I received an email informing me that several UC officials had received boxes in the mail containing a white powder. Tests showed this powder was harmless. Nonetheless, forewarned is fore armed, I guess. So the email listed the warning signs of a possible bad boxes as follows:
1. They are unexpected or from someone unfamiliar to you.
2. They are addressed to someone no longer with your organization or are otherwise outdated. An addressee’s name/title may be inaccurate.
3. They have no return address, or have one that can not be verified as legitimate. It may show a city or state in the postmark that does not match
the return address.
4. They are of unusual weight, given their size, or are lopsided or oddly shaped.
5. They are marked with restrictive endorsements, such as “Personal” or”Confidential.” This factor is significant when the addressee does not
usually receive personal mail at the office.
6. They have protruding wires, strange odors or stains. It may feel rigid, or appear uneven or lopsided, and is unprofessionally wrapped with several
combinations of tape used to secure the package.
7. They look markedly different than most that typically arrive in your office.
Now tell me who is going to open a box that is lopsided, oddly shaped, strangely stained, has protruding wires and emits odors? Not to mention, appears unprofessionally wrapped!
Not me. I can tell you.
