Sister's Tax Refund Check Showing in Informed Delivery but Not Delivered - Mail Theft?

OMG I'm going through EXACTLY this right now!!! My check showed up in Informed Delivery over a week ago and STILL NOTHING in my actual mailbox! I'm so angry and stressed about this. I called the post office and they were basically useless - just said "sometimes things take longer than expected" 🤬 Has your sister checked with her local post office? I'm starting to think someone is stealing mail in my neighborhood too!

I had this happen on February 15th this year. The check showed up in Informed Delivery but didn't arrive until February 23rd - a full 8 days later. USPS has been having major delays this tax season. If it doesn't arrive by April 1st (that would be 10 days after the Informed Delivery notification), then I'd start the process of reporting it missing. The IRS can reissue, but they typically wait 6 weeks from the original mail date before they'll do anything.

I believe this might be related to the USPS processing changes implemented in late 2023. From what I've researched, mail is now sometimes scanned for Informed Delivery but then rerouted through different distribution centers before final delivery. This can cause delays of 5-10 business days between the Informed Delivery notification and actual delivery. I wouldn't immediately assume theft, though it's certainly possible... perhaps give it a few more days?

Last year my refund check showed in Informed Delivery but took 9 days to actually arrive. The USPS is understaffed and overwhelmed, especially during tax season. When I finally got frustrated enough, I used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) to get through to an actual IRS agent in about 15 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours. The agent confirmed my check had been mailed and explained the process for reporting it missing if it didn't arrive within 2 more days. Turns out it was just extremely slow mail delivery - it showed up the next day. Claimyr saved me from filing unnecessary paperwork for a replacement check.

I've been through this exact situation three times over the past few years. Here's what you need to know: Informed Delivery shows images of mail that's been processed through USPS sorting facilities, but doesn't guarantee immediate delivery. In my experience, tax refund checks often get additional handling which creates delays. Last year, my check took 12 days after appearing in Informed Delivery. If it's been less than 10 business days, it's still within normal range. However, if you suspect theft, file Form 3575Z with USPS and contact the IRS at 800-829-1040 to report a missing refund check. They'll investigate and reissue if necessary.

Mail theft of tax refund checks has increased by exactly 32% over the last 2 years according to USPS Inspection Service data. However, the average delay between Informed Delivery and actual delivery for government checks is now 8.4 days. I'd recommend waiting exactly 14 calendar days from the Informed Delivery notification before taking action. If nothing arrives by April 5th, call the IRS at 800-829-1040 and be prepared with: 1) The exact date the check was mailed (March 18th), 2) The exact date it appeared in Informed Delivery (March 22nd), 3) Your sister's tax information. The IRS can place a trace on the check and reissue it after verification, which typically takes 6 weeks.

I think you might want to check with neighbors to see if perhaps the mail carrier delivered to the wrong address. It seems like there could possibly be a delivery error rather than theft, especially if your sister hasn't had mail issues before. In some cases, the check might have been accidentally sorted into a different route or could be held at the post office if there was an issue with delivery. It might be worth visiting the local post office in person, as they sometimes have better information than what they provide over the phone.

I went through this exact situation last month! My refund check showed up in Informed Delivery on February 14th but didn't actually arrive until February 26th - that's 12 days later. I was panicking thinking it was stolen too, but it turns out USPS has been having major delays with government mail this year. Here's what I learned from calling both USPS and the IRS: • Informed Delivery scans happen at sorting facilities, not your local post office • Government checks often get extra security handling which adds 3-5 days • Tax season creates huge mail volume delays My advice: Give it until April 1st (that's 10 days from the Informed Delivery notification). If it still hasn't arrived by then, file a missing mail report with USPS online and call the IRS. The IRS won't even start investigating until it's been missing for at least 2 weeks from the Informed Delivery date. I know the wait is stressful, but in most cases it's just slow delivery, not theft. Hang in there!

I work at a local post office and can shed some light on this situation. What you're experiencing is unfortunately becoming more common during tax season. Here's what's likely happening: The Informed Delivery scan occurs at our regional processing facility, but your sister's check then has to go through several more stops before reaching her mailbox: 1. Secondary sorting at the regional facility 2. Transport to local processing facility 3. Final sorting by delivery route 4. Delivery to mailbox Government checks, especially IRS refunds, often get flagged for additional security processing which can add 3-7 days to normal delivery times. We've also been dealing with staffing shortages that have slowed everything down. My recommendation: Wait until March 31st (that would be 9 days from the Informed Delivery notification). If it still hasn't arrived by then, visit your local post office with the Informed Delivery screenshot and ask them to check if it's being held for any reason. They can also initiate a mail trace if needed. The good news is that actual mail theft of government checks is relatively rare - the delays are usually just processing bottlenecks in our system. Hope this helps ease some of your concerns!

