somebody is using our address

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Econberkeley
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somebody is using our address

Post by Econberkeley »

Somebody showed up at our home couple of weeks ago and told us that he lives a block away used our address by mistake. When we asked questions about his address it contradicted his hand gesture so we cut the conversation short and called the cops right away. it turns out that he went to jail in the past, but they can not do anything since there is no warrant for his arrest. Anyway, he came the next day and picked up his packages from outside of our door.

I checked the USPS informed delivery digest this morning and noticed a mail from chase in his name. This is definitely a scam, but I have never heard of address fraud before. he is using our address, not our name or social. What is this fraud about? nothing in my credit report so far by the way.
chevca
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by chevca »

He doesn't want his wife to find out what he's ordering online? :happy

I would contact USPS and tell them no mail or packages should come to your address in any other name but yours. I don't know if they can stop that or make that happen. But, that's where I would start.
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ResearchMed
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by ResearchMed »

Econberkeley wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 10:48 am Somebody showed up at our home couple of weeks ago and told us that he lives a block away used our address by mistake. When we asked questions about his address it contradicted his hand gesture so we cut the conversation short and called the cops right away. it turns out that he went to jail in the past, but they can not do anything since there is no warrant for his arrest. Anyway, he came the next day and picked up his packages from outside of our door.

I checked the USPS informed delivery digest this morning and noticed a mail from chase in his name. This is definitely a scam, but I have never heard of address fraud before. he is using our address, not our name or social. What is this fraud about? nothing in my credit report so far by the way.
Did you tell the police about the packages?
I'd be especially worried about those, as they could be misdirected to avoid responsibility for, er, contraband of whatever sort.

And he should RE-direct the mail/parcels and address listing to his OWN.
Perhaps the police can help with that request?

I'm not sure we'd want to tangle directly with an unsavory character like this.
And I'd take the parcels, and have the shipper retrieve them, and not just leave them on the porch, etc.

Doesn't sound like a good situation.
Any idea why he chose "you"?

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neurosphere
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by neurosphere »

Is he having illegal items shipped to your home? Is this credit card fraud, where illegally paid for items are shipped to your address so they can't trace it to him? I can think of a dozen possibilities, and none of them are legitimate. If you can prevent him from getting the packages, he'll have to use someone else's address. Can you put a note on the door that no packages are to be left on the doorstep?
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ResearchMed
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by ResearchMed »

chevca wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 10:55 am He doesn't want his wife to find out what he's ordering online? :happy

I would contact USPS and tell them no mail or packages should come to your address in any other name but yours. I don't know if they can stop that or make that happen. But, that's where I would start.
Actually, I'd also tell the UPSP local office that this guy apparently purposefully put your address and hasn't "fixed it", while expecting deliveries to come to you.

They may want to investigate mail fraud, etc.

I initially missed that this was USPS and not UPS or such.
But you can still put "No one of this name at this address" and return everything. Letters can just go back in a drop box.

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Rupert
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by Rupert »

Notify your local Post Master, who should notify your local Postal Inspectors. The post office has its own law enforcement division to investigate precisely this sort of thing.
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by Silk McCue »

Good suggestions can be found here.

https://www.purewow.com/home/what-to-do ... meone-else

Cheers
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Econberkeley
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by Econberkeley »

What about the chase issue? he opened some kind of account there using our addressand his name. what is this fraud about?
chevca
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by chevca »

Using just your address doesn't amount to fraud. If he was using your name or social security number, then, yes.

He's just hiding something from someone and being a pain in your rear end. There may be more to it. But, that's what the USPS would investigate to find out.

Call Chase as well to report it to them. They may check into it also.
Last edited by chevca on Wed May 16, 2018 11:22 am, edited 1 time in total.
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ResearchMed
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by ResearchMed »

Econberkeley wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 11:16 am What about the chase issue? he opened some kind of account there using our addressand his name. what is this fraud about?
Notify them, too.
AND send back the "no one of that name..."

