It happens to all of us at one point or another.
You open your mailbox, expecting to find letters and packages addressed to you, only to discover a stray piece of mail meant for someone else.
Whether it’s intended for the previous occupant or a neighbor, dealing with misdelivered mail is a common annoyance. Not just for you, but for the person whose name is on the envelope.
In this article, we’ll explain why those stray parcels end up in your mailbox, as well as the steps you should take when you get one to ensure they reach their rightful owner.
Why Am I Getting Someone Else’s Mail?
If you’re receiving mail intended for someone else, not to worry. There are plenty of reasons why mail is delivered to the wrong address.
Mistakes Happen
With the USPS handling over 421 million mail items a day, occasional misdeliveries are inevitable. There are a number of different reasons why postal mistakes actually happen, but nearly all of them are completely benign.
A Previous Resident’s Neglect
The former resident or business may have forgotten to notify certain senders or agencies that they have moved. In these cases, the sender is unaware that they are using the wrong address and may continue to send mail to the previous tenant.
This can also happen if they used USPS mail forwarding instead of a change of address when moving, as the service expires after 6 months if not renewed.
Misread or Similar Addresses
Addresses that are nearly identical or easily misconstrued can result in mail landing in the wrong mailbox. This problem goes both ways, as a small error in addressing an envelope can send it far away from its intended destination.
What is the Proper Etiquette for Handling Someone Else’s Mail?
Any item you receive in the mail meant for someone else could contain that person’s most private information. For that reason, it’s important to keep mail items secure and unopened while doing your part to ensure it ends up in the hands of the intended recipient.
At the end of the day, the best rule of thumb is to treat another person’s mail with the same respect and care you’d wish for your own.
What Should I Do When I Receive Another Person’s Mail?
Technically, you are not legally responsible for someone else’s mail if it accidentally ends up in your mailbox. However, the generally accepted and responsible course of action is to return the mail to the rightful owner or to the postal service for proper re-delivery.
You have several options to correct the mistake:
- Return to Postal Service: You can simply mark the mail as “Return to Sender” or “Wrong Address” and place it back in your mailbox for pickup. In most cases, your postal carrier will take it from there, with no further action needed on your part.
- Notify Your Postal Carrier Directly: If you see your mail carrier, you can hand them the misdelivered mail and explain the situation. Again, leaving it in their hands is the right call.
- Deliver to the Correct Address: If the mail you received was addressed to a nearby neighbor, consider putting it in their mailbox or knocking on their door and handing it directly to them. Chances are they are going to be grateful for the gesture, who knows, you may even spark a new friendship.
- Speak to Your Landlord or Building Manager: If you’re in an apartment or multi-family unit, your landlord or building manager may be able to help in correcting the address issue, or at the very least, may be able to reach out to the intended recipient to let them know about the problem..
If the problem persists, you may want to contact your local post office or file a complaint with USPS Consumer Affairs to resolve the issue.
Things You Should NEVER Do With Someone Else’s Mail
Accidentally receiving someone else’s mail can be a bit annoying, but handling it improperly can lead to serious consequences. There are certain actions that you should absolutely avoid when you find yourself with mail that isn’t yours.
Do Not Open the Mail
Do not open someone else’s mail under any circumstances! In most places, including the United States, opening someone else’s mail is a federal offense. It’s called “Obstruction of Correspondence” and is a serious felony that could lead to prison time. It is remarkably easy to find yourself charged with this crime, even if you didn’t mean any harm.
Beyond the legal repercussions, it’s a blatant invasion of another person’s privacy.
Do Not Throw It Away
It might be tempting to simply throw away mail that doesn’t belong to you, especially if it keeps coming despite your best efforts.
However, tossing it in the trash is irresponsible. Mail can contain sensitive, personal information, financial statements, or even checks. Simply tossing it in the trash could lead to identity theft, delinquency in bill payment, or a myriad of other issues for the intended recipient.
Do Not Ignore the Problem
Ignoring the issue and letting the mail accumulate is also not advisable. It’s better to address the situation by returning the mail to the postal service or delivering it to the correct address. Accumulating someone else’s mail in your home could even lead to accusations of mail theft or fraud.
Do Not Use the Information Inside
Sometimes, even without opening the envelope, you can guess what might be inside, especially with transparent windows on some envelopes showing part of the content. Using any information from someone else’s mail for your own gain is not just unethical; it is illegal and could result in serious criminal charges.
Avoid Playing Detective
It’s not your responsibility to investigate why someone else’s mail may have ended up in your mailbox. Don’t go beyond the scope of returning the mail to the proper channels.
Unless it’s a neighbor or someone you know, contacting the person to whom the mail is addressed, especially without their permission, could be considered an invasion of privacy. Its best to let the post office handle it.
Don’t Dilly Dally
If you’ve received someone else’s mail, try to return it as quickly as possible. Delays could result in missed deadlines for the recipient, especially if the mail contains time-sensitive material like bills, official notifications, or legal documents.
Avoid Mail Issues with a Virtual Mailbox
If you’re thinking of moving and are worried about what will happen to your mail, we can help. With our virtual mailbox service, there’s no need for address changes when you move. Simply access your mail online from anywhere in the world whenever you need to, and never worry about mail deliverability problems again.
Enjoy the benefits of our streamlined virtual mail service, where we automatically open and scan your mail, no incessant requests required! Everything you receive is automatically scanned and uploaded into your virtual mailbox. Experience hassle-free mail management that’s affordable and efficient with Virtual Mail Now.