Is it illegal to send a joke letter in the mail with a false return address?

I want to send a joke letter to someone asking them to fill out a survey. There is nothing threatening, not asking for money, no vulgarity and the survey will not even be included for them to send back. So really the letter serves no purpose except to be kind of annoying.





I'm wondering if it is illegal or not to put a fake return address with a fake name like Smith Research Institute. Is it considered some sort of fraud to be posing as a fake institute. Like I said, I wouldn't be asking for anything in response.Is it illegal to send a joke letter in the mail with a false return address?
Yes, it is illegal. It is a felony, commonly known as ';mail fraud';.Is it illegal to send a joke letter in the mail with a false return address?
not necessarilly mail fraud, but there are laws against deliberately annoying someone. I believe this was driven home by the history of annoy.com - you might want to check it out.

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Yes, it can be pursued legally! Usually it is pursued as ';harassment';. But, if someone is really pissed off and wants to make it a federal case, they'll prosecute for mail fraud.

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No, but kind of funny. It would only be a crime if you were trying to do it commit a crime. Have fun.
as long as you don't ask for any personal information I think you're alright.
Depends on the name you use any name that you use that is actually real that business could take offense but if you think up a corparate name and make sure it is not a real business then more power to you.