Better Business Bureau Alerts Consumers about Paid Change of Address Services

WALLINGFORD, Conn. - Oct. 3, 2013 - PRLog -- Consumers Complain about Paying for Services not Provided and Refund Issues

Connecticut Better Business Bureau is alerting consumers who search online for the United States Postal Service (USPS) change of address form: make sure you are on the correct site.

When consumers type in search terms such as “change my address,” “register new address” or “USPS change of address,” a list of address-forwarding services appears at the top of the list.  These businesses charge between $17 and $24 for a service for which US Postal Service charges $1.00.

Cincinnati BBB has received 150 complaints over the past year about one company in particular, change-my-address.com.  Change-My-Address has no affiliation with USPS, but it’s easy to think otherwise because of the company’s tagline, “USPS® Change of Address Form. Fast & Secure Mail Forwarding.”

Based upon the company’s advertising, many people pay for the service assuming it is an official USPS site.

Change My Address has an “F” rating from BBB, with a record of 510 complaints over the past five years.  Their Business Review explains the rating is due in part to “…a pattern of complaints concerning service, customer service and refund issues.  According to complaints, consumers tell us that after paying $19.95, the business did not provide the Change of Address service.  Consumers also experienced difficulty reaching the business by telephone or by email, and experienced difficulty obtaining a refund.”

A similar service, MyPostalAddressChange.com, references the USPS prominently on its home page.  However, the company – which appears to operate out of Australia – acknowledges in fine print they are “not affiliated with the Post Office or any other government agency.”

The Postal Service does charge $1 for identity verification for customers who change an address online using its Official Change of Address order at htto://www.usps.com/umove/.  Another option, which is free, allows customers to mail or submit in person a Change of Address order to any Post Office. The order can be printed after it is completed online or picked up at any Post Office.

While it’s perfectly legal for a private businesses to charge for the service, if you go that route make sure you investigate hidden fees.