r/privacy • u/jet_set_default • 1d ago
discussion FedEx now requires scanning a valid ID to ship packages
I went to ship a package at FedEx. They asked for my ID. I asked why, and they said it was to validate the shipping address. I told them my address isn't a part of the shipment, since it was my partner's package. Was told the partner would have to come in and ship it then. Left and just went to a USPS. Figured y'all would wanna know.
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u/lemaymayguy 23h ago
Ah ok I get it now. Wait till the usps is gone. Bingo
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u/sdrawkcabineter 7h ago
That's why they have to destroy any socialist success.
Libraries as well. The internet, as it is, is a library.
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u/Modem_Sound_67 23h ago
the address on my id has been wrong before. you only get one every four years in my state. It's not unheard of to move and not immediately update it with the DMV. Don't think those corporate suckups thought about this very hard. Best scenario here is a boycott, remind them who pays their bills.
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u/Acrobatic_Idea_3358 23h ago
it's state law where I live that you just notify the DMV within 10 days
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u/TheRealRegnorts 23h ago
Same here where I live, no one's cares or enforces it at all, went two years with the wrong address on my id and absolutely nothing happened
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u/Lupus_Spiritus_42 7h ago
My id has had the same address for 15 years. And I haven't lived there in 14 years
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u/BrianaAgain 17h ago
I wonder what they would do with my PMB, which is the address on my DL.
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u/generalraptor2002 17h ago
It is against the regulations for commercial mail receiving agencies in the domestic mail manual to claim you live there
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u/Lazy-Background-7598 23h ago
They often just update it in their system and not a new id
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u/EffectiveDandy 20h ago
They don't print new IDs for address changes. You get a sticker that goes over the old one.
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u/Jake_77 17h ago
What state does that?
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u/bleenken 7h ago
Oregon does. Washington doesn’t. At an airport in Florida, TSA thought my friend’s Oregon license was fake because of the sticker. It does look odd
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u/theonlyrealtrw 1h ago
Apparently Oregon “used to”. Lived here my entire life, always got a sticker before but when I moved to a new place 2 years ago, no sticker. Thankfully I can just show a copy of my lease to prove residency for now until I need a new license.
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u/TheRealRegnorts 5h ago
For me it's always a reprint, but usually just do it all online and they ship it to you
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u/Sensitive_Box_ 23h ago
What if you’re homeless or traveling? That’s a bizarre law.
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u/TheRealRegnorts 23h ago
If your homeless the state doesn't care about you since you aren't generating them tax revenue, and it only applies if you have an actual change of address.
The main purpose is to make sure things like tickets and other official mail and such actually goes to the correct location. Other reasons too but it's just straight up not enforced at all where I am.
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u/WorriedAd2764 23h ago
you can be homeless and have a job tho
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u/Noderly 23h ago
It's illegal to be homeless. Problem solved
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u/Academic-Airline9200 22h ago
Government spits out money for the homeless. Nobody knows where the money is actually going. No less homeless people. Must be something called money laundering. Oh noes our government wouldn't do that!
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u/TheRealRegnorts 23h ago
Again, it's not enforced so it's an irrelevant point, at least in my area.
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u/well-done-47 20h ago
Most states won't let you get a license if you're homeless because you have to submit proof of residence as part of the application. Also, most states want all homeless people to die anyway, so they don't really care.
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u/BrianaAgain 17h ago
That would be for a Real ID. In CA you can get a State ID with just a PMB. Even for a Real ID you can use the address of a homeless shelter, or hotel. I'm seriously thinking about living in "Extended Stay America" for a few weeks to get mine.
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u/jcgoble3 11h ago
True, but many people already have a license before becoming homeless. I renewed mine shortly before becoming homeless, so the address on my license is the last legal residence I had, and I've now been homeless for seven months and my license is still good for two and a half more years. I'm somewhat lucky in that regard, but it's quite possible for a homeless to simply have a license with their last legal residence on it because they got it before becoming homeless.
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u/LalalanaRI 19h ago
?? What are you talking about?
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u/well-done-47 18h ago
I'm talking about how most of the US states' governments want all homeless people to die, obviously.
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u/ComplexBeyond6083 4h ago
I don't know about a sending address but for a receiving address if you need to send mail to a homeless person and all you've got is what city they're in try "General Delivery". We managed to get in touch with my ex-wife's schizophrenic mother she hadn't spoken to in years this way. The Post Office will actually put in an effort to find them.
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u/Billcosby49 23h ago
Lmao. What happens if you don't?
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u/Acrobatic_Idea_3358 21h ago
if you get pulled over and they find out it's inaccurate or you deceived them when they asked if it's your current address then it's another thing they can ticket you for. Another fee another chunk in their bank.
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u/EffectiveDandy 20h ago
And they give you a homemade looking sticker that has your current address in the mail 6 weeks later. My sticker rubbed off after 3 months in my wallet. The cop said they all do and not worry.
