I experienced similar issues in Philadelphia, though not with an iPhone but with other UPS shipments. The building had a two-door entry system: the first accessible to the public, and the second restricted to residents with keys. As suggested by Lawrence Finch, it is advisable to request “signature required” delivery. This ensures that the UPS driver rings the bell and obtains your signature, thereby reducing the risk of porch theft. Without the “signature required” option, the UPS driver will typically leave the package at the first publicly accessible door and may not ring the bell to notify you.
An alternative safeguard is to have shipments delivered directly to a UPS Store or to a P.O. Box at the post office, where secure collection can be arranged.
- All P.O. Boxes in the U.S. are owned and managed by the United States Postal Service (USPS), which is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government. Customers are essentially renting the box; they don’t own it.
- Alternatives to USPS P.O. Boxes: UPS Stores and private mailbox services (e.g., FedEx Office, Mail Boxes Etc.) also rent out boxes. These are not USPS-owned and usually give you a real street address (which some online retailers prefer over a USPS P.O. Box).