Chances are they won't be amused, if there are charges being run up.

You want to make sure that you are right from the start making sure that it is known that it is NOT "you" who is using someone else's name at your own address, etc., but that *he* is the bad actor...

Tell all vendors that he knows he used the wrong address and is *not* fixing it, etc.
They probably know a lot more about all such scams.

Also, perhaps someone knows: IS this some sort of "mail fraud", regardless of whether other crimes are being committed in conjunction with the false address?

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Rupert
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by Rupert »

ResearchMed wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 11:22 am

Also, perhaps someone knows: IS this some sort of "mail fraud", regardless of whether other crimes are being committed in conjunction with the false address?

RM
For it to be federal mail fraud under 18 USC 1341, there would have to be "other crimes . . . being committed in conjunction with the false address." To be mail fraud, the mail system has to be used to effectuate a fraudulent scheme. In other words, if using the address isn't fraud, then using the mail isn't fraud. The federal mail fraud statute often just provides a means of federalizing an ordinary fraud offense, i.e., it creates federal jurisdiction over what may otherwise be a state crime. Of course, if the underlying fraud is bank fraud or access device (credit card) fraud, that's already a federal offense.
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Pajamas
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by Pajamas »

Econberkeley wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 11:16 am What about the chase issue? he opened some kind of account there using our addressand his name. what is this fraud about?
The fraud probably doesn't involve your finances directly at this point and he is simply using your address as a location to receive mail. Problem is now that he has bank mail coming to your address, the credit bureaus will think he lives there and could conflate your data with his. Eventually, it could lead to law enforcement busting down your door at 5 AM with weapons pointed at you.

Report it to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service immediately if you have not done so already and follow their instructions.

https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/cont ... oneus.aspx

If you don't do that then don't accept any more mail or packages and return anything delivered to the sender.
Afty
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by Afty »

I wonder if he actually lives far away and is using your address to establish residency? e.g. to register his kids for school, qualify for some resident discount, etc.
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by Flobes »

To OP, here's my advice, based on my experience when my address was used by someone unknown to me. Start keeping a journal of all the delivery incidents and all of your actions; this will be helpful when you are contacted by the authorities in the future. Notify the police and the post office. Refuse all the parcels and the mail; if you're not home, send them back. Contact each mailer / shipper as things arrive, and work your way up their foodchain until you speak with someone who has the authority to prevent reoccurrence. Do not engage with your "neighbor" in conversations. It's on you to make it stop. Just another annoyance of modern living...

Quoting myself from a 2015 post:
I was the victim of address theft.

A bill-looking envelope, from a doctor's office, came to my address to an unfamiliar name. (This is my address of 35 years.) I turned it in at the post office. And didn't put any thought to it.

Then a barrage of bills came: from doctors, surgeons, clinics, therapists, home care, hospital, insurance company, medical supplies, etc. Someone needed and received serious medical care, and he got it using my address.

I called each office to inform they'd been scammed, that name was never at this address, and that no amount of mail to me would get the bills paid. They all said, "Thank you for letting us know." Civility and courtesy all the way around.

Except the hospital, who said there would be six months of bills, and then it would go to collection. "May I speak to your supervisor, please?" This is our protocol, and it can't be changed. "May I speak to the legal department please?" Handled!

Edited to add: A man created a fake identity, including a faux drivers license with an invented name and my address. He wrote my address on all his applications and paperwork; he obviously needed medical care and got it. When it was later investigated, I was quickly cleared by police and postal inspector. "Address theft" is real.
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by Nate79 »

You might consider a locking mailbox and locking box for packages so that the "neighbor" can't come and get their items when you are not around. You could also get some security cameras and if they come onto your property again without your permission file a trespassing report with your police.
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by niceguy7376 »

Flobes wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 12:10 pm
I called each office to inform they'd been scammed, that name was never at this address, and that no amount of mail to me would get the bills paid. They all said, "Thank you for letting us know." Civility and courtesy all the way around.
Did you open the mail and then got the phone numbers to call them? If so,would that not be considered fraud?

