How often does the post man mis-deliver the mail? How often have you been audited?

[The Backlash Cometh]

Maybe for the number of years I've lived here, it's not so much, but, sometimes it's not the number, but the kind of mail that mysteriously gets improperly delivered.

For example, in Florida, when someone gets a DUI, they get bombarded with solicitations from lawyers who want to represent them. Generally, you would assume this was an embarrassing moment that a neighbor wouldn't want anyone else to learn about, but the solicitation is a tell-tale sign and it is such standard procedure that many lawyers send postcards. Well, I received one of those postcards which was addressed to my neighbor. Doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out he had a DUI, especially since it didn't seem to be doing too much driving for a few weeks. I always wondered if this was a tip-off from the mailman.

Usually, it's me who gets the injury. Like sensitive letters that show signs that they've been opened. Once, it was a response from a State Agency (though I've learned a long time ago that they're not advocates for the public -- so it's not like it mattered, anyway.) And another was a mortgage payment for a rental. Certainly, it would have given someone a glimpse of our financial situation. Around here, people think that every decision you make is based on the almighty dollar. Looking at the backgrounds of some of the people that were suckered into following this city's wayward code of ethics, you generally find a financial hard luck case. Makes them more pliable to seeing things differently, than when they first moved in. Glad to say, we're not that vulnerable, yet, and I don't intend to get that vulnerable.

I would say that, especially in years where I'm most politically active, my mail gets opened at least annually. We've also been the subject of three IRS audits, even though we are Joe nothings, as far as the political spectrum goes.

Has anyone who has been a thorn at the side of City Hall, or fighting other political cronies in the area experienced similar peculiarities?

[ingac70]

1. I got audited by the IRS back in 1996....

I made less than $10,000 a year at the time.

[The Backlash Cometh]

6. If the IRS were run like a business, you would think they would go

where the money is.

[zonkers]

2. Get a P.O. Box. And try and get off junk mail lists. Many times, you can. As

far as fighting city hall goes... go for it if you're feeling it!

[Brickbat]

3. Never. And I've rocked plenty of boats.

Not only that, we've gotten letters from the IRS saying our rebate wasn't big enough, and here's another check for you.

[The Backlash Cometh]

7. What state do you live in?

[Brickbat]

9. MN.

Granted, things work better here.

[Brickbat]

8. Whoops, edit.

[sandnsea]

4. I think you have a nosy mailman

and should probably report the next opened envelope to the postmaster.

[The Backlash Cometh]

10. I did report the open letter, and even went as far as finding out the

name of the person who delivered the mail. In another case, a neighbor confessed he had opened the mail. I'm willing to let it go if it never happens again. But, somehow, my luck doesn't seem to go in that direction. Something else is bound to occur.

[pipi_k]

5. Actually my mail person is pretty indiscriminate in the types of mail she misdelivers

I don't worry too much about what other people might find out about me because, quite frankly, I'm rather boring.

What I do worry about is misdelivered mail not being returned to me, especially things I've bought.

Whenever I get stuff addressed to one of my neighbors, I always stick it back out in the box with a note. I don't know if I can depend on my neighbors to do the same.

I'm keeping track of what and when she screws up, but I don't think there's much that can be done about it. What sucks is that she's the replacement for the mail lady we had for 13 years before she retired last year. The other one hardly ever misdelivered mail.

[The Backlash Cometh]

12. I feel like my rights have been violated so often that I've become numb

However, if anything is an outlet, it would be posting on this newsgroup. A primal scream of sorts.

[supernova]

11. I sometimes get my neighbor's mail

they are the next mailbox up from me. I just walk over and put it in their box. No biggie. This is a rural route and I rarely get mail for someone farther away on this route. It's been years since that happened. If I do, I just stick it back in the box with a "wrong mailbox" written in red on it and leave the flag up.

Never been audited. *Knock wood*

[The Backlash Cometh]

13. I've received "wrong mail" at least three times. My husband,

maybe twice.Because of our experiences, I've learned to look at the mailing address before opening to avoid "accidents". I usually do walk it to the mailbox, but I don't call ahead. Once you've figured out someone's character and realize they're not "good people," you just learn to block them out.