What to Do If You Receive Someone Else’s Letter
Mistakes happen, especially when it comes to mail. Carriers sometimes misread addresses, letters can move around in the back of a truck, and people move without updating their addresses—all of which can result in you receiving mail intended for a different recipient. Here’s what you should do if you receive an email that doesn’t belong to you.
What to do if a letter is delivered to the wrong address
If the letter you receive is not only addressed to someone else, but also to an address different from yours, you have two options to correct the error: Deliver it yourself. If the letter is clearly intended for a nearby neighbor and you can physically open their mailbox, feel free to deliver the letter to the desired address yourself. It is not illegal to open someone’s mailbox (as long as it is not locked), nor is it illegal to personally forward mail to the correct address as long as the mail is properly postage. You can also knock on their door and give it to her if you know them (or feel comfortable doing so). However, be aware that there are laws against placing other items such as flyers, notes, advertisements without postage, etc. in mailboxes. Write a note and paste it into your outbox. If the correct address is far away or you just don’t feel like shipping it yourself (and that’s totally fine), simply write a note that says something like “wrong address” and attach it to the erroneously delivered item. mail (a good way to do this is a sticky note or paper clip). The postal carrier will pick it up next time and it will be delivered to the correct address in the next couple of days. It’s best not to write a note directly on an envelope or article, otherwise you risk ruining someone else’s mail. If you use a marker or highlighter and it spills, it may cause the intended recipient more distress than necessary. Instead, attach it with a paper clip or sticky note.
What to do if you receive a letter from a former resident
If you receive someone else’s mail at your correct address, you need to inform the mail carrier and post office that they no longer live there. Again, you can do this with a note attached to the letter. To return to sender, simply write “Not to this address, return to sender” on the note and attach it to the letter. Insert your mail in a visible place in your outbox to report the error to your mail carrier the next time it arrives. This may take a few tries and you may even have to contact the post office if it continues.
Make sure the letter does not say “[other person’s name] or current resident “; Technically, this mail is addressed to you while you live in this house, whether you want to receive it or not. If you continue to tell the post office “person does not live here” with “or current resident” mail, they may decide the residence is vacant and stop sending mail there entirely. When in doubt, a trip to the post office or a phone call can often clarify the situation.
Is it illegal to open someone else’s mail?
I bet it does. It is also prohibited to intentionally throw away someone else’s mail. Both are considered falsification. When you receive someone else’s mail, do not open it or throw it away, as both are punishable offenses (and no one likes to be offended or punished). Don’t worry, if you were mindlessly tearing through your stack of mail and realized you received someone else’s and opened it by mistake, you won’t be taken away in handcuffs. The law is designed to protect against dubious types who want to collect personal information.