Help Needed - Problem with USPS "Insufficient Address"

A week ago, my auction for a lot of Dreamcast games on eBay was sold to a person from Puerto Rico (I stated in my auction that I only ship to the 48 contiguous states, but since my auction ended at a high price, I figured shipping to Puerto Rico wouldn't be a problem). He told me that his Paypal account was acting up and offered to pay me with a check or cash instead. I told him cash would be fine. A day later (he shipped using FedEx Express) the money arrived just like he said it would. Also included was a FedEx Air Waybill and directions on shipping out the package (ummm...k). He told me that I should ship it through FedEx and he provided me his account number already (I guess he's being REAL considerate by paying the shipping as well). I've never shipped anything to Puerto Rico nor have I ever used an Air Waybill with someone else's account number on it already. I told him that I would rather prefer to send it to him using USPS (Priority Mail with delivery confirmation of course). He then tells me I could just send it however I want.

So I sent it through USPS. Today, the postal worker dropped by my house and left MY package that I sent out on my front porch. WTF? I checked the box and notice the yellow sticker and red stamps...

Return to Sender
Insufficient Address
Carolina, PR 00983



The zip code I'm sending to is 00987, but the zip code on the "Insufficient Address" label says 00983. I'm confused. I don't know what to do with this package. Is there a way I can get my $14.50 back from USPS that I spent trying to ship this? And what should I do with the package now? The guy paid for it already, but I don't want another failed shipping attempt to happen...

Help?

I'd contact him about it, double check to see if the address is right. If it is, they should be able to try to deliver it again(since it was never delivered to it's destination). Since I tried to check the DC and couldn't get a clear pic, what's the DC number say on USPS.com?

If the addy is right and USPS won't redeliver, I'd make him pay for it to be shipped again(try Fedex this time), since it wasn't your fault it couldn't be delivered.

Yeah, the address is correct, as far as I know. I sent it to the address that he wrote on the FedEx Air Waybill (one form was typed in, while the other was written on). I just did a check on usps.com to see if I can locate that address, and it says the address doesn't exist. =/ Oh, and here's the delivery confirmation number: 03043490000278570406

Well apparently, this could still be delivered cause this no delivery date, cause this is what the DC number says:

You entered 0304 3490 0002 7857 0406

Your item was accepted at 3:20 pm on March 28, 2005 in FRESNO, CA 93705. Information, if available, is updated every evening. Please check again later.

Click to expand...

But since the address isn't the system, you should ask him if there's another address to deliver to and to be compensated for shipping costs if you have to pay again to send it out. Which you could always use the Fedex airbill and send it out to see what happens.

Oh okay, thanks shibby. I'll shoot him an e-mail.

I had an incident where the UPS delivery person can't find my address and he said the address was wrong. He was just incompetent and couldn't find the apartment complex so I had to call and tell them that's the correct address. This may have happened in your situation.