Snail Mail not addressed to me, what should I do with it?

Question

I just moved into an apartment and I keep getting mail for someone else. It's not just one specific person either, three or four different names. It's only a one bedroom apartment so I don't think three people lived there before me. What should I do with the mail?

I don’t even know what category to put this in.

Answer 1

Return it to the post office and tell them that these people don't live at this address.

Answer 2

Write on the envelope "return to sender, so and so not at this address".  We have the same problem here and we bought this house 2 years ago.  It is a federal offense to tamper with someone else's mail, so the only thing you can do is have it returned.

Answer 3

It's not NECESSARILY a federal offense to open someone else's mail if it is delivered to your address, but the proper thing to do would be to write "not at this address" and put it back in the mail.

Answer 4

Write on it, return to sender, moved left no forwarding address, and give it back to the post office.  Make sure you black out the zip code or they might send it back to you.

Answer 5

Leave a note for the postmaster stating your name and let them know that no one else receives mail at this address.  In the meantime, keep writing return to sender.

Answer 6

put on the envelope not at this address or return to sender and put it back in the mailbox

Answer 7

Reporting / returning misdelivered mail

Important: If the misdelivered item meets any of the following criteria:

Express Mail service item,

Perishable item,

Mailpiece that is too large to be left in the mailbox,

Please contact the Delivery Supervisor at your local Post Office facility:

For Express Mail items only, you can obtain the number of the Express Mail Reporting Unit by calling:

1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777)

For other misdelivered mail items (such as letters):

If the mailpiece is delivered to the wrong location:

Don't erase or mark over the information, or write any type of endorsement on the mailpiece.

Place the item back in the mailbox or hand the item back to your mailperson.

If the mailpiece is delivered to the correct location but the recipient on the mailpiece does not reside at the address:

Write "Not at this address" on mailpiece.

Don't erase or mark over the address.

Provide the mailpiece to your mailperson or drop into a Collection Box receptacle.

Answer 8

Put an X through the address and write "Not here - RTS" (return to sender)  and pop it in a pillar box.