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Comment by lowleveldrone | Hacker News Reader

It happened to me. A TV intended for someone else ended up at my front door, and I had to chase the delivery guy down. Not even the correct street. It was shipped from Walmart, no signature required.

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You did the right thing morally. Legally you had no such obligation. https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0181-unordered-merchan...

If it's addressed to you - you can keep it. But if not - you'll commit mail fraud.

That doesn't really cover misdirected mail though just companies sending out merchandise and trying to get paid for it.

The law does not declare misdelivered merchandise to be a "free gift" like unordered merchandise.

In fact, the code states: "Whoever, without authority, opens, or destroys any mail or package of newspapers not directed to him, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both." 18 USC 1703

Does this apply only to USPS deliveries, or are private shippers like UPS, FedEx, etc. included?

That would depend entirely upon the legal definition of mail.

So you don't have to return it, but you can't open it?

hypothetically, what would happen if you kept the TV, leaving it unopened for a month or so (so you can be sure nobody wants it anymore), then used it yourself?

I don't know but people do it all the time when receiving large quantities of narcotics or merchandise paid for with stolen credit cards. You write "return to sender" on the parcel and leave it unopened by your front door. Sounds like a bad urban legend akin to "if you ask an undercover cop whether they're a cop, they have to tell you" but plenty of people still do it.

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