How does a PO Box work? Are they safe?

[Anonymous]

I will be selling items on Etsy and I don't want to use my physical address for obvious reasons. I know that other people use them for this reason as well. I heard that there are websites that allow you to do a trace on a PO box and find that person's address. That's scary! So how safe are they? Is it possible to set it up so that I can't receive incoming mail? If you sell things throught Etsy, Ebay or similar sites how do you handle this?

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure why you need a po box at all if you won't be recieving mail? Just don't put the address on, only your name & town. I've seen plenty of people do that.

[Anonymous - Original Poster]

I don't even want my name on the box. It just creeps me out knowing that I'm mailing something to a random stranger who now has my first and last name. Lol. I would rather put PO Box 123 with a city and zip code without my name. But I never knew you could mail something without an address. Learn something new everyday. 

Quoting Anonymous:

I'm not sure why you need a po box at all if you won't be recieving mail? Just don't put the address on, only your name & town. I've seen plenty of people do that.

[Anonymous - Original Poster]

Bump

[Grumpylilpixy]

Safer then a home addy

[Anonymous]

We use to have one through the post office and it's safe, but you do have to pay for it.

[Grumpylilpixy]

We use our actual home address. If you are going to be selling. Someone is bound to return eventually.... If you are uncomortable get a PO box. YES police can link your PO box to you!

[DayDreamer1201]

You go to your closest post office and tell them you need one. We paid like 26 dollars for 6 months. No one can access it unless they have a key. It is safe and can't be traced back to a home address

[DayDreamer1201]

Police can but people shes selling to can't

Quoting Grumpylilpixy:

We use our actual home address. If you are going to be selling. Someone is bound to return eventually.... If you are uncomortable get a PO box. YES police can link your PO box to you!

[Grumpylilpixy]

Oh I agree.. I am just assuming because she is so paranoid that she is selling illegal drugs or stolen items.

Quoting DayDreamer1201:

Police can but people shes selling to can't

Quoting Grumpylilpixy:

We use our actual home address. If you are going to be selling. Someone is bound to return eventually.... If you are uncomortable get a PO box. YES police can link your PO box to you!

[ripemango]

i honestly think it is just something you need to get over. really...some person who buys hairbows from you in Indiana is not gonna come kill you in FL

besides the payment method used (likely paypal) can be quite informative.

i am unaware of a service that allows you to look up a po box and see the home address to which it is associated. you can also rent a box at ups stores.