New tenant opened my mail (which contained sensitive data)

GlobalSun · 08-11-2021 3:46pm #1

Hi all,

Yesterday, I received an message on social media from a a new tenant in my former apartment who said they received a letter for me. I didn't think much of it. I thanked them for reaching out and asked them to drop it at the concierge so I could come and collect it.

I went to collect the letter today and the concierge seemed a bit uncomfortable. Then he said: "someone has opened the letter, but I was told you knew about it". I said that I knew about the fact that the letter was received at this address, but I was never advised it was opened by the current tenants. It should have never been opened as it is an offense to open someone's mail and in addition to this, this mail contains very sensitive financial data.

Needless to say, I am pretty annoyed. I had the reflex to block the card as soon as I realized the bank had sent it to the wrong address, but I am still annoyed at the tenant's initiative to open someone's mail then claiming I was aware it was opened. The poor concierge saw how annoyed I was as I just took the letter and left.

Now, I'm pretty sure I will not have any mail routed there as my address has finally been amended in the bank's systems, but I wonder if I should escalate this issue. Should this be escalated to their landlord or management company? I really don't want to let it slide.

Thanks.

irelandrover · 08-11-2021 3:52pm

How long ago was the letter sent? normally a new pin takes a few days in my experience.

I also open letters that are delivered to my house without checking the name. its happened that its a letter than was not me for. It wasn't done out of any spite, I just opened letters that were delivered to my house.

If it was me id let it go, make sure that my address is changed with all companies and wait for my new bank card. If they had any bad intentions i doubt that they would have gone out of their way to make sure that you got the new card.

Also id say if you do report them then you can be sure that any mail they receive for you in the future will going straight in the bin.

houseyhouse · 08-11-2021 3:53pm

Could it be a mistake? I can easily imagine opening a stack of letters without looking at the front of each one carefully. I can see why you’re annoyed but I don’t think there’s much you can really do about it. I don’t believe it’s illegal to accidentally open somebody else’s post when it comes to your house and it would be impossible to prove any ill intent.

JimmyVik · 08-11-2021 3:56pm

I have often opened letters that arrived at our house and then realized they were for a neighbor.

I also dug into a tesco shopping delivery that it turned out was for next door.

Easily done.

Topgear on Dave · 08-11-2021 3:58pm

Change the address on your bank account and move on with life.

It's not worth the hassle.

cruizer101 · 08-11-2021 3:58pm

I'd say it was just a mistake, if they wanted to scam you they could have just not told about it at all and kept the card

GlobalSun · 08-11-2021 3:59pm

Apologies, but I have a hard time believing someone would open a letter without checking the name on the envelope. It's the first thing you see when you pull it out of the mailbox.

I did change my address with every single company / provider etr, but for some reason, the organization used a prior address.

The letter was mailed Oct. 8th from overseas. It takes about 10 days to make it to Ireland and the tenant contacted me yesterday.

I'd rather my mail go straight to the bin then have my privacy breached like this.

The Nal · 08-11-2021 3:59pm

Easily done. I ended up in my scratcher with a brasser before but turned out she was ordered for next door.

Let it go.

marieholmfan · 08-11-2021 4:03pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118136764#Comment_118136764

What remedy do you imagine you can get?

Are you the owner of the apartment in question?

elperello · 08-11-2021 4:05pm

It is possible to open letters by mistake but the tenant didn't tell the OP that was what happened.

Furthermore the tenant misrepresented what happened to the concierge by saying the OP had been informed.

As for escalating it, if the card was not used it's probably going to be difficult to prove wrong doing.

Mrs OBumble · 08-11-2021 4:10pm

You couldn't be bothered getting a redirection set up with An Post.

And now you want to make someone's life difficult because they opened a letter which was delivered to their house ?

Karma is a bitch.

crossman47 · 08-11-2021 4:12pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118136764#Comment_118136764

I've opened mail that wrongly came to my house. There were a few letters and I opened each. It was only then I realised one was not for me.

bucketybuck · 08-11-2021 4:14pm

The diabolical case of the man who nefariously opened a letter and then contacted the owner to make sure they knew about it...

At least its better than opening your mail, picking through it and then dumping it in the bin.

My 50 cent bet is that they did it by accident, and yes that does happen, even if you yourself could never see yourself doing it.

Even if they didn't, what exactly do you think can be done about it? A big fine for opening your mail despite the fact that you could not prove in court that it was them that opened it?

Charles Babbage · 08-11-2021 4:19pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118136798#Comment_118136798

The tenant clearly contacted the OP, informing them that there was a letter. There was no misrepresentation, I expect the message did not say whether it was opened or not. Now you might think that the tenant should have provided that information, but he or she is not the OP's secretary.

