How about.. "It's the law"?

[BookstoreEscapee]

I once got mail for someone on the next street over, who had the same house number as I did, yet the mail man left it for me. I simply took it over to this guy and did not care about what was in it.

We occasionally get mail for a family that lives down the street from my aunt, and whose son I went to school with. They have the same house number but it's about a mile away. My street is named after a tree and their street is named after a landlocked body of water. We also occasionally get mail for an organization in a town about half an hour away...I live on 'Tree' Avenue and they are on 'Tree' Street, again, same number...we just stick them back in the mailbox with a post-it for the mailman.

[ShadedWings]

I must be missing something here, but was this woman's name actually on her neighbor's mail? I can understand the incorrect address being on it, but did the name somehow slip by her as she was ripping the envelope open?

No, it was her neighbor's name... from what I got, she just usually rips open all the mail at once and THEN looks at it. Which seems to be a screwy way to do it.

Also, as an update, seems the guy paid his bill. Enough to give him a bit of a credit even. Either he figured the message on the machine was about "pay your bill" so he did. As far as I can tell he's not called in to fix the address... it'll just happen all over again next month.

[greensinestro]

No, it was her neighbor's name... from what I got, she just usually rips open all the mail at once and THEN looks at it. Which seems to be a screwy way to do it.

Also, as an update, seems the guy paid his bill. Enough to give him a bit of a credit even. Either he figured the message on the machine was about "pay your bill" so he did. As far as I can tell he's not called in to fix the address... it'll just happen all over again next month.

At least that answers my question. Someone mentioned the fact that the contents inside can be hidden and not visible through the window. When that happens, I normally tap the mail until I can view everything before opening it. Also, I have been in my home for three years now and occasionally still get mail for the previous occupants. I hardly do anything with it, except write "return to sender" or just toss it if it looks like junk mail.

[Becks]

I must be missing something here, but was this woman's name actually on her neighbor's mail? I can understand the incorrect address being on it, but did the name somehow slip by her as she was ripping the envelope open?

I was going to answer that, but was beaten to it--

No, it was her neighbor's name... from what I got, she just usually rips open all the mail at once and THEN looks at it. Which seems to be a screwy way to do it.

And to that woman, I say-- "Why don't you get a freaking CLUE and LOOK at the damn envelopes BEFORE you open them???"

[Boozy]

I thought the bigger issue here was the fact that she called the OP and gave him a such a hard time, and generally just freaked out in general over what was basically a minor issue.

I don't think accidentally opening someone's else's mail, which was delivered to your home, is quite as stupid as you all make out. I've done it. I get the same utility bills every month as my neighbours. If I see an envelope with the bright orange logo of my hydro company as the return address, I might just tear it open without checking whose name is on it.

No question this woman was an idiot, though. I'm just surprised that, after all she said to ShadedWings, its the mistake of opening the envelope that everyone is focusing on.

[Becks]

I'm just surprised that, after all she said to ShadedWings, its the mistake of opening the envelope that everyone is focusing on.

Well, there is also the fact that she didn't want to tell her neighbor about it, either. I thought I mentioned something about that, but I could be wrong.

[Boozy]

Well, there is also the fact that she didn't want to tell her neighbor about it, either. I thought I mentioned something about that, but I could be wrong.

No, you mentioned it, and I didn't miss it. I should have added that I agree with you.

Its not very neighbourly of her, is it?

[Becks]

Its not very neighbourly of her, is it?

Not at all. Her neighbors should have a portrait (spraypainted, of course) of her on a bedsheet saying "One bad neighbor".

Easy cookies to however gets the paraphrased reference.

[SpyOne]

She could just stick it in the mailbox at night/when neighbour isn't home. How would he know who opened it? I know it's illegal since it's a sensitive document.. but still. Accidents happen.

He'd know who opened it because it has HER address on it, not his.
That's why she recieved it in the first place.

[42_42_42]

Sometimes if it's paperwork in one of those window envelopes, it can shift in such a way that the street address is visible but not the name (so you don't know it's not for you until you open it).

I'm getting student-loan forbearance letters for the previous tenant (I have a current loan, and it wasn't clear what the letter was about so I accidentally opened the first one); I've walked them back to the post office and explained that the person no longer lives there, but I'm still receiving the things

That's because the PO can't do anything but deliver it as it is addressed. The only way to fix it is to mark "return to sender, addressee no longer at this address" on the envelope. It might take 3 or 4 tries but they should stop sending them out after they've gotten them back marked like that several times. We had a similar problem with the previous owner of our home.

[Dark Psion]

We used to have a Mailman who would deliver his route with his cell phone glued to his ear. Needless to say, mail being delivered to the wrong house became common for about a month.

When we got a neighbor's mail, we took it over and gave it to them and yes occationally it was open because when it was a bill you were expecting, you might not notice it was wrong.

[AnqeiicDemise]

He'd know who opened it because it has HER address on it, not his.
That's why she recieved it in the first place.

That's not entirely true. I've gotten the neighbor's mail from THREE STREETS OVER because the mailman didn't read/realize/pay attention close enough to the address.

I always caught it because there were four people who got mail in that house, so I'd separate everything and drop them off. The only times I didn't go over to said neighbor to return her mail was when it was junk crap, like the pennysaver.

[morgana]

That's not entirely true. I've gotten the neighbor's mail from THREE STREETS OVER because the mailman didn't read/realize/pay attention close enough to the address.

Our mailman is infamous for this. There was one stretch where I would put something back in the mailbox to be redelivered to the correct address EVERY DAY FOR THREE STRAIGHT WEEKS.

And we still get mail for the lady who sold my roommate the house. Tori's lived here 11 years . . .

[ShadedWings]

Quick update on that situation...

I looked back on the account for the neighbor guy and apparently he took my "you need to call the electric company about your account" message on his machine as "you need to pay your bill now". All he did was throw a chunk of money at us (enough to pay up to date at least) and didn't even call! How I know this - his mailing address is still the same.

So I'm just waiting to see if this all happens again next month.

[Bella_Vixen]

Easy cookies to however gets the paraphrased reference.

Too easy. Simpsons. Former President George Bush moves to Springfield.

I'll donate my cookies to whomever wants them.