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Questions tagged [mail]

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6 votes
1 answer
946 views

Postman signs for delivery himself. Any laws broken?

Suppose a Royal Mail worker knocks on the door to deliver a parcel which needs to be signed for. No one is home. He is supposed to leave a "Something for you" card and bring the parcel to ...
Greendrake's user avatar
  • 27.8k
0 votes
0 answers
58 views

Who is liable when an apartment complex's worker signs for a high value package, claims he immediately returned to sender, but no record of doing so? [closed]

Apartment complex mailman signed for a package worth $1,200. Upon the package's arrival, the item was signed and received by the apartment complex's mailman. Immediately after, I received a call from ...
Sandra DeSantos's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
338 views

Is it legal to send pressed flowers to the United States via mail?

Is it legal to send pressed flowers from my garden to the United States via mail. If it is legal, what rules are relevant? The flowers are common snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) and crocus vernus. Crocus ...
Newbyte's user avatar
  • 155
4 votes
2 answers
358 views

Neighbor examines (but does not take) mail in my mailbox

In the USA, what laws would apply to a stranger or neighbor who opens my mailbox and looks through my incoming mail, replaces it, and closes my mailbox? He does not take or add anything.
Phil Freedenberg's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
184 views

Items that a thief wasn't expecting --- does it count as theft of that item?

In New Jersey, according to the Defense Against Porch Pirates Act (https://pub.njleg.gov/bills/2020/A4000/3870_I1.HTM), if someone steals a package that includes certain things (such as research ...
babu_babu's user avatar
  • 123
19 votes
4 answers
6k views

Can your neighbor search your mailbox?

I observed a CCTV recording of my neighbor going through the mailbox and taking items belonging to me. Is there a law against this?
Laure Zipadedoda's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
214 views

Is it illegal to throw away the previous tenant's mail if instructed to do so by the sender?

I have an issue where I keep receiving a property tax bill for a previous resident every month. I have been writing things like "return to sender" or "no longer at this address" ...
Cave Johnson's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
136 views

Is it legal to keep a package that was accidentally addressed to you?

When I try to research this question, all the scenarios people suggest are significantly different to my own. This is not one of those cases where a company tries to run a scam by sending someone ...
Apreche's user avatar
  • 119
0 votes
1 answer
103 views

The law around signing someone else’s package and withholding it without consent

What does someone do if someone has signed and withheld a package without the consent of the owner who owns the package?
Khloe 's user avatar
  • 11
15 votes
1 answer
3k views

How long can I let other people's mail sit in my house?

I sometimes get first class mail addressed to other people. The right way to handle this is to write "not at this address" on it and send it as outgoing mail. How fast do I need to do this? ...
interfect's user avatar
  • 3,511
-4 votes
1 answer
224 views

Is it legal to drop misdelivered mail on the ground? [duplicate]

Sometimes I get first class mail addressed to other people's names, at my address. I know I can't legally open it, or deliberately destroy it by putting it in the trash or shredding it. I know I could ...
interfect's user avatar
  • 3,511
1 vote
0 answers
81 views

Am I required to forward misaddressed mail? [duplicate]

I tried googling this and found that it is probably illegal to throw away someone else's mail but the only thing I found from the US postal service itself was instructions on how to return the mail ...
jesse_b's user avatar
  • 955
2 votes
0 answers
113 views

Can you give stolen property back to the thief?

This question is inspired by this video by the lock picking lawyer, who given his name I'm assuming knows a thing or two about law. However in the video he explains the lock was sent in by a viewer ...
jesse_b's user avatar
  • 955
0 votes
2 answers
139 views

What do I do with an anonymously sent letter that isn't addressed to me?

Found a letter with no address below a stack of old mail. All that's written on it is a name that doesn't belong to anyone in my household. Tried to search through social media and Google to find ...
snugasabuginarug's user avatar
1 vote
3 answers
878 views

When is a letter "mailed or delivered"?

I am a PA resident and purchased the services of a career service company based in FL for 5k. The payments were deferred for the first month, so I have neither made any payments nor received any ...
Jmoney2's user avatar
  • 11
0 votes
2 answers
152 views

What specific documents describe a US Postmaster's roles, responsibilities and the extent of their powers?

In the United States, and more specifically, New York State (if it makes any difference), which set of publicly-available, written document(s) describe the exact nature and extent of a US Postal ...
hotmeatballsoup's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
497 views

Serving legal documents by recorded delivery - different name signed on receipt?

I've sent a response to a demand for payment of debt by recorded delivery. The Royal Mail tracker indicates that the letter was delivered and signed for, although the name given and the signature are ...
Jez's user avatar
  • 1,127
3 votes
1 answer
179 views

Is it legal to send large packages to someone by USPS without their consent?

