Re: HIT: Unsolicited Videos

[Diane Durbin <dianed@TENET.EDU>]

I don't believe postal law varies from state to state.  The postal
service is a federal agency, governed by federal laws.  It is established
in the Constitution.  I served on a mail fraud jury, and it was in
Federal Court.  However, I checked with both the Texas AG's office and
our local post office (this is a federal office) when I received
unsolicited books and videos from the company in question, and both gave
the answer that I could keep them.

Diane Durbin
dianed@tenet.edu

On 7 Sep 1996, joan rosen wrote:

> In repsonse to this message I sent Sept.5:
>
> > I seem to remember a law that says the receiver is entitled to keep what
> > is sent to him/her unsolicited (without paying).  Can anyone confirm or
> > deny this officially?  Would be fitting, wouldn't it, and would put a
> > swift end to all this!
>
> I received many replies, some of which appeared on LM_NET and many of which
> did not.  The general gist was that yes, it seems, according to at least one
> Post Office, that this is the rule.  However, it would be wise to check it
> out with your own Post Office, for one responder suggested the law varies
> from state to state.  Another thoughtful reply suggested that it might be a
> wiser use of time and energy to mail the package back, as challenging the
> company by keeping the package without payment might lead to a long and
> painful "argument."
>
> Thank you all for your replies.  I have never had the problem myself, but
> rather was simply thinking out loud about a law of which I remembered hearing.
>
> It would be wonderful if reps of that company were reading these messages
> and would realize we are not to be trifled with!
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Joan Rosen                     *         Cheltenham High School
> Librarian                      *            500 Rices Mill Road
> jrosen@mciunix.mciu.k12.pa.us  *              Wyncote, PA 19095
> fax: (215) 881-6406            *       telephone:(215) 881 6380
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
>