The reason for asking is that my friend bought a home from another family nearly 3.5 years back and he said last month that they are getting mail of the previous owner's family members in the last 6 months.

After reading your post, i am thinking that the previous owners are also trying to hide their true address to cover something.
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by livesoft »

I cannot help, but thought this was 'interesting':

https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way ... his-apartm

Anyone can submit a change-of-address form to the USPS and they seem to not check out if it is legit or not.
As federal crimes go, this one seems to have been ridiculously easy to pull off.
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by Clever_Username »

If this were happening to me, I would be particularly worried about items purchased with stolen credit cards and possibly illegal materials being shipped that I could be blamed for.
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by pshonore »

Be careful what you do with strange packages.

http://www.courant.com/breaking-news/hc ... story.html
Police say a woman who threw out a package mistakenly sent to her home by the United States Postal Service, then denied receiving it, was arrested Tuesday on charges of sixth-degree larceny and interfering with police.
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by Pajamas »

pshonore wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 1:25 pm Be careful what you do with strange packages.

http://www.courant.com/breaking-news/hc ... story.html
Police say a woman who threw out a package mistakenly sent to her home by the United States Postal Service, then denied receiving it, was arrested Tuesday on charges of sixth-degree larceny and interfering with police.
The real lesson there is not to lie to the police, FBI, etc. Better not to say anything at all.
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by Rupert »

Pajamas wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 1:32 pm
pshonore wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 1:25 pm Be careful what you do with strange packages.

http://www.courant.com/breaking-news/hc ... story.html
Police say a woman who threw out a package mistakenly sent to her home by the United States Postal Service, then denied receiving it, was arrested Tuesday on charges of sixth-degree larceny and interfering with police.
The real lesson there is not to lie to the police, FBI, etc. Better not to say anything at all.
The real lesson is to not throw away real (as opposed to junk/bulk) mail addressed to other persons, even if it has your address on it. I've had clients charged with doing the same thing. The proper remedy is to write "not at this address" on the outside and return it to the mail delivery person or post office so it can be returned to the sender, who it technically still belongs to until delivered to the person named on the package. In OP's case, of course, something else is going on and additional steps should be taken.
FireAway
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by FireAway »

In addition to the other suggestions regarding reporting this to the postal inspector, I would notify him that he is NOT welcome to come onto your property and retrieve packages or mail. Doing so is trespassing and theft. You can return all of 'his' mail to the post office, and they will get it to him - surely they have his correct address and forwarding instructions by now.

If you see him on your property, report the trespass/theft to the cops.
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Pajamas
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by Pajamas »

Rupert wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 1:40 pm The real lesson is to not throw away real (as opposed to junk/bulk) mail addressed to other persons, even if it has your address on it. I've had clients charged with doing the same thing. The proper remedy is to write "not at this address" on the outside and return it to the mail delivery person or post office so it can be returned to the sender, who it technically still belongs to until delivered to the person named on the package. In OP's case, of course, something else is going on and additional steps should be taken.
This is also true but that woman would almost certainly not have been arrested if she had simply said, "It's in the garage, let me get it for you." The article even states, "(p)olice at first had no plan to press charges. . . . " She probably would not have been arrested if she had just kept her mouth shut after lying to them instead of admitting that she had lied to them.
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obafgkm
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by obafgkm »

niceguy7376 wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 12:33 pm The reason for asking is that my friend bought a home from another family nearly 3.5 years back and he said last month that they are getting mail of the previous owner's family members in the last 6 months.

After reading your post, i am thinking that the previous owners are also trying to hide their true address to cover something.
Not necessarily. A family member had an X-ray done at a hospital for a followup with a specialist at the hospital. The last time we had been there was five years earlier. We had moved during those five years. I duly updated with the receptionist our new address, paid the co-pay, had the X-ray done and met the specialist.

