Received shipment of good not paid for

Ask a Lawyer

Question

Country: United States of America
State: All States/Provinces

I recently bought a scuba tank from a website and paid for that item in full. Recently, a second tank was sent to my house with a billing receipt that says I paid for that item in full. I notified the web store of their error. Am I legally obligated to pay for the second tank if I have a billing receipt that says paid in full even though I know I did not pay for the tank? Morally I think I should pay something for the tank but I would like to know if there is a law that says you can keep items shipped to you with a shipping receipt that says paid in full.

Answer

Yes you must pay if they ask for it; they may sue or file theft charges otherwise.