Many of us have received a delivery on our doorstep that wasn’t meant for us. In most situations,
it’s not finders keepers. A package delivered to your doorstep by mistake isn’t automatically
yours to keep. So before you open the package, it is important to know what the law says about
delivery mix ups and what to do if you receive a misdelivered package.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, if a company accidentally or intentionally sends a
package addressed to you that you did not order, you can legally consider it a gift. By law, they
can’t send you an unsolicited package and then demand payment. You do not have to pay for it or
return it. You are not on the hook for unordered merchandise.
If the package has someone else’s name or address, keeping the item can be considered mail or
parcel theft under your state’s laws. If a private carrier delivered it, such as Amazon or UPS, it
could be a misdemeanor or felony, depending on the value of what’s inside.
If the package was delivered through the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), stealing it can be a federal
felony under federal mail-theft law. A conviction can carry up to five years in prison and
generally up to $250,000 in fines for an individual. The package’s value does not determine
whether federal mail theft is a felony. So next time you receive a package that was not for you,
be careful before opening it.
If you or a loved one is in a bind as a result of a criminal charge, immediately contact a Seattle
Criminal Attorney. A Criminal lawyer is not going to judge you, and understands that everyone
makes mistakes. Hiring a Seattle Criminal Lawyer to help can – at a minimum – reduce
penalties, and can help direct people on how to best deal with their criminal charge, and many
times even get them dismissed. So it should go without saying that someone cited for a
misdemeanor or felony should hire a qualified Seattle Criminal Lawyer as soon as possible.
Criminal charges can cause havoc on a person’s personal and professional life. Anyone charged
with a crime in Washington State should immediately seek the assistance of a seasoned Seattle
Criminal Lawyer.