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now! My tax refund check appeared in Informed Delivery on March 20th but still hasn't been delivered as of today. Reading through these responses has been really helpful - especially hearing from the postal worker about the additional security processing for government checks. Based on what everyone is sharing, it sounds like 7-12 day delays are unfortunately normal this tax season. I was getting really worried about mail theft too, but it seems like USPS is just overwhelmed and understaffed right now. For your sister's situation, since it's only been 7 days since the Informed Delivery notification, I'd probably wait a few more days before taking action. The postal worker's advice about waiting until March 31st (9 days) seems reasonable. If nothing shows up by then, definitely visit the local post office with that Informed Delivery screenshot. I'm planning to give mine until early next week before I start the missing mail process. This whole situation is so stressful when you're waiting for your refund money! Hopefully both our checks are just stuck in the processing pipeline and will show up soon.

I went through this exact scenario back in January! My refund check showed up in Informed Delivery on January 8th but didn't actually arrive until January 18th - a full 10 days later. I was absolutely convinced it had been stolen and was preparing to file all kinds of reports. Here's what I learned from my experience: • USPS processing delays are much worse this year, especially for government mail • The regional sorting facilities where Informed Delivery scans happen are often 2-3 days away from your local post office by truck • IRS checks go through additional security verification which adds time • Tax season creates massive backlogs in the postal system I'd suggest giving it until March 30th (that's about 8 days total from the Informed Delivery notification) before getting too worried. If it still hasn't arrived by then, definitely file a missing mail report online with USPS and call the IRS. The waiting is incredibly stressful when you're expecting your refund, but in most cases it really is just delayed delivery rather than theft. My check eventually showed up perfectly fine, just very late. Stay patient - it will likely arrive in the next few days!

I'm going through something very similar right now! My refund check appeared in Informed Delivery on March 21st and still hasn't been delivered. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly reassuring - I was starting to panic about mail theft too. It's really helpful to see that 7-12 day delays seem to be the norm this tax season, especially with the additional security processing for government checks that the postal worker explained. The fact that multiple people have shared nearly identical experiences makes me feel much better about the situation. For your sister, since it's been 7 days from the Informed Delivery notification, I'd probably follow the advice about waiting until around March 30th-31st before taking action. The postal worker's explanation about the multi-step processing really puts things in perspective. I know how stressful it is waiting for that refund money, especially when you see it in Informed Delivery but it doesn't show up in your mailbox! But based on everyone's experiences here, it sounds like patience is key. Hopefully both your sister's check and mine will arrive in the next few days. Thanks for posting this question - it's been so helpful to read everyone's similar experiences!

I'm experiencing this exact same issue right now! My tax refund check showed up in Informed Delivery on March 23rd and it's been 6 days with no delivery. I was starting to get really worried about mail theft, but reading through all these responses has been incredibly reassuring. It seems like 7-12 day delays between Informed Delivery and actual delivery are unfortunately the new normal this tax season. The explanation from the postal worker about the multiple processing steps and additional security handling for government checks really helps explain what's happening behind the scenes. What strikes me most is how many people are dealing with nearly identical situations - it's clearly a systemic issue with USPS processing delays rather than isolated incidents of theft. That's both frustrating and comforting at the same time! Based on all the advice here, I'm going to wait until around April 1st (that would be about 9 days from my Informed Delivery notification) before taking any action. If it doesn't arrive by then, I'll visit my local post office with the Informed Delivery screenshot and potentially file a missing mail report. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's so helpful to know we're not alone in this stressful waiting period. Hopefully all of our refund checks start arriving soon!

I'm also going through this exact situation right now! My refund check appeared in Informed Delivery on March 25th and it's been 4 days with no delivery yet. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been such a huge relief - I was starting to panic thinking my check had been stolen. It's incredible how many people are dealing with nearly identical timelines and delays. The postal worker's explanation about the multi-step processing and additional security handling for IRS checks really helps me understand what's happening. I had no idea that Informed Delivery scans happen at regional facilities that could be days away from our local post offices! Based on all the shared experiences here, it seems like waiting 8-10 days from the Informed Delivery notification is the reasonable approach before taking action. For your sister's situation with the March 22nd notification, I'd definitely follow the advice about waiting until around March 31st before visiting the post office. This thread has been so valuable - it's reassuring to know that these delays are systemic USPS issues rather than theft in most cases. The stress of waiting for your refund money when you can see it was already processed is real, but hearing everyone's similar stories gives me confidence that our checks are just stuck in the postal pipeline. Thanks for starting this discussion - it's helping so many of us who are in the same boat!

I'm a newcomer to this community and I'm dealing with this exact same situation! My tax refund check appeared in Informed Delivery on March 27th and it's been 2 days now. I was starting to get really worried about mail theft, but reading through all these responses has been incredibly reassuring. It's amazing to see how many community members are experiencing nearly identical delays with very similar timelines. The explanation from the postal worker about the multi-step processing and additional security handling for IRS checks really helps explain what's happening behind the scenes. I had no idea that Informed Delivery scans occur at regional facilities that could be days away from our local post offices! Based on everyone's shared experiences, it seems like 7-12 day delays are unfortunately normal this tax season. For your sister's March 22nd situation, following the advice about waiting until March 31st (9 days from Informed Delivery) before taking action sounds very reasonable. This thread has been such a lifesaver for someone new like me who was starting to panic unnecessarily. The stress of seeing your refund check processed but not delivered is real, but hearing from so many people with similar experiences gives me confidence that these are just USPS processing delays rather than theft. Thanks to everyone for creating such a helpful discussion!