Will that make me a bad person? Is it illegal to put a note in someone elses mailbox? I would never keep mail for someone else. It's as simple as that. Maybe God wanted me to have it. The statute is referred to 18 U.S. Code 1702, known as “Obstruction of Correspondence.” If the mail is for a former resident. When I was a student one of my housemates kept mail for the previous tenant until I found out they were claiming benefit at the address. QUESTION. Opening and destroying mail intended for someone else is a felony crime. The spokesman adds that it would be a different matter if someone profited from information taken from someone else's mail, or indeed stole items directly out of letters or parcels. i received 3 amazon packages over the last few days. You're thinking of borrowing a buddy's urine — or more extremely — ordering "clean urine" off the internet. The only authority in Australia which can throw out mail is Australia Post. If you get someone else's package regularly, it's possible the person making the orders never changed their address with Amazon or has made a mistake somewhere. That bugs the hell out of me. So, the title pretty much is to the point. Checking your bank statements and credit report can help you to identify identity fraud. Address fraud is a … Is It Illegal to Open Someone Else's Mail?, by Brett Snider, Esq: Under federal law, it is illegal to intentionally stop a letter from being delivered to its intended recipient, and that may include not informing the U.S. It's not worth going to war with my neighbors over. Is that illegal? You've applied for a job and a drug test is required as a condition for employment. In most cases the person holding the Construction Supervisor’s License or CSL is pulling permits for jobs NOT being completed or managed by them for a kickback. I will not bring into the house any packages left outside. Engaging in this activity can result in a penalty of 5 years imprisonment. The Legal Information Institute at Cornell University reveals that throwing away someone else’s mail is illegal and violates a federal statute. ‘Handling’ someone else’s mail in Australia isn’t as simple as opening it or throwing it away – there are a few laws you need to follow. Be warned! Short Answer: It is not always explicitly illegal for someone to use your mailing address. You can also take it to a Fedex location and drop it off, letting them know of the issue. However, you’d be surprised at how expensive and difficult it is to prove a “fact” in court if you are sued for tortious interference. It is illegal to possess someone else's ID for the purpose of indicating someone's name and age. As is often the case with inexpensive items, Amazon made the judgment call that it is cheaper to let you keep it or toss it than to deal with arranging re-delivery or, worse yet, having the package returned to its warehouse at its expense and reprocessed. Pulling permits with someone else's license. Just the other day I saw someone stuff trash in my mailbox and I reported them immediately. As for letters which have been incorrectly addressed, as opposed to those which are simply put through the wrong letterbox, there is an easy answer. In that case, at some point, you may want to just reach out to the USPS and let them know that person no longer lives at the address. I haven't said a word to them about it, I'm sure they aren't even aware that Amazon took a picture of my package on their doorstep. Talk to an Attorney If You Are Charged With Obstruction of Correspondence. If you’re receiving someone else’s mail with your correct address, you need to inform the mail carrier and post office that they no longer live there. Get your free credit report now with a free, no obligation 30-day trial. i'm certainly not the intended recipient, as i don't recognize the names on the shipping labels and i'm not expecting any gifts. Make sure it is unopened and that you write “MOVED” and add the new address if you know it. Sadly time and time again we hear of this being done. Regardless of the address, if the package is named and it isn't your name then it is illegal to open that mail. I had a $1400 package coming in tonight via USPS, insured for 50$ by the sender (lol) and signature confirmation required. Here are a few common scenarios when you receive someone else's mail: 1. ... comes around" and you may find that sometime you are on the receiving end of someone elses dishonesty. However, allowing someone else to use your address or using someone else’s mailing address as your own may be considered address fraud. If you keep receiving other people’s mail in your letterbox, follow this guide to Australian postal laws to stay out of trouble. A: Opening mail that is not addressed to you is a federal crime in Australia - but there are some exceptions. Keep in mind that in many countries, it is illegal to open mail or packages if you are not the recipient written on the shipment. If you open the mail that has been wrongly delivered and also hold onto it