I've received someone else's mail (2024)

FAQs

I've received someone else's mail? ›

The first step in handling misdelivered mail is to clearly mark it as "Return to Sender." Grab a pen and write those exact words on the front of the envelope or package. This informs postal workers that the item went to the correct address, and they will send it back to the sender.

If you get mail that doesn't belong to you, then you should not open it. Don't throw it away, either. Instead, take the mail to the correct recipient or write “return to sender” on the package or letter. You can also return it to the post office directly.

To resolve the situation: Mark “RETURN TO SENDER.” This instructs the mail carrier to return the mail to whoever sent it. You can also write “NOT AT THIS ADDRESS,” to let the sender know that the recipient has moved.

A quick way to inform the mail carrier that the letter doesn't belong to you is to write "return to sender" on the back or front of the envelope. However, you should be careful not to tamper with the letter. Writing with ink is one way of tampering with the letter. To avoid tampering with the letter, use a sticky note.

If you're receiving mail for someone who no longer lives at the address, write "not at this address" on a note attached to the misdirected mail. If the problem persists, contact the post office on the phone or in person and alert them to the situation.

Section 1708 of Title 18 of the United States Code specifically addresses offenses related to mail theft — in three paragraphs of pretty dense legalese. In summary, this law states that anyone who steals someone else's mail (or knowingly receives stolen mail) can face fines and up to five years imprisonment.

See U.S. Code § 1708 again, which includes throwing mail away that's intended for someone else as tampering. What do you write on mail that isn't yours? Cross out the barcode and write “Not at this Address: Return to Sender.” You can also just cross out the barcode and write “Return to Sender.”

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.

Report suspected mail losses to Postal Inspectors by calling 877-876-2455 or at www.uspis.gov. Keep Registered Mail separate from other mail.

In a word, no. It is a federal crime to destroy, hide, open, or embezzle mail that is not intended for you. The official crime is obstruction of correspondence, which is a felony. If you're found guilty of this crime, you could face up to five years in prison and some hefty fines.

Why do I keep getting someone else's mail? ›

It's always possible that mail simply got misaddressed, but in those situations, it's often someone else nearby—especially if you live in an apartment building with similar unit numbers. The important thing to remember is that you'll rarely receive someone else's mail on purpose.

The simplest way to try and stop previous owners' mail from coming to your address is by writing “no longer at this address” or “return to sender” on the mail you do receive for them. Put these mail items in your outgoing mailbox so that your mail person knows that this resident no longer lives at your home.

Call 1-877-876-2455. Visit www.uspis.gov to report suspected fraud online. To learn more about mail fraud or to report suspected fraud, visit the U.S. Postal Inspection Web site at www.uspis.gov.

Either contact your local Post Office and tell them you have been getting someone else's mail; or write on the envelope “does not live here return to sender” and put it back in you mail box.

If your mailpiece has not arrived within 7 days from its date of mailing, you can: Submit a search request in the Missing Mail application, OR. Call your Consumer Affairs representative via 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777) and they can complete a search request on your behalf, OR.

A resident temporarily living in a different state for school or work may want to forward mail to a domicile address. But someone who isn't the owner of a home or apartment must ask for permission. If permission is not requested and granted, that person is committing address fraud and maybe even mail fraud [*].

Write a note and stick it in the outgoing.

A mail carrier will pick it up next time around and it will be delivered to the correct address in the next couple days. It's best not to write your note directly on the envelope or article and risk defacing someone else's mail.

More ominously, a letter that comes to your address in someone else's name may also be a sign you're caught up in synthetic identity theft—a type of identity theft in which a thief mixes real and fake information to create fake identities.