Question:

Can I sue my mother for opening my mail?

by | earlier

Okay my mom came over for her routine inspection and I was out at the time so I dunno what went through her head that she decided to start opening my mail and most of them were very very private financial statements containing my account numbers, amount of money I have, spending etc.

So basically now she knows the exact thing banks everywhere tell you keep private from anyone next to God himself.

Not really gonna sue her since shes my mum and all but isnt it a federal offense to open someone elses mail?

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yes
Report (0) (0) | earlier
probably not but you can stop her from doing it again.

Plan A: just try telling her directly that you would appreicate it if she wants to read your bank statements/mail in the future then just ask you first.

Plan B:

or you might use a computer & scanner to mock up a bank statement showing big bucks and leave it where she will find it. this will keep her wondering.
Report (0) (0) | earlier
Ya Im pretty sure it is a federal offense.

Yeah but dont sue her... she just cares about you (?) or is nosy. :)
Report (0) (0) | earlier
Yes it is illegal and morally wrong to open another persons mail even if they are your child. I have an 11 year old who gets mail and I don't open it even though I want to. I trust that she will share it with me.
Report (0) (0) | earlier
Well, yes you could sue her and it would be a federal offense for her to do that...but in my opinion if its ur own mother i think that would be pretty ridiculous to sue her unless u two have the worst relationship ever than I'd probably sue her.
Report (0) (0) | earlier
It is illegal and yeah you could sue. I wouldn't be worth it at all, especially since shes ur ma. . .
Report (0) (0) | earlier
no, not if she is your legal guardian and you are under 18.
Report (0) (0) | earlier
Let me get this straight...you were out at the time.

Does she have a key to your place? Or was she waiting at your front door and decided to root through your mailbox and open stuff because she was bored?

Either way, she sounds like she's intrusive. It's an offence to throw someone else's mail in the trash. But if you gave her a key to your place, then she might feel she has the right to open your mail too.
Report (0) (0) | earlier
Ugg..my mom does the same thing, its annoying huh.  Yes it is a federal offense to open someones mail, and your right suing her would be dumb.

LOL at routine inspection...i own a house and have for 7 years..and i am very much an adult.  But sometimes she gets the urge to poke her nose in places it does not belong. (and she has found some VERY personal stuff) I have been told to change the locks, but my mom does help me with some stuff around my house like taking care of my pets when i am out of town. damned if i do damned if i don't.
Report (0) (0) |   earlier
if your under the age of 18, she is in charge of you, so STFU.Can't she just refuse to wash your S***e-stained undies?
Report (0) (0) | earlier
You're right actually it is, even though it is your mom
Report (0) (0) | earlier
It's only your mom, sue her pants off
Report (0) (0) | earlier
yes in my opinion she wus wrong but like u say no need 2 take it that far
Report (0) (0) | earlier
I'm sure you could, but why?
Report (0) (0) | earlier
sounds illegal to me but might be ok if you are under 18

awesome question

to sue someone you must prove damages

you may be able to file criminal charges though

sounds like she intercepted your mail

Whoever takes any letter, postal card, or package out of any post office or any authorized depository for mail matter, or from any letter or mail carrier, or which has been in any post office or authorized depository, or in the custody of any letter or mail carrier, before it has been delivered to the PERSON to whom it was directed, with design to obstruct the correspondence, or to pry into the business or secrets of another, or opens, secretes, embezzles, or destroys the same, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

SAYS NOTHING ABOUT THE ADDRESS AS PREVIOUS NONCENSICAL POSTER CLAIMS
Report (0) (0) | earlier
umm ya u could but i recomend u go to a bank and change your pin etc because of it rather than just sueing her
Report (0) (0) | earlier
yes it's not like you owe her anything, right?
Report (0) (0) | earlier
It is not a federal crime to take, open, destroy, or hide someone else's mail unless it happens after it was mailed and "before it has been delivered to the person to whom it was directed". 18 USC sec. 1702. However, it may be a violation of a state law regarding privacy in your state.
Report (0) (0) | earlier
You can have her arrested for opening it. It's a federal offense.
Report (0) (0) | earlier
Wow - I know how you feel. My mom opened, read and disposed of my mail when I was in boot camp. Found out years later one of those was a love letter with a marriage proposal.

Technically yes its a violation of federal law - but come on - this is your mom. Routine inspection? What for? Its going to look really bad if you give her access for your place to help clean it, or bring you groceries, or she's helping pay your bills or tuition, and you sic the postmaster general on her.

So -

Either get a PO box - they're really cheap - at the post office or a UPS store -

Change your locks, or

Start putting you mail in a locked cabinet - or

Sign up to receive these statements electronically.

Take care - most of us only get one Mom, and if I still had mine I'd let her wear my shoes or go through my purse! Just fix things so it can't happen again.
Report (0) (0) | earlier
Since you use "mum" you are probably in England, but in the US it works like this: once the mail is delivered to its intended ADDRESS, postal regualtions no longer apply. Once it has been delivered to the ADDRESS, there are no laws governing who actually opens it. If it is opened while enroute to the address, that is an entirely different matter and could constitute some form of mail fraud.

So in the US, once the mail has been delivered to the address, anyone can open it without breaking any laws.
Report (0) (0) | earlier
yes it is illegal for her to open your mail. unless you are under 18 years old and you are not under her name for the bank account than you could technically sue her. that is unless she had a very good defense which does not seem likely seeing that the mail did not have her name on it.
Report (0) (0) | earlier