Opening Someone Else's Mail by Mistake?

[Mkrop]

I just open it as well, sometimes it may catch my eye that it is not ours.

Like yesterday I received two envelopes from a children's hospital that my youngest received services. If there were not two, I would have assume it was ours and opened it. Well one was ours and one was another little girl but with our address. I could have easliy open her health info Can we say MAJOR HIPPA violation here. I called the hosptial and was told to shred the envelope.

Then once I opened someelse's Discover bill. We have a Discover card so I thought nothing of it until I saw the $25,000 worth of charges. I almost had a heart attack, we had a blance of about $3000. Turns out Discover for some reason changed the address on a lady who's last name is the same as ours, her and my name are not the same but our husband's are. But it was addressed to her Our last name is so far from common they probably thoguht we wre all related but we are not!

[kacaju]

Originally Posted by Ceila

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.

same here, i just open it. I have opened someone elses mail by mistake and i did just what your neighbor did. I never would have thought they would be mad at me for not checking the address before opening it!!!

[mkymouse1928]

We get other people's mail all the time and I still don't check. I usually glance through and open anything that looks important right away, but I don't necessarily look at the mailing address. In most instances, the mail is for the person who used to live next door so the address is similar (ie, i notice the street name) or it is for my bil who used to live with us and his first name is very similar to mine. In the case of my former neighbor, she has a loan through the same company as we have our mortgage and it took me a minute to figure out why the amount due on the statement was so much lower than what it normally is. I will just tape it up and put it back in the mail with return to sender/wrong address.

[dakcp2001]

I had a post here about a month ago, I had come home ripped open all the mail and was trying to figure out who the baby shower invite was for. It was not for ME!~ I felt awful! I had t6o call the RSVP number to tell them I had opened it by mistake and the intended invitee did not get teh invitation.

It had a different name, but my correct address. I felt awful! I am sure it is just a mistake.

[Eeyore'sthebest]

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 found an opened envelope on my front lawn once and returned it to the house. It was someone's payment to their credit card company but minus the check. I wanted to let them know that: 1) this was obviously stolen by someone or dropped by the postman and 2) cancel the check. The woman grilled me like I was the thief. Seriously woman, do you think I would return the letter to you and recommend that you cancel the check if I had stolen it.

[Fire14]

We get other peoples mail all the stinking time one is a former co worker of mine who has same number but diff street as ours so I just bring hers to her other one is some guy who must work out of home and has same first name as dh and lives on street our mailbox is on ( we live in rural area and are only house on street, so po made us put our box on main rd) and we ocasionlly get neighbors grandmas mail too but I figure that is a it got stuck to something mistake.

[Pakey]

Although I wouldn't be upset if a neighbor got and opened my mail, I always check ours before opening anything. My husband and I have been married 25 years but we do not open mail addressed to one another.

[daisax]

I actually got some other family's Disney travel documents once -- luggage tags, the works.

Their trip was a week before ours, but obviously I was expecting the same package, so I opened it up happily, and noticed a different hotel. Then I looked more closely.

Called the woman on the phone, apologized for opening it without looking, and drove over and dropped it off. My documents came a few days later.

[PaulaSue]

We get our neighbors mail and vice versa way too often here. I wouldn't be happy if they got that and opened it.