Meter Revenue Refunds – Hazelwood, MO, Main Post Office
Background
The Hazelwood Main Post Office is in the Gateway District of the Great Lakes Area. The Postal Service retail employees may issue refunds for spoiled, unused customer meter stamps. To obtain a refund, the customer must submit the postage meter stamps impressions or other evidence requested for refund along with the required Postal Service (PS) Form 3533, Application for Refund of Fees, Products and Withdrawal of Customer Accounts. The refunds are reported to account identification code (AIC) 526, Refund Spoiled or Unused Customer Meter Stamps.
OIG data analytics identified the Hazelwood Main Post Office recorded $87,165 to AIC 526 from April 1 to June 30, 2019. This represents a 542 percent increase of meter revenue refunds compared to the same period last year. Further, meter revenue refunds at the Hazelwood Main Post Office were the highest in the Gateway District and in the nation for the scope period. Our objective was to determine whether meter revenue refunds were valid, properly supported, and processed timely at the Hazelwood, MO, Main Post Office.