Suspicious Mail

The University Mail Services Department, along with the US Postal Service, has existing guidelines for its mail handlers to identify packages that are unusual and possibly dangerous.

For your personal safety, please be aware of the following characteristics that may indicate suspicious letters or packages:           

• Have any powdery substance on the outside.
• Are unexpected or from someone unfamiliar to you.
• Are addressed to someone no longer with UTC or are otherwise outdated.
• Have no return address, or have one that can’t be verified as legitimate.
• Are of unusual weight, given their size, or are lopsided or oddly shaped.
• Have an unusual amount of tape on them.
• Are marked with restrictive endorsements, such as “Personal” or “Confidential.”
• Have strange odors or stains.
• Show a city or state in the postmark that doesn’t match the return address.

What should you do if you receive a suspicious letter or parcel?

• Do not try to open it!
• Isolate the piece of mail or package.
• Notify your supervisor.
• Evacuate the immediate area.
• Call the Campus Police (911) to report you’ve received a parcel in the mail that may contain biological or chemical substances.