Federal law makes it strictly illegal to steal someone’s mail, with a penalty of up to five years in prison, while North Carolina passed a bill in 2025 that further defines mail theft as a punishable offense.
But what happens if a package shows up to your home that isn’t yours?
A 2021 study from the U.S. Postal Service found that only 0.15% of “First Class” letters were misrouted — but this amounted to almost 73 million pieces of mail in a roughly 7-month period. And that’s for USPS First Class mail alone. While misrouted mail might be somewhat rare, it certainly happens.
“In North Carolina, the crime can range from a misdemeanor to a felony based on the value of the mail. If you’re aware that a package has been misdelivered to your address, you don’t want to hold onto it.”
Is keeping a package meant for someone else a crime in North Carolina?
First and foremost, federal law says that taking someone else’s mail is a felony, punishable with up to 5 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
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In North Carolina, the crime can range from a misdemeanor to a felony based on the value of the mail. If you’re aware that a package has been misdelivered to your address, you don’t want to hold onto it.
What should I do if I receive a package addressed to someone else?
- Don’t open the package, which could make it harder to return.
- Check the intended address. You might see it was supposed to go to a neighbor and could decide to deliver it yourself.
- Otherwise, you can contact the service it shipped through and ask them to pick it up. Contact information is usually on the shipping label or the carrier’s website.
Can I keep a package addressed to me that I did not order?
If you receive a package that is addressed for you, but you didn’t order it, you have the right to keep it without paying for it. The Federal Trade Commission says when a company sends you something you didn’t order that is addressed to you, they can’t later demand you return the item or pay for it.
What is brushing?
According to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, an unexpected package showing up at your door could be part of a scam known as brushing.
Brushing is where someone ships an item to a person that did not actually order it as part of a scam to improve the seller’s rating in a platform such as Amazon. This person (or collaborators) will then leave fake reviews on the selling platform, often in the name of the person the package was sent to.
These kinds of scams can be reported to the FBI. Amazon also has a way to report them.
Reporting by Charlie Kingree, Wilmington StarNews / Wilmington StarNews
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
