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Suspicious Mail in my office (vanity)
self
| 10-30-01
| afraidfortherepublic
Posted on 10/30/2001 10:10:19 AM PST by afraidfortherepublic
Today one of my employees received a suspicious envelope in the mail. It fit all of the descriptions of other envelopes that we have been told to be wary of:
- The envelope (brown, 5 x 7) was thick
- The recipient did not recognize the return address; did not know the person
- The recipient wasn't expecting anything in the mail
- The recipient normally doesn't receive mail here
- The phone book does not show anyone by the sender's name at the stated return address
- There was too much postage on the envelope
- The envelope had been re-used and was stapled shut; previous labels had been ripped off the exterior of the envelope
I carefully put it in a plastic bag, we washed our hands thoroughly, and I took the whole thing back to the post office. The Postmaster says that he will have the route mailman check the return address and see who lives there and ask if they sent anything to my employee. He'll get back to me.
I feel a little foolish about all this fuss, but is there anything else I should have done under these circumstances? My employee foolishly removed the mail from the mail room and brought it down to my office, thereby contaminating the whole front office, if there is truly anything wrong.
Does anyone have any thoughts on how I could have handled this better?
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To: afraidfortherepublic
BTW, the envelope had been mailed locally; and we are located in a smaller city in the Midwest.
To: afraidfortherepublic
One more thing: the envelope was marked "Hand Stamp".
To: afraidfortherepublic
Sounds like you did fine. If the box was unopened the chances of any contamination from carrying it through the office are slim. As long as you have washed your hands, face and arms good, you should be okay. I would use a little antibacterial soap and make sure my hands where clean along with anyone else who handled the package.
To: afraidfortherepublic
Sounds like you did the right thing. My company now has printed instructions tacked up in our mail area, plus we've received emails to the same effect. You'd think that the mail room itself would be the first line of defense, but I guess the mail room people don't want to be held responsible for not delivering mail because it looked 'off' to them.
To: Chick-with-a-brain; Arthur Wildfire! March
Input?
To: afraidfortherepublic; Darth Reagan; flwilliams; dei23
My mother-in-law shipped me a package yesterday. Should have it by weeks end. Is there any special procedures I should follow when bringing it into the house and opening it?
To: afraidfortherepublic
Maybe you should have called the fire dept so they could see if your offices were contamined.....
To: TrappedInLiberalHell
My company now has printed instructions tacked up in our mail area, plus we've received emails to the same effect. I have already done that. This employee is a bit of a flibberty-gibbet, however, didn't read the instructions and went running down the corridor with the envelope. Guess I'll have to make myself clearer!
The guy who picks up our mail from my PO Box (my accountant) refuses to wear gloves or take any precautions. Looks like I'll have to take over that duty myself.
Comment #10 Removed by Moderator
To: afraidfortherepublic
Sounds right to me..it is strange ..I now open my mail at the kitchen sink..garbage pail next to me..I toss everything I do not recognize..I no longer open junk mail..and I assume that every piece of mail has been cross contaminated..open the bill or what ever and toss the outer envelope..wash my hands and the surface of the counter...
I would also have taken it back to the post office!Good work!
11
posted on
10/30/2001 10:24:28 AM PST
by
RnMomof7
To: classygreeneyedblonde
Maybe you should have called the fire dept so they could see if your offices were contamined.....I doubt that this fire Dept. would have a clue. I'm waiting for a report from the Postmaster. He is going to check the address since it's local and ask if D. Smith (real name) lives there and sent anything to my employee in this funny envelope. If that does not check out -- we'll take some urgent measures.
To: afraidfortherepublic
To: Phantom Lord
Is there any special procedures I should follow when bringing it into the house and opening it? Depends. Did you remember her last birthday?
To: Phantom Lord
I received some antiobiotics which I bought over the internet today and was amazed they even delivered them to me. The box is stamped Thailand with foreign markings. But stamped on the outside of the box is this statement:"PLEASE ALERT ITEMS CONTAINED INSIDE MAY BE IN VIOLATION OF LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF YOUR COUNTRY.
Don't you think it odd that the post office delivered it in these times?
15
posted on
10/30/2001 10:26:39 AM PST
by
estrogen
To: glock rocks
Good suggestions. I'm revising my policy!
To: estrogen
Don't you think it odd that the post office delivered it in these times?Yes, I do.
To: afraidfortherepublic
I don't know what to tell you. We need to kill those terorrist bastards.
To: afraidfortherepublic
I've been getting a lot of strange packages lately filled with old, out of print printed matter and little plastic, fluffy things. Might have to do with spending a lot of time on Ebay, though.
To: RnMomof7
Two questions.....if you have a suspicious piece of mail.....first why not seal it in a zip-lock bag.....prevents any further dissipation of possible contamination.....second....anyone know if microwaving the mail will kill any spores...i.e...can you put all your mail in the microwave before you open it....and for how long, at what temp?
20
posted on
10/30/2001 10:30:29 AM PST
by
ken5050
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