailbox owners name unless there is a court order.   So some party, allegedly injured, will have to go to a lot of trouble to obtain a court order for confirmation of the owners’ name.

​Think long game, get a private mail box before you make public your identity.

Closing a Business

Jun 14, 2017 | ,

Yesterday I was reminded of the value of having a private mail box.  We were googling for a good bakery with rustic yeast dough and remembered a bakery that perhaps had relocated.  The address was a residence.  Apparently the owner has closed the retail location and no longer provides product.

The downside of is now everyone knows where he lives based upon his last known DBA or sales tax registration.   If he had a private mailbox with us, he home would not be known to the world.

Protect your home and family, even when closing your business with securing a private mail box service.  It is amazing the volume of mail that comes to closed businesses as evidenced by the mail we receive here to our clients who have closed their business.

Be safe and protect yourself and your family: get a private mail box at Nasa Postal.

Meet NOVA

May 17, 2017 | ,

Meet Nova, the newest staff member.  Nova came from Poodle Rescue and is 17 months old.  He is amazingly calm for a young dog, and that blends well here.  In addition to his regular duties of staff supervision, he also assist with scanning mail for our virtual box holders because he doesn’t talk, about anything or anybody.

 

Registered Agent for Small Corporations

Apr 25, 2017 | , , ,

Nasa Postal provides Registered Agent Services to Corporations and LLC’s as a part of our mail service to our small business box holders.  As a Registered Agent, we are the contact for the Secretary of State for your business.

The best example of how important this service is:  A disgruntled client believes that something adverse has occurred, and decides to bring a cause of action against you.  To provide notice of this action, a process server knocks on your door and attempts delivery or a certified letter is sent to your “official  address”.  And while you believe it is a frivolous action, you ignore both the certified letter and the process server.

What happens next is very important.  The disgruntled client can now serve the Secretary of State, on your behalf, and request the judge find in their favor for the original amount of the their suit plus attorney fees and all other expenses.  The judge may now rule in their favor and award a judgement against you.  You have just created a more expensive problem.

As your Registered Agent, we can be served on your behalf and avoid the embarrassment of being served at home, witnessed by family and neighbors.

Masking Tape

Mar 5, 2017 | ,

With all the recent conversation about unmasking, it reminded me about masking tape being a very poor shipping tape alternative.  Even if you cover the entire box with masking tape, it will pop open at the slightest bump.

When customers bring in a package with masking tape, I know that they believe in the tooth fairy.  Because they actually believe that the package will be delivered intact.   I would give it less than 50% and that might be optimistic.  Masking tape is designed to mask areas not intended to be painted.  It has neither the strength nor adhesion to keep shipping containers protected.

Be smart, use shipping tape on those boxes.

Let us help with our expert packing & shipping services.

Package Delivery Service

Oct 12, 2016 | , ,

We get calls about this:  Customer orders a high value item and it requires a signature for delivery.  Customer works all day and when UPS tries to deliver, there is no one home to sign for the delivery.  And as silly as this sounds, I do not have every UPS drivers cell phone number.  When I give the caller the UPS 800 delivery phone number, the caller has already tried it unsuccessfully.  To further complicate the matter, the caller is at work and cannot leave a note on the door for the delivery person to re-route the package.  At this point in the conversation, I don’t have any resources available to them other than going on the UPS website and track the package option.

If the caller had a Private Mail Box with us, this would never be a problem.  We are happy to sign for your packages and keep them securely until you can pick up.  Mail / Package service is an essential service everyone needs, just like your hairdresser, housekeeping service, doctor or lawyer.
Isn’t it about your time, convenience and security?

Shredding Carefully

Sep 14, 2016 | ,

We all know that old bank or credit card statements, placed in the trash are available to anyone with ulterior motives.  As precaution, it makes sense to have these documents shredded.   Particularly when you are the executor of a loved one’s estate or you have to downsize, and time is of the essence to move out or empty a dwelling.

Recently, a customer brought in boxes of paper for shredding.  I have learned that a second pair of eyes can be helpful for our customer responsible for shredding.   We open envelopes to make sure there are no metal objects that can damage the shredder.  And we find interesting surprises.

Uncirculated currency, poetry, jewelry are just some it the items.  The value is either monetary or intrinsic. We return these to the customer so a conscious decision may be made under more favorable circumstances.

This is just another way we take care of our customer.

Documents Required to Open Mail Service

Aug 17, 2016 | ,

The US Postal Service regulates the Private Mail Service.  To open a Private Mail Service mailbox, the USPS requires that the applicant have two current documents, as listed below:

  • Government Issued Photo Identification with Address
  • Armed Forces, Government, University or recognized Corporate Photo Identification Card,
  • Passport, Alien Registration card, Certificate of Naturalization,
  • Voter or Vehicle Registration Card,
  • Home or Vehicle Insurance Policy.

A Social Security Card is NOT an acceptable document.  Sad but true.  Customers push back on that.  However, the Social Security Card does not have a photo or an address, not meeting the Government Issued Photo Identification with Address requirement.
The requirements are to establish identification as well as residency.  This makes it more difficult for someone to open mail service fraudulently.
The US Postal Service makes the rules; we just comply.

We have two sizes of mailboxes and additional levels of service depending upon your needs.  Come by and we will show you.