Someone who's address I was using legally 3 years ago has now rented their house. The tenants opened a sensitive letter and passed the information to a third and fourth party. I thought this was illegal
2006-12-06 08:23:41 · 27 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
18 United States Code Section 1702. Obstruction of correspondence
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.
This states that all mail in the custody of authorized person, before it is delivered, is guilty of obstruction if they pry into the business or secrets of another, opens or destroys correspondence. In other words mail is sacred, and it not to be tampered with by any person who has custody of the letter until it has been delivered to the person it was directed.
2006-12-06 08:35:11 · answer #1 · answered by darkstar32822 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Yes, it's a federal law that no one can open another person's mail. And what those people did was illegal, they should have just sent it back to the post office.
2006-12-08 05:05:33 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
ok lets forget US federal law, I assume that you ar a UK resident.
It is an offence under the postal communcations act to have opened your mail, let alone passed the infomation on, this itself would be an offence under the data protection act, and a very serious breach of your human rights, in particular you right to a private life.
These are serious offences and you should seek good legal advice about taking action against the people who opened your post
2006-12-07 04:37:48 · answer #3 · answered by rick_wenham 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There are only 3 as far as I know who can legaly open other peoples letter Customs and Excise Police and Prison Officers though they must have a valid reason All others it is illegal
2006-12-06 08:34:42 · answer #4 · answered by dedaliuswizz 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It is a federal crime to open any U.S. mail that is not yours or that you do not have the express permission to open by the owner, the only exception would be having a power of attorney over that person. The biggest problem is proving that someone else opened it and they did not have your permission.
2006-12-06 08:28:04 · answer #5 · answered by Wilkow Conservative 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
In the united kingdom this is illegal, however it's something to do woth the sender automatically owning the copyright on all letters they send, and only the adressee(s) have been authorised to read the letter by the copyright owner.
2006-12-06 08:50:21 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yes, it's a federal offense to open letters which are not addressed to you.
2006-12-06 20:39:34 · answer #7 · answered by SeahawkFan37 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is illegal to tamper with anyone Else's mail. If you live in the UK then postal watch should be able to advise you of the correct steps to take if you wish to pursue this matter further. Hope this helps.
2006-12-06 08:53:59 · answer #8 · answered by shellbee272 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
specific it quite is unlawful. i'm unsure what rules he might have the means to get her under yet i'm useful if he tried he could locate one. additionally if no longer something he could proably call it identity theft. She is stepping into his account pretending to be him inspite of each thing.
2016-10-17 22:04:28 · answer #9 · answered by shade 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes it is. US Mail belongs to the Government,until the person who it is issued to opens it. If someone else opens your mail,they can be prosecuted.
2006-12-06 08:28:02 · answer #10 · answered by Squeakers 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