
Originally Posted by
MartyMcFly
I got this off another board.
Eighth Question: Should I get a box at MBE?
A lot of you will not like this response, but my answer is a resounding, NO! Like I�ve stated earlier, I had an ex-girlfriend who worked at an MBE for a few years. The stories I have heard from her definitely would scare me from having someone else be in possession of my package. First thing, just because you have MBE sign or collect your package, does not mean you are off the hook for anything if something happens and the illegal contents are discovered. You are still responsible as if you had the contents in your possession. When you sign a contract with MBE, you acknowledge this, and under the law, you are still responsible for what is in the package if discovered. They are merely an agent or middleman to collect the mail and hold it for you. That said, ever think a game of package football hasn�t been played at an MBE? Think again. Ever think a package has not been indirectly opened by having other heavy packages fall on it? Under the law, these are justifiable means to use against you for evidence. They were not opened with the intention to peek into your package, but opened through indirect means that just happened to disclose what was in the package. MBE or the PO Box is convenient if you work and cannot sign for packages, but unless you are receiving a registered package from overseas, any professional domestic source SHOULD use priority mail with delivery confirmation. You can wait an extra day or two to not use express mail. This is gear, not crack or heroin. Limiting the risk of having the unexpected happening will increase your chance of not having some unthinkable thing happen with your package, by adding the extra step of an MBE or PO Box. You still have to have proper identification to open a box at MBE, and if you use improper identification, it will only be a matter of time until you are caught. I only recommend MBE if you live in an area where you are close to the border of a few different states and if you are receiving a lot of gear. If you can use a trusted friend�s drivers license to open these boxes without him/her ever showing their face there, then it may be worth the risk if you are receiving big international shipments, and check the customs wait via the USPS website on the package, and then decide if you are going to pick up the package. Anything held in customs 4 days or more when the country is not on high alert is the dead giveaway 99.9% of the time that they found something illegal for importation in your package. Basically, I see no major use to have a box unless you receive a lot of signature required mail, or if you are a source accepting a lot of international packages.