Either tbe bank was at fault for not using the current address or the OP was at fault for not notifying them given that a new card was due.

GlobalSun · 08-11-2021 4:20pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118136844#Comment_118136844

I can provide it since the concierge is the first one that noticed it. It was vehicled through a third party before reaching me.

GlobalSun · 08-11-2021 4:22pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118136824#Comment_118136824

I think you don't know what Karma is LOL. Don't use new age terminology you don't understand big boy.

This has nothing to do with Karma.

Karma isn't punishing me because I did a redirection only for 6 months until I made sure all of my providers were advised of my new address. The fact that a provider used a prior address is not my fault in any way shape or form.

irelandrover · 08-11-2021 4:27pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118136869#Comment_118136869

It was vehicled through a third party that you asked it to be vehicled through. What exactly do you want to happen?

The law is "A person commits an offence if, intending to act to a person's detriment and without reasonable excuse, he opens a postal packet which he knows or reasonably suspects has been incorrectly delivered to him." It would be very difficult to prove the tenant did that, since it was delivered to their house and they contacted you to make sure you got the letter.

08-11-2021 4:27pm

He opened it by mistake but felt guilty enough to at least try to get it into your hands. He told a little lie in the process. That's how I see it.

I'd have thrown it into the bin and saved myself the hassle.

This thread is a lesson why you should never help anyone.

08-11-2021 4:31pm

None of this happened.

cruizer101 · 08-11-2021 4:38pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118136869#Comment_118136869

How do you know the concierge didn't open it? Its a he said she said situation.

I don't know what you hope to achieve

bucketybuck · 08-11-2021 4:46pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118136869#Comment_118136869

You consider that proof?

I'm the tenant, I say that it was opened when I got it, how do you prove me wrong?

Or, I'm the tenant, and I say it was still closed when I gave it to the concierge, how do you prove me wrong?

Fact is that you have no proof, just a bunch of supposition.

And remember, the guy you want to call a dirty liar actually can prove something, he can prove that he went out of his way to help you.

GlobalSun · 08-11-2021 4:50pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118136985#Comment_118136985

There are three people living in that apartment. It's a share occupied by brand new tenants. I'm not saying the guy who reach out is 100% the one who opened it. It could be one of the other two new tenants. He probably felt bad someone tossed it and decided to reach out. All I'm saying, someone living there opened it. It's 100% not the concierge as right after I moved out, a couple of my mails were dropped there and were intact when I picked them up.

Garibaldi? · 08-11-2021 4:50pm

if a letter is delivered to the wrong address anybody at that address could have opened it. That includes visitors. It could have been opened before it came through the letterbox in the first place,Obviously if a person receives a letter addressed to another they get it to the person as promptly as possible. However, the person might be away from home, and others may have been in the property, You can never say for cerain who opened your letter so it's best to forget about it. If mail is not registered this can happen.

.42. · 08-11-2021 4:57pm

Overreacting.

Flinty997 · 08-11-2021 5:00pm

I think you have no chance of proving it was opened deliberately.

But you could complain to the bank who sent it to the wrong address.

bucketybuck · 08-11-2021 5:06pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118137006#Comment_118137006

That is not proof that the concierge did not open it.

Regardless, you admit that you cannot be sure that the tenant opened it which was the original point, and which begs the important question in all of this, just what do you think is going to happen here?

You cant prove anything, you can't do anything, thats pretty much all there is to it.

whippet · 08-11-2021 5:15pm

OP - what is the outcome that you want here?

Be realistic .... firstly you can't be sure who even opened it, secondly you'll have absolutely no way to prove who did (unless they admit it) and thirdly - it has nothing to do with the landlord, management company or anyone one else. It is between you and the person who opened it.

So ... just chalk it up to experience

08-11-2021 5:27pm

I wouldn't be blaming the tenant without any evidence. It could have been the concierge for all you know.

From what you said here I would be more suspicious of the concierge than the tenant. You said that he looked uncomfortable and it was his words that told the story of you being aware of it.

GlobalSun · 08-11-2021 5:28pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118137084#Comment_118137084

I don't know why you particularly want to blame the concierge for this. I lived there for four years and not once was my mail opened even when dropped at the concierge.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118137056#Comment_118137056

I've already done this.

How do I know it was the tenants:

The tenant specifically stated the name of the bank that sent the card when they messaged me. The name of the bank is nowhere on the envelope. How would they know a) it is coming from this specific bank b) it is a bank card? It could be any type of card if the bank name is nowhere on the envelope.

08-11-2021 5:30pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118137176#Comment_118137176

The difference being you don't live there anymore.

Doop · 08-11-2021 5:30pm

There is nobody to escalate this to who will care...

New tenant opened my mail (which contained sensitive data)

Comments