How to Find Who Is the Sender of Mail

Most people decide to read their mail based on the person that sent it.

The reason that an envelope is so big is because it holds a lot of valuable information on it. Besides the correct amount of postage, an envelope cannot travel through the mail without the recipient's name and address. The upper left hand corner of the envelope is reserved for the sender's name and address. The sender information allows the person receiving the mail to immediately know where the mail originated. It is not required by law to post this information on an envelope and some large companies do not for fear that the recipient will not open it.

Instructions

1. Look in the upper left hand corner of the envelope that contained your mail. There should be a name and an address.

2. Look on the back of the envelope for a return address. Some people and companies place the return address on the back flap of the envelope.

3. Open the envelope if there is no name and address on the outside of the mail. This is not required by law; therefore, many places, like bill collectors and advertisers, will not include an outside address to increase the chance that the recipient will open the mail.

4. Examine the mail. In most cases, depending on the type of mail, you can tell whom it is from based on the information contained within. Look at the top for a letterhead as well as a signature at the bottom of the piece of mail.

Tips & Warnings

• The United States Postal Service uses the return address on an envelope to return mail to the sender when the mail is undeliverable.

• If there is no name or address attached to the piece of mail and the contents is of a threatening nature, take it to the police immediately.

References

• USPS: Addressing Tips & Tools