What can you do if someone is withholding your mail?

Report suspected mail losses to Postal Inspectors by calling 877-876-2455 or at www.uspis.gov. Keep Registered Mail separate from other mail.

Is intercepting mail illegal?

“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.”

Can someone legally withhold your mail?

It is illegal (in the US) to withhold, steal, destroy or otherwise keep a person from receiving his/her mail without his/her permission. If a neighbor, for example, is going to be away for a few days, they might ask the Post Office to hold their mail until they return.

Is Withholding someone’s mail a federal offense?

Because the USPS is a federal agency, mail theft is charged as a federal offense. In addition to federal charges, you may also face charges under California’s mail theft laws.

Can you open a deceased person’s mail?

You may open and manage the deceased’s mail as needed. You may forward all of the deceased’s mail to a different address. See If You Have a Different Address. You may forward a single piece of mail, for example, to an appointed executor, without going to a Post Office™ location.

Is holding mail a federal offense?

Yes. It is a federal crime to open or destroy mail that is not intended for you. The law provides that you can not “destroy, hide, open, or embezzle” mail that is not addressed to you. If you intentionally open or destroy someone else’s mail, you are committing obstruction of correspondence, which is a felony.

What can I do if my neighbor opens my mail?

If you unintentionally open an envelope that is not addressed to you, it is best to write “return to sender” or “delivered to wrong address” by the person’s name who the envelope should be delivered to. By taking this action, the USPS will recognize the mistake and redeliver the letter to the correct person’s address.

What is the penalty for delaying mail?

Obstruction of mails generally. Whoever knowingly and willfully obstructs or retards the passage of the mail, or any carrier or conveyance carrying the mail, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both. (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat.