What makes a package suspicious? (2023)

What makes a USPS package suspicious?

Misspelled common words. No return address or strange return address. Unusual addressing, such as not being addressed to a specific person or the use of incorrect titles or titles with no name. Restrictive markings, such as “personal,” “confidential,” or “do not x-ray”

When dealing with suspicious items apply the 4 Cs protocol: CONFIRM, CLEAR, COMMUNICATE AND CONTROL. a log of decisions and actions is maintained.

A suspicious package is a mail item of unknown contents which can potentially cause injury or destruction or is designed to appear threatening in nature.

Package or envelope with suspicious leaks, stains, or powdered substances. Package is rigid, bulky, or has excessive tape/string. Poor handwriting, misspellings, improperly addressed. Excessive postage, no postage, or no/strange return address.

If there is probable cause to believe the contents of a First-Class letter or parcel violate federal law, Postal Inspectors can obtain a search warrant to open the mail piece. Other classes of mail do not contain private correspondence and therefore may be opened without a warrant.

The only way that an item sent through USPS can be seized and searched is with a search warrant. If there is probable cause to believe that a letter or package contains something that is in violation of federal law, then the Postal Inspectors can request a search warrant to open the piece of mail.

If the package is not classified as Priority Mail Express™ service (domestic or international), Priority Mail® service, First–Class Package Service™, or an international letter package, it may be opened and its contents examined.

Misspelled words, badly typed or written lettering, restrictive markings and no return address could indicate trouble. Labels could be a red flag. If a package is sent with an incorrect title or addressed to a title only, it has the potential to be dangerous if opened.

Suspicious activity is any observed behavior that could indicate a person may be involved in a crime or about to commit a crime.

Leaving packages, bags or other items behind. Exhibiting unusual mental or physical symptoms. Unusual noises like screaming, yelling, gunshots or glass breaking. Individuals in a heated argument, yelling or cursing at each other.

How do you identify and deal with a suspicious item?

For instance, when a private third-party shipping company, like FedEx, figures out the package contains suspicious content, like cash, ammunition, or drugs like weed or prescription drugs, they can take the package out of its normal shipping cycle and inform about it to the law enforcement agency.

At FedEx and UPS, officers often gain permission to monitor packages at the site. In some cases, an employee at FedEx or UPS will call the police to alert them to a suspicious package. In other cases, a K9 drug dog might “alert” to a suspicious package.

Most cases are resolved between 5-7 business days after your claim form has been received, unless additional time for research is required.

Some of the mail that is sent through the United States Postal Service will pass through an X-Ray machine. There are no specific guidelines as to what may or may not be x-rayed, though mail sent to or through larger cities is likely to pass through an X-Ray machine.

Right of Inspection

UPS reserves the right to open and inspect any package tendered to it for transportation.

Customer status should be provided by phone or email. Customers may also check the status of their request by looking out for the "Customer Recall" scan event using the Track & Confirm tool on USPS.com.

We Do!

As a federal law enforcement organization with almost 250 years of experience, our Inspectors investigate every aspect of mail-related crime--including mail theft, mail fraud, and mail containing dangerous items or substances.

Postal Inspectors within the Dangerous Mail Investigations Program are specially trained to recognize the common characteristics of suspicious mail and use an array of specialized screening equipment to identify and mitigate threats to postal infrastructure, its employees, and the general public.

If there is probable cause to believe the contents of a First-Class letter or parcel violate federal law, Postal Inspectors can obtain a search warrant to open the mail piece. Other classes of mail do not contain private correspondence and therefore may be opened without a warrant.

Do you get in trouble if your package is seized?

You may be subject to penalties up to the value of the genuine merchandise based on the manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP). These can be quite high and would require a separate petition filing to mitigate these fines down. Note you may not receive a penalty notice until way after the seizure case was closed.

Postal inspectors can screen packages to check for drugs like marijuana and other substances. Some people may attempt to send drugs through the mail because they believe the Fourth Amendment protects them from having their packages searched.

ONLY entities that are registered with the DEA are eligible to send drugs through the mail. There are “mail-back” exceptions if a drug company mails you drugs of the wrong type or quantity, in which case you can mail them back to the pharmaceutical company. Otherwise you may noy mail prescription drugs in the mail.

No. Unless he's familiar with the return address, or there's an inventory of the contents printed on the box, or your package has a certain smell or noise about it.

USPS does not seize mail, have no authority to do that. Law enforcement has that ability, just like in other parts of everyday life. The package might get scanned with the message “Seized by Law Enforcement” but it is also possible that there will be no message.

Foreign postmarks and excessive amounts of postage should be a red flag this package might contain something harmful. Check for stains on the package. If you see stains, discoloration or crystallization on the wrapper, this could be evidence of a chemical or biological hazard inside.

On social media, the Red Flag emoji 🚩 often represents the sense of the term red flag that's used in the context of dating and relationships to refer to a sign that a person will turn out to be (or is) a bad or problematic partner.

If you are suspicious of someone or something, you do not trust them, and are careful when dealing with them.

A Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) is a document that financial institutions, and those associated with their business, must file with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) whenever there is a suspected case of money laundering or fraud.

File reports of cash transactions exceeding $10,000 (daily aggregate amount); and. Report suspicious activity that might signal criminal activity (e.g., money laundering, tax evasion).

Which of the following is an example of red flag for suspicious transaction?

Unusual transactions

Customers trying to launder funds may carry out unusual transactions. Firms should look out for activity that is inconsistent with their expected behavior, such as large cash payments, unexplained payments from a third party, or use of multiple or foreign accounts. These are all AML red flags.

H – Has the item been Hidden? Has it deliberately been concealed? O – Is it Obviously suspicious? Does it seem odd or out of place, is there wires, liquids or batteries sticking out of it? T – Is it Typical for the location?

Do not disturb the suspicious item or object. Do not try to clean up the substance. Inform others and keep other staffs and guests away from the area.

'Suspicious' is an adjective used to describe something or somebody: eg. I saw a suspicious man hanging around your house yesterday. 'A suspect' is a person who may have committed a crime, or some other action and is identified as 'the suspect' in those actions.

Put the package or envelope on a stable surface; do not sniff, touch, taste, or look closely at it or at any contents that may have spilled. Alert others in the area about the suspicious package or envelope. Leave the area, close any doors and take action to prevent others from entering the area.

If you find a suspicious package please call 999 immediately. Do not put yourself in danger.

If you describe someone or something as suspicious, you mean that there is some aspect of them which makes you think that they are involved in a crime or a dishonest activity.

Not asking about or ignoring free delivery options on large items (for example, furniture or televisions) or expensive purchases. Attempting to distract or rush the employee at the checkout. Completing purchases, leaving the store, and then immediately returning to make more purchases.

Mail may be flagged if the letter or package is stained or is leaking. According to a USPS brochure, reused packaging and boxes are only acceptable when all markings and labels are removed or completely marked out.

Right of Inspection

UPS reserves the right to open and inspect any package tendered to it for transportation.

Does customs look at every package?

Does customs check every package? The short answer is yes. Customs checks all inbound international packages and mail. During this process, a customs officer in the country you're shipping to will review the package to make sure it meets the country's laws, regulations and policies.