Opening Someone Else's Mail by Mistake?

[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.

 

[sdemore]

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]

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]

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]

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

 

[Kae]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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

 

[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]

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]

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.