If I get something in the mail that I did not order, do I legally keep it or send it back?

Question

I got an e-mail stating that an order I had made would be sent to me, however, I did not order anything from this particular company and I told them that, but they had already sent it. One worker told me to keep it, another said send it back, but it was their mistake, do I have to send it back? Or can I keep it?

Answer 1

Legally, US law says that if someone sends you something you didn't order, you get to keep it. See the link below, from the Postal Service.

http://www.usps.com/postalinspectors/fraud/merch.htm

Note that this applies to items sent via the US Postal Service. If sent via UPS, Fedex, etc., the law does not apply. However, the company will be required to sue you for not sending it back. They'd be unlikely to win, though.

However, if you want to be nice, then you can send it back. It's the company's responsibility to pay return postage.

Answer 2

If you receive something in the mail that you did not order, and no attempts are made by the sender to retrieve that erroneously sent item by contacting you and paying return postage, it is considered as an unsolicited "gift" under the law. Many times, people send magazine subscriptions as a prank or join CD or DVD clubs as a prank. When the goods arrive and the person gets wind of the situation, he should call the sender to advise that the goods were not ordered. Ignoring these things can result in reports to your credit report for unpaid accounts. The company will arrange to have the items returned - but not at your expense. Guess you're the proud owner of something you didn't order unless they've made arrangements for you to return it.

Answer 3

In general, if it really was sent without your request, you have the right to keep it and don't have to pay. You should be careful, however, about the possibility that an order was sitting somewhere in the fine print of something you signed, as well as the risk that your identity has been stolen.

Answer 4

who's to declare you honestly won it? One has to ask your self nonetheless, who paid for it? How did they get your call, handle, and digital mail interior the 1st place besides. Any touch you have with them could be furthering an id fraud rip-off. I have been given an digital mail announcing that I ordered something that I already new i did not I deleted it. i did not grant them with from now on documents. i don't comprehend in case you probably did, yet i may be careful.

Answer 5

It's my understanding that if you receive something in the mail that you did not order, you're free to keep it, although sending it back might be the "right" thing to do.

If it were me, depending on what it was, I might decide to keep it.

Answer 6

Ordinarily I'd say to maintain your integrity you should send it back, but you already have an employee who made the decision that it would take too much administrative and postal overhead to send it back, so you were instructed to keep it.

Looks like it's yours.

I'd send a thank-you note if I were you.
.

Answer 7

I'd contact the company and ask them to mail me a postage paid label to return it and if they don't I'd keep it.

I wonder if it could be an anonymous gift?

Answer 8

Depends. What is it? If its a new computer, I'd say keep it. If its crate of 1000 potato peelers, I'd send it back and tell them they have to pay for the shipping.

Answer 9

someone may have ordered something in your name. I know someone that happened to.

Answer 10

by law, if you did not order it and they sent it, you can keep pit