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opening someone else's mail

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dgingrich

Member
What is the name of your state? PA I hope I have this posted in correct forum. I found out about 6 wks. ago that my ex and his wife have been receiving some of my mail (don't know why, put in a change of addy). Anyway, they opened it, read it, made copies of it and passed it out. I rec'd copies from a 3rd party (family member, his). I reported it to postal inspectors, they told me to file harrasement charges against them in my ex's town. Cheif of police in ex's town say it's a federal matter and won't and can't touch it. He suggested that it is a civil matter and I should go to local magistrate and file a civil suit, but I have no damages that I can prove other than aggravation. This mail was clearly addressed to me and marked "personal and confidential" It had my SS# on it. It has the new wife's handwriting on it in blue ink. This is not the first time they have done this, only the first time I have reported it. It seems that the state postal inspectors want to push it to local and vice versa. I don't know who else they have passed these copies out to. I have already contacted the credit bureaus. I just don't know what to do next. I haven't spoke w/my ex in a very long time. They just won't leave things alone, and I am sick of their games. They have stepped over the line on this one. Thanks for any suggestions.
 


dgingrich

Member
Anyone? I am pretty frustrated and don't know what direction to take from here. Short of hiring a lawyer, is there anything I can do before they do this again?
 

enufisenuf

Junior Member
I can tell you that the penalty for what they've done is very stiff and the charge and fines can be repeated for each separate piece of mail. Now how to go about getting someone to prosecute or take it seriously... that's a good question. If you are talking to local police try going to county or state levels if possible. The postal service cannot arrest as it is not in itself a law enforcement agency but the FBI on the other hand is. What have you got to loose? If all else fails give them a call.
 

racer72

Senior Member
What did the postmaster of the ex's postal area tell you when you contacted them? They take it very seriously when reports of unauthorized mail opening is reported.
 

dgingrich

Member
Basically, the local postmaster said, blah, blah, blah. I would have to go to the big postal inspector's to file a report, which I did, in both Philadelphia and Harrisburg. Harrisburg inspector's are the one's that said that I should file harrassment charges thru local PD. State police say they have no guidline's to do anything about it. Whatever that means. I have even spoke w/the local district atty. She says it's a postal matter. Do I have to contact the frigging local news reporter's? I know w/everything that is going on in the world today that this is small potatoes, but it seems to me that somebody should be doing their job here and not just passing the buck.
 

wtd

Member
I would have to go to the big postal inspector's to file a report, which I did, in both Philadelphia and Harrisburg. Harrisburg inspector's are the one's that said that I should file harrassment charges thru local PD.
And the postal inspector's office in Philadelphia said what?

wtd
 

ENASNI

Senior Member
http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode18/usc_sec_18_00001708----000-.html
TITLE 18 > PART I > CHAPTER 83 > § 1708
§ 1708. Theft or receipt of stolen mail matter gen*erally

Release date: 2004-08-06

Whoever steals, takes, or abstracts, or by fraud or deception obtains, or attempts so to obtain, from or out of any mail, post office, or station thereof, letter box, mail receptacle, or any mail route or other authorized depository for mail matter, or from a letter or mail carrier, any letter, postal card, package, bag, or mail, or abstracts or removes from any such letter, package, bag, or mail, any article or thing contained therein, or secretes, embezzles, or destroys any such letter, postal card, package, bag, or mail, or any article or thing contained therein; or
Whoever steals, takes, or abstracts, or by fraud or deception obtains any letter, postal card, package, bag, or mail, or any article or thing contained therein which has been left for collection upon or adjacent to a collection box or other authorized depository of mail matter; or
Whoever buys, receives, or conceals, or unlawfully has in his possession, any letter, postal card, package, bag, or mail, or any article or thing contained therein, which has been so stolen, taken, embezzled, or abstracted, as herein described, knowing the same to have been stolen, taken, embezzled, or abstracted—
Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.





I am sorry you are getting the runaround but it is the usually the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Secret Service, and the United States Postal Inspection Service who prosecute.
 

garrula lingua

Senior Member
The U.S. Attorney won't file unless there's a lot of mail stolen.

Go back to the local Distict Attorney and ask them to file petty theft charges; check first that you can prove your ex and his wife stole your mail (did they confess; was there a witness, etc) Be polite, and insist you want petty theft charges against them.
 

dgingrich

Member
The Philly inspector's said they would pass the info on to the head postal inspector. The Philly head inspector contacted police in ex's town. They decided that just telling my ex/new wife to "stop it bad boy" w/take care of it. Local police contacted my ex and he denied everything. But I have the copies w/wife's handwriting in blue ink saying that she contacted the ppl that sent me the mail (insurance co.) Coincidentally, within 1 month of her contacting them, my health insurance was dropped w/out warning. The health insurance was thru hubby #2. Per our divorce agreement, I don't touch the big pension, he keeps me covered until 12/05. New wife/ex hubby (#1) gave insurance co. info regarding this and they dropped me. I don't know if it makes a difference or not, but the mail wasn't "stolen". It was addressed to me, but sent to their addy. There was a news reporter at my work recently (to interview my boss). I explained to him what was going on and he said that I could contact him for assistance if I don't get any satisfaction otherwise. I just don't want to go that route if I don't have to, but I don't think I have many options left. Thanks
 

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