Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Postman took photo of me

206 replies

Ringringringringringringringbananaphone · 07/09/2023 13:11

Posting here for traffic - does anyone know if postmen/women (for regular post office mail) are supposed to take pictures with people in? I find my regular postman super-creepy anyway (he calls me love/darling/sweetheart, all within the few seconds transaction of handing over the post, and he has made comments before about what a “beauty” my five year old is). So in general: super creepy.

But today, I swear he took a surreptitious photo of me as he was handing the post over , and I’m very weirded out. It would only have been of my boobs downward as he didn’t point the device at my face, but I’m sure he took a photo. He has done this once before, and left me questioning things in my mind, but he’s always just immediately on his way out of the gate so I haven’t had a chance to say anything to him. I will, next time!

But in the meantime can any posties or knowledgeable people tell me what’s normal/if it’s acceptable to take photos of people when delivering the post? I was thinking of contacting the sorting office, but then he would know it was me that made a complaint and he knows I’m a single parent with a 5 year old (or at least he probably assumes that, as he has never seen anyone else here). It’s really bothered me.

OP posts:
Baconking · 07/09/2023 17:11

Quiethowlsinluditebeck · 07/09/2023 17:09

It’s a shame you didn’t read my post before commenting. It’s bizarre. You wouldn’t believe how much it helps. I honestly thought everyone knew this!

For clarity, a ‘man’ and a ‘brother’ are people known as males and the word ‘they’ means someone other than the OP. The OP would be a ‘you’ as seen several times in the comment you didn’t bother to read.

Show quote history

Maybe you could try reading more yourself.

As you'd find that I corrected myself some time ago.

Not only is the suggestion bizarre. It's absolutely ridiculous!

Namechangeniamh · 07/09/2023 17:14

He sounds like a normal man doing his job. What a palaver about nothing.

Quiethowlsinluditebeck · 07/09/2023 17:14

Baconking · 07/09/2023 17:11

Maybe you could try reading more yourself.

As you'd find that I corrected myself some time ago.

Not only is the suggestion bizarre. It's absolutely ridiculous!

Show quote history

I’m glad you decided to read posts before commenting. It was bizarre.

PhilMitchellsleatherbomber · 07/09/2023 17:20

OneHornedFlyingPurplePeopleEater · 07/09/2023 14:24

Could it have been to back up the photo of the parcels on the doorstep - in case they were reported missing he can show that there was a person there.
I know previously the photos used to be showing an open door, maybe this is an alternative. And he deliberately didn't get your face, so not identifying.

This is exactly what I thought, he took a picture of the parcels on the doorstep which isn’t really proof of safe delivery so when he saw the owner did a back up.

jannier · 07/09/2023 17:30

My daughter works in delivery claims they have to find the address on Google earth and match it to the picture of the front door and if it's being handed to someone.....but not normal post.

StillWantingADog · 07/09/2023 17:43

not sure if I've had his with royal mail but it's becoming quite normal for couriers to take pictures of the package being handed over. So I'd assume it was that.

SkinnyMalinkyLankyLegs · 07/09/2023 17:43

fallingintodeep · 07/09/2023 16:06

I think you could maybe visit your local police station and tell them your concerns. They will contact Royal mail for his details without him knowing, hopefully check his phone too. It may be nothing, but it may be something and after everything with Sarah Everard and other women, we just can’t trust everyone. Please tell your friends and partner for support . Take care and hope you’re ok

"Knock knock, hello Mr Policeman, I want to report my postman. He delivered some parcels to my door, whcih he scanned. Then when I appeared, he faced me, still holding the device in his hands and pressed a button which made a beeping sound. I obviously couldn't see what he was doing on the device, but I just know that he was taking a photo of me for nefarious purposes. Please pay him a visit and seize his devices to investigate exactly what he was doing on his Royal Mail approved device".

Truemilk · 07/09/2023 17:45

Emptyandsad · 07/09/2023 15:28

He's turned up to your house with parcels and letter. He rang the bell, you didn't answer, so he put the parcels on the doorstep and took a photo of them, to log as having been delivered with householder not answering. Then you've come round the side of the house, he's spotted you and taken a photo of you to show that actually there was someone in to take delivery. He's not supposed to take photos of people's faces, so he's pointed th camera at you from below the neck (boobs and down). And then handed you the letters, rather than just putting them in the letterbox.

Yep this is exactly what I thought

Chippy4me · 07/09/2023 17:50

Yes it’s normal.

It used to specific delivery people but now I notice it’s Royal Mail delivering things that need photos too.

They used to say I’m taking a photo and explain why whereas now they sometimes don’t even say it.

In the gentlest way, you sound a bit unhinged.

You don’t even know if there was a photo.

You think he’s creepy because he calls you sweetheart and a peado for saying your child is a beauty?!

If he wanted to take a photo he would have taken plenty whilst you were taking the bins out, it’s very easy to do.