If I understand correctly, it is legal to send someone letters and small packages without their consent. Does this apply to large packages? Can I mail a refrigerator to a random address? (Don't worry; ...
Someone's user avatar
  • 17.1k
0 votes
2 answers
338 views

Can I re-use notarized USPS form 1583?

USPS requires all CMRAs to provide and retain copies of Form 1583 for all customers. These forms must be notarized and sent to your CMRA before they can legally receive mail on your behalf. All ...
user43352's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
343 views

Can junk mail from the Royal Mail be classed as fly tipping?

Despite a no junk mail sign, unsurprisingly I still get it though the door. I decided to take a stand for the fun of it and called Dominoes Pizza head office to complain. I asked them to stop fly ...
5p0ng3b0b's user avatar
  • 117
3 votes
1 answer
252 views

Are parcel forwarders to other countries legal?

There are online stores in the U.S. that don't ship to Russia. They say that customs house makes delivery "impossible". UPS delivery support told me that delivery to Russia is possible via ...
Gherman's user avatar
  • 133
2 votes
2 answers
5k views

What is the legal basis, if any, for the idea that sellers are responsible for lost packages?

I recently had a package misdelivered/lost by USPS, and the small e-commerce retailer I purchased from refused to refund or replace, pointing to their “refund policy” which does include a line saying ...
ConfusedBuyer's user avatar
-5 votes
2 answers
13k views

Mail sent to my address for someone who doesn't live there and I don't do any work for free [closed]

I don't work for free. I don't write on envelopes, call the post office, or do anything that I don't personally want to do unless I am getting paid to do it. I keep getting mail in my mailbox that ...
Dave's user avatar
  • 9
3 votes
1 answer
6k views

What happens if I never receive my CA jury duty summons in the mail?

This question is strictly hypothetical, but what happens if I never receive a Jury Duty Summons in the state of CA in the mail? Theerefore, I miss whatever trial/week I was assigned to, because I ...
Ev-'s user avatar
  • 131
0 votes
1 answer
160 views

Making fun of someone's sexuality in a magazine subscription

What kind of crime is it considered to fill out a magazine subscription for someone else giving them a provocative false name? Addressing it to someone who is very annoying, and happen to be gay. They ...
Sally's user avatar
  • 35
1 vote
1 answer
123 views

Can I read discarded post?

I am a landlord, and a previous tenant of mine has left the property. They have left piles of black bags in the rear garden and in the property. Some of the bags contain letters that have been ...
Sally Nicholson Bradley's user avatar
24 votes
6 answers
7k views

Receiving a certified letter and the contents is not address to you

I am in the United States and I have recently received a certified letter that was addressed to me (name and address). It's about 80 pages actually. The cover sheet has a confidentiality notice, and ...
b degnan's user avatar
  • 343
0 votes
1 answer
1k views

Is mailing from a fake address legal?

I know it is legal to send mail without a return address, but is it legal to mail with someone else's address? When I went to the post office the label machine did not have an option for "No ...
Just_Not_User_9123's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
7k views

Is it against the law to use someone else's address for a work from home position? How does it affect taxes?

Suppose that a work from home position includes as one of its requirements that the employee live in Kansas. someone (lets call the person A for applicant) lives in Missouri, but has a relative (B) ...
Sbell's user avatar
  • 11
0 votes
1 answer
748 views

Is it illegal for a mailperson to throw away mail addressed to current resident?

I recently labeled my mailbox with my name and asked my mail carrier not to deliver mail addressed to other people at my address (I live alone). I would also like to request my mail carrier not ...
user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
760 views

Camera to monitor mailbox

A community has a row of mailboxes, as opposed to a mailbox at each address. This is common in the rural USA. Since the covid-19 pandemic, people occasionally drive by and steal the mail. Several ...
Al Lelopath's user avatar
0 votes
3 answers
1k views

Can a landlord submit a change-of-address on behalf of a former renter who refuses to do so?

My family owns a condo, and I recently moved in. The previous tenant refuses to have his mail forwarded because, as he says, "I don't want the junk mail, and everything important is forwarded ...
Ryan_The's user avatar
  • 103
-2 votes
1 answer
142 views

DMCA for postal services?

Does DMCA apply for postal companies from delivering copyright infringed material? If yes there seems to be no form to file one in case I get information of someone doing so.
protectgoodlivingbeingask's user avatar
-4 votes
1 answer
2k views

Is it legal to mail a non-explosive "glitter bomb" to myself to dissuade a mail carrier from tampering with my packages?

