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 address. Here’s what you do if you get mail that doesn’t belong to you. If the 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, do not open it and do not throw it away (both are punishable offenses). To correct the mistake, you have a couple options: Deliver it yourself: If the letter is clearly 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. 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 stick it in your mailbox or the outgoing box. A mail carrier will pick it up next time around and it will be delivered to the correct address in the next couple days.
A quick note on notes: don’t write your note directly on the envelope or article and deface someone else’s mail, say mail carriers Tara O’Sullivan and Julia Bavaro. You might ruin the recipient’s mail, especially if you use a Sharpie and it bleeds through, and it causes more grief than is necessary. Just write your message on a sticky note and attach it to the article before sticking it in the outgoing.
And if you’re worried a sticky note won’t stay on, paperclip the note to the letter. If the Mail Is for Someone Who No Longer Lives There
If you’re receiving someone else’s mail with your correct address, you need to inform the mail carrier and post office.
Again, a sticky note placed on the letter with a message like “person no longer lives here” will do the trick. Stick it in the outgoing and hope the post office adjusts their records. www.lifehacker.com
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