What to do when you accidentally open someone else’s mail? Is it illegal?

If you have accidentally received or opened someone else’s mail, you can simply reseal it and drop it in the nearest postbox. Don’t forget to write on the envelope that the mail was misdelivered to your address. The post office will then deliver it to the intended recipient, free of charge.

If the person has a new address, you will need to inform the post office so that they can forward the letter to the recipient’s current location.

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Here’s what to do if you open someone else’s mail or package

If you accidentally received or opened someone else’s package, the first thing you should do is contact the courier service provider. If you had booked the shipping service through a parcel broker like Eurosender, then you should contact the broker directly. The broker is your point of contact for any issues that may arise.

Shipped through Eurosender? Here’s what to do next

You must inform Eurosender within 48 hours after receiving the package. Generally, if the courier company made a mistake, they will likely arrange to collect the package from your address.

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Is it illegal to open someone else’s mail in the UK, Canada or elsewehere?

It is illegal to open someone else’s mail in the UK according to the Postal Services Act 2000. The act states that a person commits an offense if, without a reasonable excuse, they intentionally open or delay a postal packet in the course of its transmission by post, or intentionally open a mail-bag.

Similarly, it is illegal to open someone else’s mail in Canada. The Canada Post Act states that it is illegal to open mail that is not yours and also constitutes an offense to withhold or delay the receipt of that mail. This means that both opening someone else’s mail and discarding it without permission are considered crimes.

Consider the following scenarios:

If you have opened someone else’s mail, read it, and then thrown it in the rubbish, you might find yourself in trouble. Or you might have panicked and decided to burn the letter you opened. It is important not to do either of these actions, as they are considered crimes. Additionally, the courier may interpret them as intentional interference with the delivery process.
If you have accidentally opened someone else’s envelopes or packages and plan to return them to the sender, you have not committed a crime. You can either seal the mail/package again and write “Return to Sender”, or if it belongs to one of your neighbours, you can hand it in yourself and explain the mistake. By doing so, you are not engaging in any illegal activity.

Individuals who are caught stealing from a courier, whether it is letters or packages, may face severe consequences, including serving a prison sentence.

Many other countries also have laws stating that it is illegal to open mail or packages intended for someone else.

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What is the most common cause of misdelivered mail?

Maybe the mail was from someone who previously lived at the address.
Perhaps the courier delivered the neighbour’s mail to your address, and you did not realise it was not yours until you opened it.
Maybe the sender accidentally handed the wrong package to the driver because they had more than one parcel to be shipped.

Courier service providers are always on the lookout to provide the best service. But with the increasing amount of orders coming in, mistakes are more likely to occur. Packages can travel in different vehicles and through various depots on their way to you. Although not usual, the label can get damaged or detached during transit, causing the package to be misdelivered to another address.

How to avoid accidentally opening someone else’s mail?

If you notice the mail is not for you at the time the courier is delivering, you should always deny it. Check the shipping label for details about the consignee’s name and actual address.

Tips to avoid a misdelivery

Be careful when handing over the parcel. The best way is to personally hand it over so that you can ensure the courier receives the correct parcel. If you cannot be there, you can ask someone else to hand it over for you. If you choose to leave the box at a prearranged location, make sure it is clearly indicated that this is the parcel the courier should collect.
Fill out the correct and complete address. This includes the street name and number, zip code, town/city and any additional information like the name or number on the doorbell. It can also help to fill out a local phone number for the address of pick-up and delivery. This way, the courier has the option to contact you.
Regularly check the tracking of your package. The fastest way to find out if something went wrong with your parcel is through the online tracking. We always advise you to keep an eye on the tracking information. If you notice any irregularities, you can contact us at any time for help.

To sum it up, inform Eurosender or the courier immediately when you notice you received mail that does not belong to you. You should do that within 48 hours after receiving the letter/package. From there, the courier or we will help you further.

Still have questions?

Check our articles that answer the most common questions about shipping.

This article was written in collaboration with Annelieke Muelders.