dishonestly, you can be charged with concealment. The law is not as clear as one might hope. But the delivery man had made a mistake. Is it illegal to open someone else's mail? Maybe God is testing me? I asked about trashing mail belonging to others and was advised that this is also illegal. The big issue here is if this happens again, I know they'll probably keep the fucking package. That is illegal. i live in an apartment, and i believe the previous tenants neglected to change the default ship-to address on their Amazon account, so the packages they've recently ordered are being sent to me. You should saend the package back, having written "Not known at this address" on it, or a forwarding address if you know it. Yes, it's illegal to destroy or open them, but you don't have to give them house room either. If the order you received is not yours and you would like to re-order your food, please give us a call. I will probably just take it down the street, but if I did that, what if the address was wrong? The only time you can keep money that is deposited into your account is when the deposit was intended to be made into your account. Any letters or parcels with your address and the wrong name should be rejected. Last week, UPS dropped off a package on the porch of Jay Friedman's home in Plano, Texas. Similarly, it’s illegal to throw out mail intended for someone else. Lawyers.com Discuss Your Legal Issue Ask a Lawyer Criminal Law Is it illegal for a person to knowingly keep someone's mail when they could give it to them? He could deny it being on his person for an illegal purpose all he wants, but the fact that they officer saw it in his possession is legally sufficient to charge him. Unfortunately, the money isn't yours unless you made the deposit or if someone else made the deposit on your behalf. What if I end up giving someone something that doesn't belong to them? A. Whoever steals, takes, or abstracts, or by fraud or deception obtains, or attempts so to obtain, from or out of any mail, post office, or station thereof, letter box, mail receptacle, or any mail route or other authorized depository for mail matter, or from a letter or mail carrier, any letter, postal card, package, bag, or mail… The medium … Obviously you're not going to go to jail over a single package. Is it illegal to open someone else’s mail? It’s standard business school thinking: Doing it cheap trumps getting it right. I will not take responsibility for packages left on my property. I received someone else's order Occasionally, a restaurant or delivery person may pick up or send someone else's order by mistake. It's a $9 package of microfiber cloths. Write to both the previous owners and UPS/FedEx and tell them: I will not accept or sign for any unsolicited packages. Q: Is it illegal to open someone else's mail in Australia? If you are the current resident and got someone else's package you can drop it in a Fedex dropbox if it is small enough. You Accidentally Open a Letter Addressed to Someone Else. A package was delivered to my front door via Fed Ex, I had no idea that it wasn't mine as I was expecting an order myself, I opened the package and it was a pair of boots, very expensive boots. Under the Telecommunications and Postal Services Act 1989, it is an offence to open mail that you are not authorised to open – that is, if it is not addressed to you. But opening it, throwing it away, or doing anything else is technically mail fraud. If you KNOW something is a fact without a doubt, then feel free to say it if it feels morally right to you. Asked on Jan 16th, 2014 on Criminal Law - … it is a federal offense to open anyone else's mailbox. Mistakes like this are not illegal. Is it illegal for a person to knowingly keep someone's mail when they could give it to them? Since most of us grab our mail from our mailboxes and open letters without a second thought, it is entirely possible to open someone else's mail by mistake. I was terrified because I opened the package and I should of returned them obviously but, ended up selling the item on ebay. The wording 18 USC sec. Receiving unsolicited goods is sometimes an indication that your identity has been stolen by fraudsters that were hoping to intercept the package before you received it. Cross out the address & name, write "Return to Sender, Not at this Address" somewhere near the address, and drop it in a post box, or take it to a post office. So, if the deposit was a mistake, you can't keep the money. Maybe it's something I really need. If you keep someone else's expensive looking item then you're some kind of arse. Yes you're responsible for the package. Let's say you are a user of illicit drugs. Even in states where recreational marijuana is legal, employment can still be denied to people who use it, as well as, of course, harder drugs. If I keep it, doesn't FedEX have to pay for it? Someone is trashing me online and spreading lies about me. Postal Service that you have another person's mail. 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