Opening Someone Else's Mail by Mistake? - The DIS Discussion Forums

Luv Bunnies · 04-01-2010, 07:29 PM

If I get official-looking mail (that's obviously not junk mail) from a return address I don't recognize, I automatically check the address window to make sure it's for me before I open it. Am I the only one who does this?

We found an opened envelope in our mailbox today. Someone had written "delivered to wrong address, opened by mistake" on the envelope. It was a confirmation letter from the company that held my IRA to let me know it had been transferred to another company at my request. It listed the full amount of my IRA. So now some person I don't know has personal information about me. It didn't have my social security number on it, just the company that now holds my IRA and the amount. I doubt they can do anything with the information. It's just not something I would go broadcasting throughout the neighborhood. I just wish people would be more careful about opening mail! OK, my rant is over.

sdemore · 04-01-2010, 07:36 PM

I wouldn't blame the person that opened it, they may not have noticed the name. I ofter just zip through the mail and don't notice until it is too late that it was sent to the wrong house. My complaint would be with the Post Office, they are always putting the wrong letters in my mail box. I have gotten use to double checking anymore but initially I often missed the error.

Heidict · 04-01-2010, 07:43 PM

I have opened the wrong mail before. If it is put into my mailbox, then I assume it is mine. I just rip it open without reading over the front of the envelopes first.

Ohiodislover · 04-01-2010, 08:22 PM

I guess I might be thankful that the person who opened it by mistake, was decent enough to do the right thing to make sure you got it rather than just throwing it away.

BillSears · 04-01-2010, 08:24 PM

I usually don't look at the address before opening it. I assume the post office has done their job correctly.

Kae · 04-01-2010, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ohiodislover

I guess I might be thankful that the person who opened it by mistake, was decent enough to do the right thing to make sure you got it rather than just throwing it away.

I have to agree.

Kae

PoohBear1988 · 04-01-2010, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ohiodislover

I guess I might be thankful that the person who opened it by mistake, was decent enough to do the right thing to make sure you got it rather than just throwing it away.

GoofyforDisney3 · 04-01-2010, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luv Bunnies

If I get official-looking mail (that's obviously not junk mail) from a return address I don't recognize, I automatically check the address window to make sure it's for me before I open it. Am I the only one who does this?

We found an opened envelope in our mailbox today. Someone had written "delivered to wrong address, opened by mistake" on the envelope. It was a confirmation letter from the company that held my IRA to let me know it had been transferred to another company at my request. It listed the full amount of my IRA. So now some person I don't know has personal information about me. It didn't have my social security number on it, just the company that now holds my IRA and the amount. I doubt they can do anything with the information. It's just not something I would go broadcasting throughout the neighborhood. I just wish people would be more careful about opening mail! OK, my rant is over.

Why do you assume they didn't recognize the return address? It is common for people to bank at the same institutions and the same investment companies. Also, it is possible the logo or what ever was there looks similar to another company that they do business with and didn't think anything about it until it was opened and they realized the mistake.

Ceila · 04-01-2010, 08:47 PM

I don't check the address on mail I receive. If it's in my mailbox, then I think it's a safe assumption that it belongs to me. If something was accidentally put in my box by mistake, I'd be sure to return it to the post office, whether I opened it or not. But checking every piece of mail that comes in to make sure it belongs here is not something I would take the time to do.

shellybaxter · 04-01-2010, 08:51 PM

I usually turn my mail over so the backs of the envelops are facing up - not sure why I do this - but I do. I wouldn't notice something wasn't addressed to me before I open it. I just assume it is in my mailbox so it is mine. I have received other people's mail every once in a while - I notice after the first piece of mail and then return it to the people in person. I do say I'm sorry I opened their mail - no one has ever been upset.

allison443 · 04-01-2010, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ohiodislover

I guess I might be thankful that the person who opened it by mistake, was decent enough to do the right thing to make sure you got it rather than just throwing it away.

I agree!

laurie31 · 04-01-2010, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shellybaxter

I usually turn my mail over so the backs of the envelops are facing up - not sure why I do this - but I do. I wouldn't notice something wasn't addressed to me before I open it. I just assume it is in my mailbox so it is mine. I have received other people's mail every once in a while - I notice after the first piece of mail and then return it to the people in person. I do say I'm sorry I opened their mail - no one has ever been upset.

I do this too. I was starting to wonder if I was the only one. I sort out the junk, then turn the envelopes upside down, so I can open them all quickly. I don't even look at who it's from, much less who it's to.

And yep, I opened my neighbor's 401K statement by accident this way.

I was mortified, and taped it up and put it in her mailbox. Since then I do try to check more closely, but still - if it makes its way into our mailbox, there's a good chance it's going to be opened by me or DH, whether it's ours or not.

DisMN · 04-01-2010, 11:06 PM

Oops! This just happened to me this week as a matter of fact. It was our property tax statements. I opened it, examined the amount, got a little miffed it was higher than expected...then I filed it in my To Pay box. Two days later OURS came in the mail.....upon further inspection my next door neighbors bill was in my file awaiting payment.
Not the first time this has happened to me and likely won't be the last. I just tape it back up, write a quick "I'm sorry I was a dork" and tuck it into their mailbox, where it should have been in the first place. LOL

OP, sorry it happened to you. If it makes you feel any better I try not to remember what I read if it wasn't mine to begin with.