Every single package my mail main delivers is ripped open. Once, I ordered stamps on line. The mailer was ripped open & the stamps gone. Paperwork still there though. He claimed it got ripped in ...
Teresa's user avatar
  • 17
2 votes
1 answer
142 views

What law is broken if a family member disposes of a filled absentee ballot?

Location: US, your choice of state if it matters (as this is a hypothetical situation, answers under any state/federal law are acceptable) The hypothetical situation: a family member has legally ...
GrandOpener's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
1k views

Is it legal for the USPS to forward a ballot in Washington state?

I live in King County in Washington state, where my son (who is temporarily away at college in another state) is registered to vote in the 2020 election. My address is his permanent residence. ...
Daniel Widdis's user avatar
19 votes
2 answers
6k views

Are these unsolicited seed packages illegal?

I recently came across an article with the headline "Some mystery seeds illegally sent from China identified." It struck me as odd because obviously sending unsolicited junk mail isn't ...
Eaten by a Grue's user avatar
19 votes
3 answers
14k views

Is it illegal to throw away the previous tenant's standard mail?

Is it illegal to recycle standard mail addressed to, presumably, a previous tenant of an apartment? Context: I have received the mail for someone who I assume is a previous tenant of the apartment I ...
Ryan's user avatar
  • 291
2 votes
3 answers
713 views

Buying a property, neighbor across the st is using the property's address

I own a house, and am currently thinking about buying the vacant lot next to mine to ensure that no one builds on it (beautiful view). While talking with the seller they mentioned that the neighbor ...
Reid's user avatar
  • 123
4 votes
1 answer
3k views

Is it *ever* illegal to intentionally put a wrong return address on demand letters?

While I was going through some old mail, I discovered that I received two returned letters which were addressed to the same individual. I don't know the individual. The two letters were dated about ...
grovkin's user avatar
  • 2,598
1 vote
1 answer
199 views

At what point do you become culpable for the content of packages addressed to you in the mail?

If someone was to address and mail a package to me that included something that was prohibited where I live either because I requested it or alternatively because they decided to for some reason ...
norlesh's user avatar
  • 211
24 votes
1 answer
13k views

Are U.S. mailboxes federal property?

A common claim seems to be that mailboxes in the United States are federal property (example, example, example). (To be clear, some mailboxes are owned and maintained by the USPS, typically cluster ...
Dominick Pastore's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
113 views

Can a company be both an airplane manufacturer and an airline?

It may be advantageous for a company that manufactures its own aircraft to also be an airline. For example, the airline business would likely have reduced maintenance and parts costs relative to other ...
Gus's user avatar
  • 111
-1 votes
1 answer
240 views

Tenant's Son Living on property

Have a tenant who moved son in with them without asking permission. Son not on lease. Has been living there for about 3 months before this was discovered. Asked tenant to move son out. Asked tenant ...
pattie 's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
1k views

Email vs certified mail

Florida HOAs are required to provide access to "written" request for HOA recrods. The link states: Florida Statue 720.303 (5) states that official records must be maintained within the state ...
gatorback's user avatar
  • 7,169
1 vote
1 answer
140 views

Mail for Nonexistent Person? [duplicate]

Suppose I receive a piece of mail addressed to my house with my last name, but with a first name I have never heard of. (I don’t know anyone with that name.) It's from an organization I do have a ...
Anon's user avatar
  • 11
0 votes
1 answer
67 views

Liabilities of countries as members of the Universal Postal Union

Bob, in country A, sends Alice, living in country B (one of the most corrupt countries in the world) a gift by air mail: some non-prohibited good stuff of a total weight 10 kg which will make Alice ...
Greendrake's user avatar
  • 27.8k
1 vote
1 answer
3k views

Who is responsible for packages wrongfully delivered to one's address?

Re: a thread discussing legal obligations for a package wrongfully delivered to one's address: ...it comes down to whom it is addressed to. As long as the merchandise is addressed to you, you may ...
Carl's user avatar
  • 11
2 votes
1 answer
196 views

Does signing for someone else's letter containing a fine make the original recipient liable to the contents of the letter?

I am a UK resident and during a road-trip I made to Italy I (unknowingly) went to a restricted road which I was not allowed to go in. This apparently resulted in me being liable for a fine. However I ...
apokryfos's user avatar
  • 121
5 votes
1 answer
8k views

Is it illegal for me to take my mail out of my neighbors mailbox

I ordered a package from Amazon and I was really happy about it. When I saw that my package hadn’t been delivered I was a bit upset, I called their customer service and the usps and found out that it ...
Nicole Watts's user avatar

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