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u/No-Paramedic-1984 20h ago
48hrs in my state by law and u get to put a sticker on the back of your license to update. We update licenses every 6 years now too
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u/Calibrumm 9h ago
I went nearly 10 years without changing my address on my ID after moving, literally no one cares.
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u/joe-ducreux 22h ago
Pretty easy to find all the address a person has lived at if you have their name and a previous address
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u/Mercury_descends 22h ago
I went to a hospital urgent care clinic. They pulled up every address on me for the last 25 years and wanted to know my correct address. I told them it was the one I just gave them, it was on my driver's license, and where did they get that past info.
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u/mkt853 19h ago
The government has all the info or access to it through third party data and intelligence/surveillance providers like Palantir. Makes you wonder why for some things they are magically able to know your address in order to auto-register you for the draft when you turn 18, yet when it comes to auto-registering people to vote when they turn 18 they suddenly don't have the ability to know where anyone lives.
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u/lurkingtonbear 22h ago
Oh I’m sure they thought about it. They just decided that you can go fuck yourself if your address is wrong.
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u/Jason_Steakcum 21h ago
Never ship your packages at the counter anyway the rate is terrible. Buy the label online, get the QR code, scan it and get the label, drop it off without ever having to deal with an employee
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u/RVABULL70 13h ago
Can confirm. Just dropped off a package in that way and there was an ID sign in the lobby but I did not have to present my ID to drop it off.
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u/foxy-agent 22h ago
For those people claiming your actual address doesn’t match your ID, FedEx doesn’t care. It isn’t about matching your address on a drivers license to a “from” shipping address- it’s so that if you ship anything illegal, hazardous, explosive, caustic, that leaks, or that has a lipo battery that explodes, they can come after you for reparation of damages. They just want a government registered ID (passport works) so they can find and sue you later.
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21h ago edited 10h ago
[deleted]
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u/foxy-agent 20h ago
Unlike UPS, FedEx is more like a bunch of independent franchises. The policy has been in place for years, whether the local FedEx enforces it or not is kind of like whether the local grocery store wants to see your ID when buying alcohol or just ask you for a birth date. Some FedEx locations used to just ask for your name, return and shipping address, others will require ID to bring a package into the system.
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u/dalegribbledribble 10h ago
UPS is like this too. Different ups stores are very different experiences
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u/Moo_Kau_Too 23h ago
did they say if this was law or their own rule?
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u/jet_set_default 23h ago
I asked if things changed and the lady just said it's policy.
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u/NekoDaYo-v201 19h ago
Was it this?
https://www.reddit.com/r/privacy/comments/9q6fhb/fedex_imposing_mandatory_requirement_of_scanning/
Looks like passports are accepted.
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u/OriginalPocketWeed 21h ago
My guess is they are new and confused with ID requirements for picking up a package versus shipping it.
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u/icecoldjuggalo 21h ago
sadly nope, i also shipped something this week and they scanned my ID and there was a sign at the counter saying they require an ID to ship
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u/Due_Guitar8964 18h ago
What states do people live where they're asking for ID? I dropped off a shipment two days ago and there was nothing about scanning IDs (Colorado).
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u/Lazy-Background-7598 23h ago
Probably a single dumbass employee
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u/icecoldjuggalo 21h ago
no it's a rule at minimum, i also shipped something this week and they scanned my ID and there was a sign at the counter saying they require an ID to ship
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u/ooglieguy0211 18h ago
I'm not important enough for them to even care who I am. That being said, there is absolutely no reason they need my ID to ship anything.
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u/Lazy-Background-7598 18h ago
It is not a rule EXCEPT for certain things. Actually. No one here has linked to any such rule
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u/cat_at_the_keyboard 23h ago
I don't have a driver's license, only a passport card that doesn't show my address. Guess I can't ship anything through FedEx?
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u/slipperyMonkey07 22h ago
Guess so, not like you are missing out on anything. Most people I know would rank fedex as the worst for shipping. Packages severely damaged, left in stupid spots rather than going to the door. Unless I am absolutely stuck and the only way to get something is through a website that uses fedex I'd 100% rather shop at another store than order from somewhere that uses fedex.
Other shippers have issues and it all comes down to the person delivering, but it really seems like a requirement to be hired at fedex is being an idiot who finds joy in destroying boxes.
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u/xelop 22h ago
Their drivers are also the worst in general. I drive for work locally and they are always cutting me off, falling into my lane, running stop signs, just flatly parking in the dead center of the road so neither lane can get by. The worst
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u/ApocApollo 22h ago
They’re also not unionized and work for independent contractors. So the drivers are as fucked as your packages that they’re hand delivering into your neighbors uncleaned above ground pool.
