# Postage warfare?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/postage-warfare/307106
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [June 6, 2005, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/postage-warfare/307106 "2005-06-06T09:34:52Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Habibi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Habibi)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2005, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/postage-warfare/307106/1 "2005-06-06T09:34:52Z")
Ive heard that you can put the mailing address in the return slot at well as the mailing spot and then leave the envelope stampless. Then, when the post office went to return it, they would send it to where you wanted it to go. I heard awhile back that Citibank was doing this with some of its prepaid envelopes, but not sure if thats true. Has anyone ever tried this to see if it actually works?
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### Author:  [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2005, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/postage-warfare/307106/2 "2005-06-06T15:31:01Z")
I am almost positive that this is mail fraud. It’s definitely illegal.
Haj
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### Author:  [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2005, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/postage-warfare/307106/3 "2005-06-06T15:32:31Z")
A friend once sent me a letter that way and I received it. Friend was too cheap to buy the right number of stamps so I got the letter, but with “INSUFFICENT POSTAGE” stamped on it.
In my case, the postman personally delivered it to our door while I was out (normal letters just get dropped in the mailbox). Luckily, the person who received it didn’t speak English. I don’t know what would’ve happened if the postman actually caught somebody he could communicate with. A lecture? A fine? Dunno, lol.
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### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2005, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/postage-warfare/307106/4 "2005-06-06T15:38:48Z")
Most of the time, any mail like that gets kicked to the dead letter box, where they open it and return it to whoever sent it. Not really a good idea.
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### Author:  [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2005, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/postage-warfare/307106/5 "2005-06-06T15:40:19Z")
For insufficient postage they make the recipient pay the difference.
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### Author:  [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2005, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/postage-warfare/307106/6 "2005-06-06T15:42:13Z")
> [@silenus](#):
>
> Most of the time, any mail like that gets kicked to the dead letter box, where they open it and return it to whoever sent it. Not really a good idea.
But how do they know who sent it if the only address anywhere on the envelope or inside is the recipient’s?
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### Author:  [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2005, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/postage-warfare/307106/7 "2005-06-06T15:49:14Z")
Many of my monthly bills have envelopes with the return address = delivery address. I take that as invitation to defraud the USPS. I won’t join in their conspiracy, I put my own address label over their return address and stamp the envelope. I’m hard pressed to think of a legitimate reason for a corporation to put their own address in the return address position.
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### Author:  [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2005, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/postage-warfare/307106/8 "2005-06-06T15:50:43Z")
Hmm, just noticed that this thread was [double-posted](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=319956).
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### Author:  [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2005, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/postage-warfare/307106/9 "2005-06-06T22:54:44Z")
> [@Reply](#):
>
> Hmm, just noticed that this thread was [double-posted](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=319956).
And closed for a very good reason in MPSIMS.
**Habibi** , as you were told by **Cajun Man** in the other thread, we will not aid you or anyone in circumventing the law.
Do not start a thread of this nature again.
Also, do not cross-post again.
Czarcasm