I thought nothing more of it until the owners of the old house finally dropped off the accumulated mail. Everything was junk, except for the X-ray bill, the second X-ray bill, and the "we're sending this to collections" notice. The hospital hadn't propagated the new address to the billing address in their system. I hadn't looked for a bill because five years earlier there was nothing to pay (same employer, same insurer, different terms).

The hospital apologized, took my payment (without any fees), and everything was fine.

Note that this was past the one-year forwarding that the US Postal Service provides, but in the same neighborhood a couple blocks away -- the letter carrier might have noticed he was delivering our names at the wrong address!
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by TravelGeek »

livesoft wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 12:36 pm I cannot help, but thought this was 'interesting':

https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way ... his-apartm

Anyone can submit a change-of-address form to the USPS and they seem to not check out if it is legit or not.
What a weird story.

I think if you submit the change of address online, there is an address verification by charging a small fee to a credit card that has the same billing address. I don't know what they could do to verify paper c-o-a forms. Perhaps require you to hand it to a human and show a photo ID with the original address? But then not everyone has a photo ID...
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Pajamas
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by Pajamas »

TravelGeek wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 3:13 pm I don't know what they could do to verify paper c-o-a forms.
You can simply put the paper form in a mailbox, they don't check ID and I doubt they verify it normally. However, it says on the form that you are certifying that you are authorized to change the address and can be fined or imprisoned for violating the law if you aren't.
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FlyAF
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by FlyAF »

Definitely shipping contraband. More and more common now that certain states have legalized certain things and others have not.
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Kenkat
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by Kenkat »

I’d also discuss this with your mail carrier just so he / she is aware there is a potential issue as well.
Last edited by Kenkat on Wed May 16, 2018 3:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
TravelGeek
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by TravelGeek »

Pajamas wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 3:21 pm You can simply put the paper form in a mailbox, they don't check ID and I doubt they verify it normally. However, it says on the form that you are certifying that you are authorized to change the address and can be fined or imprisoned for violating the law if you aren't.
They also mail you a notification/confirmation of the c-o-a to the old address, as far as I recall. So that might be a way to catch fraudulent changes. Of course, at a large company like UPS that notification probably got lost or ignored.
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teen persuasion
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by teen persuasion »

livesoft wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 12:36 pm I cannot help, but thought this was 'interesting':

https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way ... his-apartm

Anyone can submit a change-of-address form to the USPS and they seem to not check out if it is legit or not.
As federal crimes go, this one seems to have been ridiculously easy to pull off.
USPS is not very good about distinguishing exactly whose mail they are forwarding.

DS2, who goes by his middle name, put in a change of address when he moved to a new apartment during college (after seeing all the mail delivered for dozens of past residents). Suddenly, all mail in DH's name (same first name, different middle, he uses first name professionally) switched from our home 2 counties away to show up at DS2's new address. So (P.) Matthew Smith got Paul Thomas Smith's mail, redirected from 50 miles away. :confused
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BrooklynInvest
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by BrooklynInvest »

Could be related to credit card fraud.

The mailing addresses fraudsters use to get their stuff are tracked by credit card companies and shared. They need new addresses so might use someone else's for a while. Doubt there's any liability per se but not ideal to have these folks mulling around. Good luck,
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ResearchMed
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by ResearchMed »

BrooklynInvest wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 10:02 pm Could be related to credit card fraud.

The mailing addresses fraudsters use to get their stuff are tracked by credit card companies and shared. They need new addresses so might use someone else's for a while. Doubt there's any liability per se but not ideal to have these folks mulling around. Good luck,
It's something like this, or contraband in those packages, that are why you want to report carefully to the police and also to the USPS (or any other delivery service that might be used in the future).

