People who ship packages from UPS stores, Mail Boxes Etc. and authorized shippers will now be required to show a government-issued photo identification in order to send their items.
Sandy Springs-based UPS will use the ID to verify the identity of a shipper, and will not collect any information from him or her, spokeswoman Susan Rosenberg said. The policy had been in place since 2005 at the company's Customer Centers -- retail locations adjacent to UPS operations facilities.
Rosenberg said the change was part of a "top to bottom" security review. In October, explosive devices from Yemen disguised as printer cartridges were transported on cargo planes.
"We did a more detailed review in light of recent incidents," Rosenberg said. "This was something we could implement very quickly, so we're doing so."
Rosenberg said if an individual does not have a valid ID, or if the ID does not match the individual, employees have the right to refuse a shipment. People shipping packages that are processed online, with pre-printed labels, do not need to show IDs because UPS has already captured information about them, Rosenberg said.
She likened the new requirements to a retailer asking to see an ID to match a person's identity to a credit card..
The edict is in place for both U.S. and international shippers. In the U.S., valid forms of ID include a current state-issued driver’s license or Department of Motor Vehicles ID card, a U.S. or foreign government-issued passport, a permanent resident card, a military identification card or a Native American Tribal photo identification card. International requirements will vary.
In a statement, Dale Hayes, UPS vice president of small business and retail marketing, said UPS will continue to add security measures as necessary.
“Since retail centers experience a significant increase in business from occasional shippers during the busy holidays, this enhancement adds a prudent step in our multi-layered approach to security,” he said.
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