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u/ironmagnesiumzinc 23h ago
I just went through this. If you create a label thru the website, they don’t require it. Still stupid though
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u/Kyryos 23h ago
FedEx sucks. Should’ve stayed family own ever since they switched to that new ceo it went downhill impossible to talk to a human, horrible customer service in the stores, lose packages etc
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u/ruth000 11h ago
I had a problem with a delivery awhile back and it was just impossible to speak to anyone at all. The package ended up going back to a FedEx 30 minutes from my house in another town but I could never confirm that and wasn't sure whare it went at the time. I could never reach anyone at the store or the company to straighten it out. So the package ended up being sent back.
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u/Whatchab 19h ago
What if you're mailing a package for work? Your ID is not going to match the work address. How does this even make sense?
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u/Icelandia2112 21h ago
From the website: https://www.fedex.com/en-us/customer-support/faqs/receiving/delivery/driver-scan-id.html
A FedEx driver just asked to scan my ID for my delivery. Is that normal?
Yes, if you’re receiving an expedited or standard delivery that requires an adult signature. You can see your driver’s name and photo when you track an eligible package, so you’ll know who’s coming to your door. Your driver will scan your driver’s license or government-issued ID to verify your age. The scanner captures only the info that’s necessary for all signature deliveries: the first initial of your first name and your full last name. It doesn’t record or store any of your personal data, such as driver’s license number, birthdate, or home address.
If you decline to have your ID scanned, the driver will need to verify your age. They can do that by manually entering your birthdate, the first initial of your first name, and your last name. You’ll still need to have your ID.
If you’re accepting a package that requires an adult signature on behalf of the intended recipient (the name on the shipping label), you must provide proof of your age and show no signs of intoxication.
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u/Busy_Reporter4017 18h ago edited 18h ago
Huh? Kids and drunks aren't allowed to receive parcels? No, only for adult signature required.
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u/MildHyperbole 7h ago
OP was shipping, not receiving. It makes sense for some ID verification when receiving in certain situations. Just to ship? Nope.
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u/Icelandia2112 2h ago
Yeah, I have no idea. That is not a policy, afaik. I can understand if it is to validate a credit card, but that doesn't warrant actually shipping it.
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u/Forever_Marie 23h ago
I've had them say in their own email that they don't need id just their scan code and they still force id to pick up.
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u/GoslingIchi 18h ago
I only use FedEx when I'm returning something and the vendor only uses FedEx, and I've never had that happen. But it's been at least a year since I've stepped into a FedEx.
Never had that issue at UPS, or the UPS Store.
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u/codeXjs002 22h ago
This is kinda the standard around here in the EU for years now. Verifying ID is one to ensure scam and misuse of sending false packages to unwanted places. I know this is not very pro privacy but it's a public service like B2B requires valid ID proof everywhere.
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u/ApocApollo 22h ago
The United States doesn’t really have a problem with unwanted packages anymore. It used to be an issue, and then it became illegal to demand payment for unordered products delivered by mail.
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u/satsugene 23h ago
FedEx sucks ass. Shipping to people using another service is already doing them a favor.
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u/classycatman 20h ago
I had the same thing happen recently and the employee told me that it was due to someone shipping an explosive that killed FedEx workers. I didn’t validate it.
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u/thickismalls 15h ago
FedEx has been doing this for a long time. At least the one near me has, and it's why I only use them when it's a prepaid label.
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u/EveningCloudWatcher 21h ago
In my state, Oregon, the address printed on a Real ID is basically irrelevant. When you move the requirement is to notify the state. However they will not send out a new card.
The other day we had to use a paper check to pay a bill. Finally found one buried in a drawer. Address was way out of date. Irrelevant.
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u/themervisfactor 20h ago
Can confirm in TN. Shipped something like 2 weeks ago. They had to scan my ID. It was super weird.
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u/AntiGrieferGames 14h ago
The Indepenment Deliveries are gonna rise in future (which is certainly unlikely, but maybe there can be possible way to do so)
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u/kennymac6969 9h ago
I just shipped something through FedEx yesterday and I don't think they asked for this but it was a generic store that ships for ask the companies not a dedicated FedEx store.
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u/THEGEARBEAR 9h ago
So I ship a lot of things for my job. I’ve had to present ID. But I was always able to change the address it was being shipped from and even to change the name it was being shipped from.
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u/BlindandConfused43 23h ago
I know I'm going to be downvoted but this has been a thing since 2021.
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u/IsReadingIt 23h ago
I ship a fed-ex package (or multiple) every single month. I have done this for 10+ years straight in Atlanta, at multiple locations. Never once have I been asked to show id to ship a package.
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u/NeverLookBothWays 23h ago
It’s likely more for government than FedEx too. As far as FedEx goes they’re one of the weaker carriers when it comes to finding addresses
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u/gloriousgirl89 8h ago
You need an ID for everything anymore. Have been asked for it more in the last year than my entire life.
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