Yes. It is a federal crime to open or destroy mail that is not intended for you. The law provides that you can not “destroy, hide, open, or embezzle” mail that is not addressed to you. If you intentionally open or destroy someone else’s mail, you are committing
obstruction of correspondence
, which is a felony.
Can I open mail addressed to someone else at my address?
A federal statute known as
18 USC Section 1702 makes it illegal to open correspondence addressed to someone else
. However, the law cannot be applied if you did not recognize that the mail was not yours when you opened it.
Can you get in trouble for opening someone else’s mail?
This section states that “every person who commits mail theft, as defined in Section 1708 of Title 18 of the United States Code, is guilty of a public offense, and upon conviction therefor shall be punished by a fine,
by imprisonment in a county jail not to exceed one year
, or by both a fine and imprisonment.”
How do I report someone opening my mail?
Report suspected mail losses to Postal Inspectors by calling
877-876-2455
or at www.uspis.gov.
What to write on mail that is not yours?
If you’re not sure what to do with mail that isn’t yours, it’s probably easier than you think to get rid of it legally. All you need to do is write
“RETURN TO SENDER” on the front of the envelope
and put it back in your mailbox. Your postal worker will take care of it for you from there.
Can I throw away mail not addressed to me?
Yes. It is a federal crime to open or destroy mail that is not intended for you. The law provides that
you can not “destroy, hide, open, or embezzle” mail
that is not addressed to you. If you intentionally open or destroy someone else’s mail, you are committing obstruction of correspondence, which is a felony.
Who do I contact about someone opening my mail?
You can
call the U.S. Postal Service at 1-800-275-8777
. Be prepared with your notes so that you can provide the person with relevant information. File a complaint with the Postal Service online. If you do not want to complain by phone and you have a tracking number, you can file a complaint online.
How do you prove mail tampering?
- They have to show that there was correspondence through the postal system. …
- They must also prove there was a “scheme or artifice to defraud” or that the defendant acquired property or services by fraud.
- They must also show that the defendant did all of this intentionally.
What can I do if someone opened my package?
If you unintentionally open an envelope that is not addressed to you, it is best to
write “return to sender” or “delivered to wrong address”
by the person’s name who the envelope should be delivered to. By taking this action, the USPS will recognize the mistake and redeliver the letter to the correct person’s address.
Why am I getting email addressed to someone else?
The most likely answer is that
you have been Blind Carbon Copied(Bcc) on the email
. Usually this happens when the sender is actually addressing the party in the To: address, but would like you to see the information without the To: party knowing that you were included on the email.
How do I stop someone’s mail coming to my address?
So what should you do to make that happen? First of all, don’t throw the mail away, reminds PureWow. Instead, write “
not at this address: return to sender” on the envelope
and cross out the bar code on the bottom to make sure the message reaches human eyes. Then put it back in the mailbox.
Why is someone using my address?
Well, if someone is performing illegal mail forwarding with your address, it could be because they are
trying to evade some taxes
or want their children to get into a better public school. … Sometimes, people will even use your address because they have to “prove” that they have a residence.
What happens if mail is sent to old address?
If your move is temporary,
the USPS can forward your mail
from your old address to a new one for 15 days to one year. To get started, fill out an official USPS change of address form. This covers questions about the type of move, the mail forwarding start and end date, and more.
Can you press charges for someone opening your mail?
It’s a
federal offense
Can I get my mail out of someone else’s mailbox?
Tips. Generally, yes,
it’s illegal to open someone’s mailbox
when your intention is to open or destroy the mail. The only exceptions are when you have the owner’s permission, or you are handling the affairs of a person who died.
Is giving a false address a crime?
Address fraud is a form of fraud whereby someone uses a fictitious address or an inaccurate address for economic gain or some other type of benefit. A fictitious address is
a location that does not exist
. … There are several ways to commit address fraud, and it is considered a crime in most jurisdictions.
