Is it legal to keep a package delivered to me by mistake in New Hampshire?

So, you got a package in the mail that you weren’t expecting. Maybe it’s addressed to you. Maybe it’s for a previous resident of your home. Or maybe it’s addressed to someone else entirely.

Before you open it, you should double-check who the package is intended for.

If it’s addressed to you, you can open it and possibly even keep the contents, according to New Hampshire state law. However, it could be the product of a “brushing scam.”

If the package isn’t meant for you, you should keep it closed and return it, as federal laws prohibit taking mail intended for someone else, according to the U.S. Postal Service.

Here’s what to know if you receive an unexpected package or a parcel delivered to you by mistake.

What to do with a package that was delivered to your house by mistake

If you receive a package addressed to a previous resident or someone else at your mailing address, don’t open it. You should leave it in a mail collection box or post office marked with the words “Not at this address,” according to the U.S. Postal Service.

If the package is addressed and delivered to the wrong person and location altogether, do not open it and do not write anything on it, USPS said. Just put the item back in the mailbox or give it to a mail delivery person.

According to federal law (18 U.S. Code Section 1702, Obstruction of correspondence), it is a crime to take, open, secrete, embezzle, or destroy a letter, postal card, or package before it has been delivered to the person to whom it was meant – with the intent to obstruct the correspondence or to “pry into the business or secrets of another.” Violators could be fined or imprisoned, the law said.

This is also covered under 18 U.S. Code Section 1708, Theft or receipt of stolen mail matter generally.

If the package is from Amazon or another online retailer, you can contact customer support to determine the best course of action. Sometimes, the company will tell you that you can keep the item and that a replacement will be sent to the intended recipient.

What if the package is addressed to you?

Receiving an unexpected package in the mail that’s addressed to you could signal an issue if it’s not from a friend or relative, according to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

You could be the victim of a brushing scam, which involves a seller sending an unsolicited product to a person’s address, usually to post fake online reviews in their name to boost the product’s ratings and overall sales, the USPIS said.

If you see a return address from a third-party seller (like Amazon or another business), you should notify the retailer and check your account for recent orders, according to the Better Business Bureau.

You can ask the company to remove any fake reviews under your name and report the activity to the BBB’s Scam Tracker. You can also file a complaint with the New Hampshire Consumer Protection & Antitrust Bureau.

To protect your personal information after a brushing scam, you should change your passwords and keep an eye on credit card bills, according to the USPIS.

Can you keep a package addressed to you that you did not order?

Federal guidance from the Federal Trade Commission states that if you receive a package addressed to you that you did not order or request, you can consider it a gift and are generally not required to pay for it.

According to the New Hampshire Revised Statutes, Title XXXI, Chapter 339, Section 339:2‑a, such recipients can keep the goods, and they have no legal obligation to the sender.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald. Reporting by Bailey Allen