Is it illegal to keep a wrongly delivered package?

You have the legal right to keep it as a free gift, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Sellers aren’t permitted to ask for payment for unordered items, either, and the FTC says consumers are under no obligation to even tell the seller about the wrongly delivered merchandise.

Do I have to return an item sent in error?

Receiving the Wrong Item If the unordered item was an incorrect fulfillment of an order the customer did place, you are legally required to send the correct item or refund the customer’s money in full — including shipping costs. You can ask the customer to return the item, but he has no legal obligation to do so.

Is misdelivered mail keeping illegal?

Under this view, whether an unintended recipient receives misdelivered or misaddressed mail, it is unlawful to remove any such item from the mail and possess it with the intent of preventing the item from reaching its intended recipient. Such mail is considered stolen and is protected by § 1708.

Is it illegal to keep someone’s packages?

No, it is not illegal. No, it is not covered by any laws similar to those that cover the US mail. John’s answer correctly states that delivery to the address is sufficient for courier services to consider the package delivered, even in the case of a signature being required.

What happens if you get a package that isn’t yours?

All you need to do is write “RETURN TO SENDER” on the front of the envelope and put it back in your mailbox. Your postal worker will take care of it for you from there.

What happens if I get a package I didn’t order?

But if you get a package you didn’t order and see your name and address on the box, you should avoid opening it. The USPS says it will send the package back at no charge to you if you haven’t opened it and write “Return to Sender” on the box.

Can I sue USPS for stealing my package?

You don’t sue the USPS for losing items, unless you had paid for insurance and they didn’t reimburse you. Seeing the post office would be quite difficult. You would need to prove negligence and also who was responsible. You might never no who specifically did it because carriers are rotated often.

Is it legal to keep someone else’s package?

“Most people understand that it’s illegal to open mail that’s not addressed to them. Intentionally opening, intercepting or hiding someone else’s mail is the felony crime of mail theft. It comes with some heavyweight penalties, including five years’ incarceration in a federal prison.”

Is it legal to open a package sent to you?

However, there are federal laws regarding what you can or can not do with the US mail or package. You can not open it unless it is addressed to you or given consent. You can not destroy it until it is delivered to the right person (federal law regarding destruction of mail).

What happens if a package is delivered to the wrong person?

The rules aren’t always clear, but a mistaken delivery is never your fault. As long as you follow the regulations, respect the intended recipient’s wishes, and do what you can to return the package–there’s not much more that you can do. If you’ve jumped through all the hoops and still can’t get the package back to the owner, it’s all yours!

What happens if you don’t return a package?

Packages delivered by common carriers are subjected to less restrictive laws. However, if the package in your possesion is reported stolen and you refused to return it, you may be violating local or state laws for possession of stolen property. The item in your possession is not a gift since it is not addressed to you.

Can I keep merchandise I didn’t order?

Both Federal 2 and Maine law prohibit anyone who sends you merchandise you did not order from billing you for it or from pressuring you to return it. By law, you may keep the merchandise and consider it a gift. Of course, if the merchandise is delivered to you by mistake, instead of to the person named on the address, you cannot keep it.