# Illegal to mail a package with deliberately wrong return address? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 8, 2016, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-to-mail-a-package-with-deliberately-wrong-return-address/771043 "2016-11-08T03:28:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![moodman1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@moodman1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moodman1)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-to-mail-a-package-with-deliberately-wrong-return-address/771043/1 "2016-11-08T03:28:52Z")
I’ve written a book about someone I was in a relationship with several years ago. It’s not a very complimentary book about this person but it’s not a hit job either. I simply relate events as they occurred. This person is now a celebrated person in her niche little community and admittedly I’m not very fond of this person. I want to mail a copy of the book to a few of her friends with her return address on the package instead of mine. I’d probably put a Post-it note on the actual book that said “Someone has written a book about me! Enjoy!” Granted, it wouldn’t be the nicest thing I’ve ever done. People do deserve to understand who the person actually is. But would sending this book from her local post office with her return address constitute mail fraud? Please advise. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-to-mail-a-package-with-deliberately-wrong-return-address/771043/2 "2016-11-08T03:47:32Z")
I don’t know, but it would be a douchey move. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-to-mail-a-package-with-deliberately-wrong-return-address/771043/3 "2016-11-08T03:50:24Z")
> [@susan](#): > > I don’t know, but it would be a douchey move. A _slightly less_ douchey move would be to leave the return address blank. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-to-mail-a-package-with-deliberately-wrong-return-address/771043/4 "2016-11-08T03:52:24Z")
> [@susan](#): > > I don’t know, but it would be a douchey move. This x1,000 Are these friends of hers your friends also? If not, why do you care that they are her friends and like her, even if you don’t? MOVE ON! (“not a hit job” … yeah right) :smack: ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-to-mail-a-package-with-deliberately-wrong-return-address/771043/5 "2016-11-08T04:21:51Z")
I am not a lawyer, but here’s some advice from actual lawyers: [https://www.avvo.com/legal-answers/is-it-illegal-to-put-a-different-mailing-address-o-542883.html](https://www.avvo.com/legal-answers/is-it-illegal-to-put-a-different-mailing-address-o-542883.html) It seems to me that long as no actual deceit is intended, you would be fine in putting a return address other than your own on the package. However you seem to want people to believe the subject of your book sent it to the recipient. This to me does seem to constitute fraud. Again, I am not a lawyer, I pulled this opinion out of my ass, but I agree with everyone else that it’s a dick move. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-to-mail-a-package-with-deliberately-wrong-return-address/771043/6 "2016-11-08T04:25:48Z")
The purpose of General Questions is to get factual questions answered, not to help people be jerks. This is closed. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illegal-to-mail-a-package-with-deliberately-wrong-return-address/771043/7 "2016-11-08T04:25:48Z")
**Moderator Action** Since this involves legal opinions, let’s move it to IMHO (from GQ).