ICF · 04-02-2010, 05:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heidict

I have opened the wrong mail before. If it is put into my mailbox, then I assume it is mine. I just rip it open without reading over the front of the envelopes first.

me too....

golfgal · 04-02-2010, 06:05 AM

We had a string last summer where we kept getting mail for a family around the corner from us. We have the same house number and similar street names. I am surprised it doesn't happen more often actually. I opened a letter and it was a check and I couldn't for the life of me figure out why we were getting this check, then I looked at the name. We dropped it off at their house. For about 4 days we kept getting some of their mail so we were more careful about opening things for a while.

I hope your neighbor didn't have a heart attack when he saw his account value had dropped so much

04-01-2010, 07:29 PM	#1
Luv Bunnies DIS Veteran Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: California Posts: 4,847	Opening Someone Else's Mail by Mistake? If I get official-looking mail (that's obviously not junk mail) from a return address I don't recognize, I automatically check the address window to make sure it's for me before I open it. Am I the only one who does this? We found an opened envelope in our mailbox today. Someone had written "delivered to wrong address, opened by mistake" on the envelope. It was a confirmation letter from the company that held my IRA to let me know it had been transferred to another company at my request. It listed the full amount of my IRA. So now some person I don't know has personal information about me. It didn't have my social security number on it, just the company that now holds my IRA and the amount. I doubt they can do anything with the information. It's just not something I would go broadcasting throughout the neighborhood. I just wish people would be more careful about opening mail! OK, my rant is over.

04-01-2010, 07:36 PM	#2
sdemore Mouseketeer Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: 30 min. from Atlantic City casinos Posts: 277	I wouldn't blame the person that opened it, they may not have noticed the name. I ofter just zip through the mail and don't notice until it is too late that it was sent to the wrong house. My complaint would be with the Post Office, they are always putting the wrong letters in my mail box. I have gotten use to double checking anymore but initially I often missed the error. __________________ [img]http://www.********************/timers/tickers/yusrm3xnr9gs5nii.png[/img]

04-01-2010, 07:43 PM	#3
Heidict I'm not witty enough for a tag... but you can count on me to save all the good deleted posts! Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Shoreline in CT Posts: 4,346	I have opened the wrong mail before. If it is put into my mailbox, then I assume it is mine. I just rip it open without reading over the front of the envelopes first. __________________ Me DH DD-7 DD- 5 months

04-01-2010, 08:24 PM	#5
BillSears DIS Veteran Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Baltimore MD Posts: 4,007	I usually don't look at the address before opening it. I assume the post office has done their job correctly. __________________ CR-77, Travelodge(DTD)-81, Poly-92, SOG-96, Offsite-97, ASMu-98, POR-03, Vistana Resort-04, WL-Sept 2006! CSR-December 2006, Pop-May 2007(first solo trip!), CSR-Sept 2007(Solo trip), and offsite-May-2008 visited Universal, SeaWorld, KSC and a couple of days at WDW. WL-March 2009 I turned 50 in WDW! May-10 Pop, Oct 2010- Pop for first F&W, Dec 2010-Pop for Christmas stuff, May 2011-POFQ. Currently no trip and it's killing me. Trip report from 1997:http://www.mouseplanet.com/dtp/trip....97/sears97.htm

04-01-2010, 11:06 PM	#13
DisMN DIS Veteran Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Up Nort Posts: 5,270	Oops! This just happened to me this week as a matter of fact. It was our property tax statements. I opened it, examined the amount, got a little miffed it was higher than expected...then I filed it in my To Pay box. Two days later OURS came in the mail.....upon further inspection my next door neighbors bill was in my file awaiting payment. Not the first time this has happened to me and likely won't be the last. I just tape it back up, write a quick "I'm sorry I was a dork" and tuck it into their mailbox, where it should have been in the first place. LOL OP, sorry it happened to you. If it makes you feel any better I try not to remember what I read if it wasn't mine to begin with. __________________ _______________________________________ Today I went on thesaurus.com and searched for "ninjas". The computer told me "Ninjas cannot be found". Well played ninjas, well played.

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The DIS Register to remove Join Date: 1997 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 1,000,000

04-01-2010, 08:22 PM	#4
Ohiodislover DIS Veteran Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 3,130	I guess I might be thankful that the person who opened it by mistake, was decent enough to do the right thing to make sure you got it rather than just throwing it away.

04-01-2010, 08:47 PM	#9
Ceila DIS Veteran Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 2,276	I don't check the address on mail I receive. If it's in my mailbox, then I think it's a safe assumption that it belongs to me. If something was accidentally put in my box by mistake, I'd be sure to return it to the post office, whether I opened it or not. But checking every piece of mail that comes in to make sure it belongs here is not something I would take the time to do.

04-01-2010, 08:51 PM	#10
shellybaxter Dis Veteran Disney Restaurants for one hundred Alex Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Susanville, California Posts: 5,493	I usually turn my mail over so the backs of the envelops are facing up - not sure why I do this - but I do. I wouldn't notice something wasn't addressed to me before I open it. I just assume it is in my mailbox so it is mine. I have received other people's mail every once in a while - I notice after the first piece of mail and then return it to the people in person. I do say I'm sorry I opened their mail - no one has ever been upset.

04-02-2010, 06:05 AM	#15
golfgal DIS Cast Member When did vacuums become a status symbol??? Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Minnesota Posts: 33,062	We had a string last summer where we kept getting mail for a family around the corner from us. We have the same house number and similar street names. I am surprised it doesn't happen more often actually. I opened a letter and it was a check and I couldn't for the life of me figure out why we were getting this check, then I looked at the name. We dropped it off at their house. For about 4 days we kept getting some of their mail so we were more careful about opening things for a while. I hope your neighbor didn't have a heart attack when he saw his account value had dropped so much

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