With the holiday shopping season getting underway, the United States Postal Service is encouraging Chattooga County residents to plan ahead for Christmas deliveries while taking precautions against package theft and fraudulent delivery notifications.

The Postal Service has announced its recommended 2026 holiday shipping deadlines for customers who want cards and packages to arrive before Christmas Day.

For deliveries within the continental United States, the recommended mailing deadline for USPS Ground Advantage and First-Class Mail is Thursday, December 17.

The recommended deadline for Priority Mail is Friday, December 18, while Priority Mail Express customers should mail their packages by Saturday, December 19.

Postal officials emphasize that these are recommended mailing dates rather than guarantees of delivery. Customers shipping gifts to Alaska, Hawaii, military addresses or international destinations may need to mail their packages considerably earlier.

Residents are also being encouraged to take steps to prevent package theft as online shopping increases during November and December.

The United States Postal Inspection Service recommends retrieving packages promptly after delivery and avoiding leaving valuable items unattended on porches or in mailboxes for extended periods.

Customers who will not be home when a package arrives can consider using the Postal Service’s Hold for Pickup service or arranging for someone they trust to collect deliveries.

Signature confirmation is another option for valuable shipments.

Postal inspectors are also warning consumers about fraudulent text messages and emails that appear to come from legitimate delivery companies.

One common scam involves a text message claiming that a package cannot be delivered because of an incomplete address, unpaid postage or another delivery problem.

The message typically includes a link directing the recipient to a website that appears to belong to the Postal Service. However, the website may actually be operated by criminals attempting to steal credit card information, passwords or other personal information.

The Postal Inspection Service warns that customers should not click links in unexpected delivery messages or provide financial information in response to unsolicited texts.

Instead, customers should visit the official Postal Service website at usps.com and enter their tracking number directly to check a shipment’s status.

Suspicious text messages can be forwarded to 7726, which is the national reporting number for unwanted text messages. USPS-related scam messages can also be reported to spam@uspis.gov.

Anyone who believes mail or packages have been stolen can report the incident to the United States Postal Inspection Service.

The Postal Service is also reminding customers that sending holiday gifts early can help avoid last-minute shipping problems and reduce the risk of packages arriving after Christmas.

With Thanksgiving less than two weeks away and Christmas shopping expected to increase, residents are encouraged to review shipping deadlines, monitor their deliveries and remain cautious of unexpected requests for payment or personal information.