User16328715 · 07/09/2023 18:20

jannier · 07/09/2023 17:30

My daughter works in delivery claims they have to find the address on Google earth and match it to the picture of the front door and if it's being handed to someone.....but not normal post.

But what happens if you get a new front door since Google earth was filmed

UntidyFairy · 07/09/2023 18:26

As for not liking him calling you love/sweetheart and your daughter a beauty, surely you should be aware now that many people refer to others with such names and it’s very normal

Where I come from it's generally 'my lover'. Hope OP doesn't pop into the local pasty shop.

User16328715 · 07/09/2023 18:32

It's better than being called my lovely, which I have noticed people call me since I passed 60

UntidyFairy · 07/09/2023 18:55

It's better than being called my lovely, which I have noticed people call me since I passed 60

Ditto! And what's all this "Aaw bless" about!?

jannier · 07/09/2023 19:16

User16328715 · 07/09/2023 18:20

But what happens if you get a new front door since Google earth was filmed

Show quote history

They look at surrounding picture style of house, porch, driveway ...with her company if it's supposed to be signed for and there's no photo of open door The driver gets fined you can't leave a note saying drop next door etc if it's not in order instructions it doesn't get delivered. They also can track the driver's route.

TallerThanAverage · 07/09/2023 22:29

We couldn’t get Royal Mail to check the call history of the work phone for phone calls alleged to have been made by a manager in an employment tribunal so I don’t fancy your chances that they would check for your complaint.

Ffion21 · 08/09/2023 00:52

Photos are normal nowadays and as it’s routine I’m finding I don’t always get asked, but face never included.

I think you’re reading way too much into everything else personally.

Louise303 · 08/09/2023 03:40

Royal Mail and parcel companies often take photos of the parcel being received with the door open. I can see why they they do it but it is normally just a hand seen receiving and if you have a tracking number the pic is on the post office website.

fixyourgardengate · 08/09/2023 04:22

Postie here. If he was using his PDA (the handheld scanner) you can't just take a random photo.

Sounds to me like he put the parcels down, scanned them and then the picture hadn't quite taken/submitted so when he spotted you he got a picture of your bottom half (we are meant to avoid faces).

The software is glitchy and temperamental and I frequently end up taking pictures of my own feet or the house from the end of the drive because my original attempt at a photo has failed.

If the parcels were tracked you can go online yourself and see what picture was used as delivery confirmation.

I call most of my customers sweetheart/lovely because I deliver to 800+ houses per week and although you do start to recognise people and names I just don't have the time to stop and try to recall/ read your name off your mail to address you correctly.

That said, a high proportion of my colleagues are dicks and I can understand why at least a couple would give you the ick.

Canisaysomething · 08/09/2023 07:07

He delivered parcels and left them by the door (which isn't allowed) so he took a picture showing the door open with a person in it to prove they were delivered. When delivering parcels, he doesn't need to take a photo of the parcel, he needs to take a photo of the door open to show that the time he's scanned the parcels corresponds with the fact he also has a photo of an open door and a person at that same time.

Aprilx · 08/09/2023 07:16

Ringringringringringringringbananaphone · 07/09/2023 14:09

Interesting responses on here. But what I draw from them is that it ISN’T normal for a post person to need to take a photo of someone when handing over some regular post in envelopes. And definitely not normal for them to take a photo and then hand over said post. Creepiness aside, I’ll just make sure that if it happens again I call him back and ask to see the photo/why it was taken.

That is your takeaway? Confused

Birthdaycake369 · 08/09/2023 07:24

If it beeped he was probably scanning a 2d bar code on one of the letters he was holding before passing them to you as it doesn’t beep when it takes a photo

Duechristmas · 08/09/2023 07:28

It's proof of delivery and entirely normal. We joke that ours has a foot fetish.

Ladybrrrd · 08/09/2023 07:37

"Knock knock, hello Mr Policeman, I want to report my postman. He delivered some parcels to my door, whcih he scanned. Then when I appeared, he faced me, still holding the device in his hands and pressed a button which made a beeping sound. I obviously couldn't see what he was doing on the device, but I just know that he was taking a photo of me for nefarious purposes. Please pay him a visit and seize his devices to investigate exactly what he was doing on his Royal Mail approved device".

Exactly! If he was taking a photo of you to gawk at later he's not going to do it on his scanner, is he?!

Poor bloke.

Birthdaycake369 · 08/09/2023 07:47

@fixyourgardengate but the OP said it beeped so I don’t think he took a photo at all, just scanned a 2d on a letter or small packet as she was approaching him and tilted the pda down to scan it which she mistook as taking a photo. Poor bloke

fixyourgardengate · 08/09/2023 07:52

Ah, I missed that. Yep, doesn't beep with a picture does it, that's why I get to the end of the drive and realise it hasn't worked 😆