I got a letter in the mail, not addressed to me. How do I know if the name is wrong or the address is wrong?

The name is not even close, totally different. First AND last name. But it's my address so it must be for me. But it's not my name so it must be wrong. The sender is a business I deal with so it could be mine, but then again it MAY not be, cuz the name is wrong. Or the name could be right, but it's just not MY name. But the address is mine, cuz it's correct. But it could be wrong because the name is right.... you get the point, Should I open it?

If your name isn't the one at the top, it's not yours...and it's illegal to mess with other peoples mail.

If you don't recognize the sender, put "not here" on the envelope and put it back in the mail.

Do not open it. If you purposely open other peoples mail, it is illegal and you could be fined. Call the company that sent it, and ask them.

I would contact the company to question what has happened, since it is a company you do business with. That way they will know, if they were trying to send something to the person to whom the letter was addressed, they cannot contact that person at your address, and they can correct an error if they've got your name completely wrong. If it is some type of business communication and not just blanket advertising, they should know to whom they were trying to send the letter.

The way that I see it, is if a Federal Employee of the Government is delivering an item to me, then it must be mine. I say open it.

If a letter is addressed to 'Consumer' or 'Resident' those aren't your name, and you open those, right?

You are probably not the only person ever to have lived at your address. Or the company could have made a mistake. Or someone could have used a false address on purpose. Unless you like getting other people mail and being asked to pay their bills: Write "No one by that name at this address" and send it back.

You're NOT supposed to open mail that is not addressed to you i.e. your name. It doesn't matter is the address is correct, it's not you! You mustn't have ever lived in an apartment building. Send it back to the company who sent it marked as "Return to Sender". If it comes again with the same addressee from the same company, then I would inquire from the company who they're trying to reach. You could also check with the company after you've sent back what you have, to see if they have your correct address.

but wrong name or not here

Write "nobody here with this name Return to Sender" on the envelope.