Can the mail carrier give me back a letter I accidentally put in the mailbox?

Question

I put a letter in the mailbox that wasn't supposed to get mailed out. I work from home and can view the mailbox from where I sit at my desk. My plan is to go out when the mail carrier arrives and ask her if I can get that letter back. Is there some kind of postal regulation which would prohibit her from giving it back to me once I put it in the box?

Answer 1

technically, no. Once it's in the mailbox it belongs to the government. I'm sure if you ask nicely, they will give it to you. Bring your ID so you can verifiy name and address. Worse comes to worse- tell him that you put anthrax in the letter- he will give it back to you then

Answer 2

Once it goes in a US postal box it can not be returned. The mail carrier has no way of verifying you are the person that deposited the letter in the box.

Answer 3

Nope.  Once it is deposited it cannot be returned to you by the carrier.