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I'm running into an issue where a previous tenant is still providing my rental address as if he still lived there.
The unit is currently empty, so I routinely stop by and clear all the mail that accumulates by the door.
What I'm finding is a ton of his unpaid bills, a TON of parking ticket violations, cellphone service, magazine subscriptions he signed up AFTER moving out, ect.
The reason why I want to check with you guys is because this shady character opens credit cards, cellphone services and utilities under different names, and the bills and collection letters arrive at my rental.
I believe that little to no trouble can come from this on my end (Im the LL) but it still pisses me off.
Anything specific I should be doing??
Currently I write "WRONG ADDRESS" on the envelope and give it back to the mailman.
I like to avoid trouble by generally planing for the worst while expecting the best. Its the main reason why I didn't renew these people's lease. Also, this is reason why I want to pick your brains regarding this issue.
EDIT: Shady 30y/o character lived with mommy, whom I rented to. She checked out and always paid on time. Its the only reason why a character of this caliber could ever move into one of my properties.
If you KNOW he's using false or other people's identities to open lines of credit, etc. you should make a police report and let the police deal with him. How would you know what he's doing if you aren't opening his mail?
If you KNOW he's using false or other people's identities to open lines of credit, etc. you should make a police report and let the police deal with him. How would you know what he's doing if you aren't opening his mail?
I would never open mail that doesnt belong to me. That's a big no-no. I don't even open my wife's mail.
I caught on to his schemes pretty early, because
1) I overheard him bragging to his buddies about it on numerous occasions.
2) His little daughter ratted him out innocently.
3) He is not even smart enough to use full fake names. They are all variations on his own name. Or his name with his mother's maiden's last name. His driver's license goes by his father's last name. Even a dummy could figure this stuff out.
I kept getting tax collection bills, credit card bills, etc, of the previous tenant when I bought my house. I sent them back with "Return to Sender - person doesn't live here" for about one year, but still kept getting them. I found the previous tenant's address on those websites where you can find info on people, like pipl.com or spokeo.com. I started sending them back with "Return to Sender" on the front. On the back, I'd write "Person doesn't live here anymore. Check tax database to confirm new owner. Found previous tenant address on pipl.com".
After two months of that, I stopped getting their bills.
I would never open mail that doesnt belong to me. That's a big no-no. I don't even open my wife's mail.
I caught on to his schemes pretty early, because
1) I overheard him bragging to his buddies about it on numerous occasions.
2) His little daughter ratted him out innocently.
3) He is not even smart enough to use full fake names. They are all variations on his own name. Or his name with his mother's maiden's last name. His driver's license goes by his father's last name. Even a dummy could figure this stuff out.
Ok, so if you know he's committing fraud, file a police report and let them deal with him.
DO NOT OPEN ANY MAIL. Write on the envelopes of all incoming mail, "no longer here" and return to the PO. It may take a couple of months for the USPS mail to stop coming but return it as stated. Under no circumstances open any of the mail.
Call the US Postal Inspectors hotline 1-877 876-2455 (option 3 if its about false identities, option 4 if its about using the mail for fraud). Explain in unemotional facts of what is happening. Let them handle it from there. Call ASAP because they may want you to save the mail for them, so don't send back eveidence they can use.
Last edited by PacificFlights; 05-04-2011 at 01:35 PM..
Call the US Postal Inspectors hotline 1-877 876-2455 (option 3 if its about false identities, option 4 if its about using the mail for fraud). Explain in unemotional facts of what is happening. Let them handle it from there. Call ASAP because they may want you to save the mail for them, so don't send back eveidence they can use.
I was going to say this as well...and please give us an update.
Call the postal inspectors as suggested. As a LL, when tenants move and mail contiues to arrive I just mark return to sender and mail it. It stops after a while. In your case it sounds like he is using an old address to commit fraud with credit cards and cell phones. Report it. You could also mark the inside of the mailbox with the current tenants name. If vacant, mark the box as vacant.
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