Can I open another persons mail why they are out of town?

Question

I have a friend who is going out of town and would like to me to pick up their mail. They also asked if I can open some of their mail and let them know when a certain document comes. Can I legally do this for them?

I have a friend who is going out of town and would like to me to pick up their mail. They also asked if I can open some of their mail and let them know when a certain document comes. Can I legally do this for them? If I wanted to start a business doing this service what type of legal document would I need to have them sign?

Answer 1

Not legally. It is a federal offense But in most cases someone will not sue you over it, but get verbal agreement first. Since you got verbal agreement, your friend will most likely not sue you. If it says "OR CURRENT RESIDENT" you can always GO FOR IT!

Answer 2

You may legally open their mail if they ask you to do it. You cannot legally sign their name for any deliveries. You will have to sign your own. It is a federal offense to tamper with other people's mail, but if they ask you, you're legally able to do this. If they're not close friends and you really want to cover your butt, get their permission in writing.
If it's a certain document they're looking for, just ask them whom it's coming from. Then you don't have to go and open EVERY SINGLE letter.

Answer 3

They gave you permission so it's fine. If you were receiving it by mistake for the old tenant, etc, you cannot open it, that would be a violation of federal law.

As far as doing that as a business, a simple permission form any attorney could draw up would cover it. They should sign in front of a notary public so there's no doubt on the validity of the signature.

Answer 4

It is a federal crime to open another persons mail and even with permission they could retract that permission and have you arrested. If you trust the person and they are willing to put the permission in writing go ahead.

Answer 5

If they've actually requested it, yes of course. Even if it wasn't, do you live with the postmaster general? Who would know? It would be bad karma to open mail sneakily; but if they've asked for your help, then it's a very nice thing to do.

Look at all these suspicious people. Your friend trusts you enough to open his mail- that's a big thing. Congratulations. Even if you were unsuspectingly friends with an evil bastard who decided to screw you, what could he do? He'd claim you opened his mail without permission (which he gave to trap you?), and you'd say it was an outright lie- you never opened anything. Once again, is your friend the Postmaster General? More specifically the Evil Postmaster General? Wipe your fingerprints and get new friends if you're really worried about it.

Answer 6

if you don't think that your friend is trying to screw you then yes. otherwise i would demand a signed letter stating permission. a more thorough employment of this for legal purposes would be asking for a power of attorney, but that would cost money for your friend to have drawn up for you.

if i were to do that for a family member, i'd do it no questions. for a friend, i'd go with the signed letter giving you permission with start and end dates annotated.

Answer 7

Get the mail and if it looks important open it and call them about it. Otherwise leave it alone. But if u do want 2 read it steam it open

Answer 8

Yes because you have their permission. The safest bet is to have them give you written permission. I believe a power of attorney would be the best way to go.

Answer 9

What's the problem when they have, not only given you permission, but even asked you to do it?
Have you any reason to be distrustful?

Answer 10

Make sure you get it in writing and notarized. Cover yourself so later they can't claim you read their personal mail or cause problems.