If this guy also has any record of violence (police may not be able to tell you of anything not in the public record), you might ask them to keep an extra eye on your house... occasional/extra drive-by's, etc.
And I'd phrase it including something along those lines, such as "... and even if there's no public record, but you think this guy might cause us trouble, could you keep an extra eye on our house..."

I'd also make sure I had a good alarm system, for when home and not.
Better safe than sorry.

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Doom&Gloom
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by Doom&Gloom »

I think I would make a point to beat this bum to my mail every day. Then I would mark "his" mail with "no such person at this address," return it to the local post office and tell them what is going on. I would also let him know that I consider him to be trespassing on my property and possibly trying to steal my mail. I would not let that sound non-threatening.

I would guess that would take care of it for me. I realize it might be hard to beat him to the mailbox, but I would make that effort.

edit: If I didn't think I could beat him to my mail every day, I might consider having my mail held for a few days off and on for a while so that I could pick it up at the post office. I could do the notification right then and there with little risk that the bum could receive "his" stuff.
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by longleaf »

This sounds like social engineering. He reports to the online seller that he never received the item and they refund him. He then proceeds to sell the stolen item and it goes on and on with you potentially being liable (at least until all parties realize what's going on).

The cops could be involved eventually. Your best bet is to just make reports so that if the constable does come there is some evidence pointing to the true thief.
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by jumppilot »

Doom&Gloom wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 10:36 pm I might consider having my mail held for a few days off and on for a while so that I could pick it up at the post office. I could do the notification right then and there with little risk that the bum could receive "his" stuff.

That's what I would do. I would have the post office hold my mail for a few weeks when I went on vacation. Easy to do. Then you can monitor for any suspicious mail.

I'd then set up a Nest Cam or something similar to catch this person trespassing on my property.
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by mouses »

I would also have mail held for awhile.

UPS and FedEx have a feature where they will email you of packages coming to your address, regardless of the name addressed to. I also have the USPS Informed delivery, but I forget off the top of my head whether the website part includes package information.

I would also write a letter to the postmaster/postmistress of the local post office that delivers your mail. Letter carriers can vary, so the letter alerts at the appropriate point in the food chain.

I suspect all sorts of fraud is going on here, shipping of drugs, credit card fraud, etc. Also it is a real concern that this will bolix up your credit rating. My former sister-in-law never lived at my address but my brother did. Former sister-in-law did not pay bills, her stuff showed up on my credit report as we have similar names and the credit bureaus pay a lot of attention to addresses. It was easy to fix as the Social Security numbers did not match, but I had to check the reports often and there were periods of time when her stuff was on there.
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by Grt2bOutdoors »

Rupert wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 11:05 am Notify your local Post Master, who should notify your local Postal Inspectors. The post office has its own law enforcement division to investigate precisely this sort of thing.
+1. Exactly. Postal fraud is serious business, people go to jail for those kind of offenses. Look up Postmaster General.
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by Jags4186 »

Grt2bOutdoors wrote: Thu May 17, 2018 7:43 am
Rupert wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 11:05 am Notify your local Post Master, who should notify your local Postal Inspectors. The post office has its own law enforcement division to investigate precisely this sort of thing.
+1. Exactly. Postal fraud is serious business, people go to jail for those kind of offenses. Look up Postmaster General.
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Chris K Jones
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by Chris K Jones »

I know someone who lived in a home with other people. They all worked during the day. An acquaintance of one of them was having packages delivered to their house during the day and would pick them up before anyone came home. The packages contained drugs. My friend learned of this when a large squad of police/DEA descended on the house thinking it was a huge drug distribution network.
criticalmass
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by criticalmass »

It's likely a scam based on what you posted, but it's hard to figure out which scam it is unless you get a package before he does. The suggestion to hold mail is a good one, although will impact with delivery of your own mail in a timely manner. Be sure to sign up for Informed Delivery if it is available to you, at least then you have a clue what letters are arriving for you (or someone else). You might also request your letter carrier (in person or online) to hold all packages at the post office without impacting your own letters.

