Mistakes happen, especially when it comes to the mail. Carriers sometimes misread an address, letters can shift around in the back of the truck, and people move without updating their addresses—all circumstances that could result in you receiving mail intended for another recipient. Here’s what you should do if you get mail that doesn’t belong to you.
What to do if mail is delivered to the wrong address
If the mail you’ve received is not only for someone else, but for a different address than yours altogether, you have two options to correct the mistake:
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 correct address yourself. It is not illegal to open someone’s mailbox (as long as it’s not locked), and it’s not illegal to personally forward mail to the correct address as long as the mail has proper postage. You could also knock on their door and hand it to them if you know them (or feel comfortable doing so). However, be aware that there are laws against placing other things—like flyers, notes, advertisements without postage, etc.—in mailboxes.
Write a note and stick it in the outgoing. If the correct address is far away or you just don’t feel like dealing with delivering it yourself (which is totally fine), simply write a note that says something to the effect of “wrong address” and attach it to the wrongly delivered piece of mail (a sticky note or a paperclip are good ways to do so). 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. If you use a marker or Sharpie and it bleeds through, it could cause the intended recipient more grief than is necessary. Attach it with a paperclip or a sticky note instead.
What to do if you receive mail for a former resident
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. Again, you can do that with a paper clipped note placed on the letter. To return to sender, simply write “Not at this address, return to sender” on the note and attach it to the piece of mail. Stick the mail in the outgoing box in an obvious way, to make the error clear to your mail carrier the next time they come around. This might take a few tries, and you may even have to contact the post office if it continues.
Check that the mail doesn’t say “[other person’s name] or current resident”; That mail is technically addressed to you as long as you live in that residence, whether you want to receive it or not. If you keep telling the post office “person doesn’t live here” with “or current resident” mail, they might assume 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 clear things up.
Is it illegal to open someone else’s mail?
You bet it is. It’s also illegal to throw someone else’s mail away on purpose. Both are considered tampering. When you get someone else’s mail, do not open it and do not throw it away, since both are punishable offenses (and no one likes offending or punishment). Don’t worry, if you were mindlessly tearing open your stack of mail and realized you’d received someone else’s and opened in error, you won’t be taken away in cuffs. The law is intended to protect against unsavory types looking to gather personal information.
