Location: Illinois
I’m not really sure this is a legal issue, but I can’t think where else to post it. Sorry about the length.
I recently ordered a package from a website I hadn’t ordered from since I moved houses and I apparently forgot to update the address. It was sent via FedEx, so it wouldn’t have been forwarded. When I got the notification that the package had been delivered, I noticed in the picture that it was on the porch at my old house, so I asked my husband to stop and pick it up after work for me. At that point it had been about 8 hours since the package was delivered, so it was no longer on the porch.
He rang the doorbell, and the new owner opened the door. My husband explained who he was and the guy’s attitude immediately became rude, and he made a comment about how much stuff they get addressed to us. My husband said the guy at first tried to pretend he had no clue about the package, but after showing him the picture of the it on his porch, he did go and retrieve it. The box was opened and had clearly been gone through, but all the contents were there when my husband brought it home. It seems obvious the guy was going to keep it.
Thinking about his comment regarding getting other things addressed to us, I realized there have been several packages that have gone missing since we moved. I figured they were just lost in transit, but now I suspect they were kept by the new owner. I’d also like to note that I’ve never received any piece of mail that had gone to the prior address and been “forwarded” by the resident (i.e. had writing on saying no longer at that address), so he clearly wasn’t passing on the things that he said they were still getting there.
We filled out everything to forward mail through the post office, and have tried to notify people and update addresses where we can, but there are always a few that get missed. My daughter recently got married and we’ve been contacted by at least a couple people that couldn’t attend asking if we received the gift they sent. I accept responsibility for anything I had mistakenly forgot to change addresses on, and I can’t do anything about the past, but is there anything I can do about this situation, especially to ensure we get our things in the future? Thanks for any help or advice.
Comments
What he’s doing is 100% illegal, opening or keeping mail that’s not his is a federal offense. File a complaint with USPS and report the missing packages to the sender if you can. And definitely don’t count on him to forward anything in the future 🙂
Tell him to give back what’s yours, or you will report him to the police for theft. The police might not care, but on a slow day they could also pay him a visit to ask about your packages.