I wouldn't ignore it. Otherwise, you may find yourself receiving a big bill for unpaid tobacco/cigarette taxes, or stolen goods delivery, or packages purchased with a fraudulent credit card, or shipments from undocumented pharmacists. Perhaps that could be straightened out someday, but who needs the hassle?
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by Laren »

I would definitely have your mail held at the post office for a couple of weeks at least, or until the mail and packages for this guy stop coming. You can pick up your mail every day if you want but continue the hold. If you cut him off from receiving his packages, then I would think he'd move on. I'd also let the postmaster know why you're holding your mail - maybe they're familiar with what the scam might be and could provide some information, as well as guidance on what to do with the misdirected packages and mail.

If the situation persists, since you've already contacted the police, I might call them again and ask them what might be going on and if there are additional things you should be doing to protect yourself. I'd also ask the police if they would like to take possession of this guy's misdirected packages, or what they would like you do with them.
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by Katietsu »

If this is a criminal who has been to jail, then I think it could be imprudent to become adversarial.

I would speak with police and post office for advice before doing anything. I would also put up very visible security cameras.

You do not want to trade a small problem for a serious one.
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by sailfish2 »

Clever_Username wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 1:13 pm If this were happening to me, I would be particularly worried about items purchased with stolen credit cards and possibly illegal materials being shipped that I could be blamed for.
The first thing I thought of was that he is shopping online on the Dark Web. :shock:
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Re: somebody is using our address

Post by TravelGeek »

mouses wrote: Thu May 17, 2018 7:11 am UPS and FedEx have a feature where they will email you of packages coming to your address, regardless of the name addressed to. I also have the USPS Informed delivery, but I forget off the top of my head whether the website part includes package information.
Yes, for me at least the Informed Delivery emails show inbound packages at the bottom (no photo, though).
inbox788
Posts: 8372
Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2012 5:24 pm

Re: somebody is using our address

Post by inbox788 »

Econberkeley wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 10:48 am Somebody showed up at our home couple of weeks ago and told us that he lives a block away used our address by mistake. When we asked questions about his address it contradicted his hand gesture so we cut the conversation short and called the cops right away. it turns out that he went to jail in the past, but they can not do anything since there is no warrant for his arrest. Anyway, he came the next day and picked up his packages from outside of our door.

I checked the USPS informed delivery digest this morning and noticed a mail from chase in his name. This is definitely a scam, but I have never heard of address fraud before. he is using our address, not our name or social. What is this fraud about? nothing in my credit report so far by the way.
How did you or the cops identify this person? Did you check ID? Did the cops talk to him? Does he really live a block away or around the neighborhood? Were you there when he picked up his packages? How do you know and did he just take them?

Is the mistake likely? Same number St. vs. Dr. Or same street, with single digit error or numbers transposed? Seems like it's totally different, which would be highly suspicious.

If this is a scam, and your address is the fake address (drop point), it's likely the name and identifications are fake also and someone else's identity is being stolen. The home a block away can be fake or empty too for all we know.

Cape Coral Teen Sends Marijuana to Neighbor's House
https://www.fox4now.com/news/local-news ... bors-house
gretah
Posts: 244
Joined: Wed Apr 20, 2016 11:14 pm

Re: somebody is using our address

Post by gretah »

When my friend (MF) was living temporarily in a boarding house, he noticed one of the other tenants going down the street every day to get mail from the box at someone else's house.

Then MF noticed he couldn't access CraigsList. He contacted the company and learned the building ISP was labeled as a source of scam posts.

So MF did some online searching and learned the tenant had been living in another state where he was convicted of conning donations from people on behalf of a charity that didn't exist. There were newspaper articles with photos.

MF contacted the landlord who told the tenant he would not renew the monthly rental agreement. Luckily for MF, tenant moved out of town right away.
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