System and method for authenticating a mailpiece sender

A method for verifying the authenticity of the sender of a mailpiece:

• obtaining a mailpiece authentication data from the mail piece;
• obtaining a user authentication profile;
• comparing the mail piece user profile to the user profile;
• and
• assigning a level of trust from among a plurality of defined levels of trust to the mailpiece based upon the comparison;
• and
• processing the mailpiece based upon the assigned level of trust.

A method for authorizing a sender of an item using a trusted third party authenticator system comprising;

• receiving sender authentication data from the sender of the item at the trusted third party authenticator system;
• receiving destination information associated with the item;
• obtaining reference sender authentication data associated with the sender;
• obtaining routing information associated with the item and the intended carrier system that is to be used for sending the item;
• comparing the sender authentication data with the reference sender authentication data;
• obtaining an item authentication data associated with the sender and the item;
• sending the item authentication data to the sender if the comparison results in authentication;
• and
• sending the item authentication data to the intended carrier.