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Chinese Trojan Horse?


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Mrs. received an unsolicited package from China in the mail.  Despite being labelled as "Wire connector" , it actually contained a small quantity of some type of herb or seed or other vegetable matter.  Concerned that we might be looking at a drug or other illicit substance, she swung by the local PD, who were totally non-plussed and not even interested in making out a report.  They had no idea what it was.

Note: the customer phone number listed on the address label is not ours; not even the same state.

All I could think of was the scam where illegal materials are sent to the address of an innocent third party, and stolen from their mailbox by a party to the scam; if successful or not, no way for cops to trace.  But such a small amount? 

 

Any ideas?

 

LL

 

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Found these articles. Seems you may be an unwitting party to a "Brushing Scam"

 

BTW I would still contact customs as seed could spread an invasive species.

 

Americans Are Receiving Unordered Parcels From Chinese E-Criminals

 

Americans Are Still Receiving Unordered Packages From Asian E-Criminals

 

 

Quote

 

“If you receive a gift in the mail that you did not order, you can choose to keep it or throw it away. It is up to you. This is a rare instance where “finders, keepers” applies. Do not get conned into paying for the gift or merchandise if the sender follows up with a phone call or email. Unsolicited merchandise is yours to keep. Postal Inspectors do recommend you report unsolicited merchandise to the Inspection Service and the FTC using their online reporting portals. If possible, keep a photocopy of the label and either input the information or upload it along with your complaint. This could be helpful if a criminal investigation develops in the future.”

Lisa ended up tossing the empty package to her puppies, who gleefully tore it to pieces. At least she was able to use it for something.

 

 

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What Sedalia Dave said.

Report the package to Border Services and the Food and Drug Admin.

Some nasty stuff has come and is coming from China.

And I don't mean refugees.

 

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30 minutes ago, Sedalia Dave said:

If it came through the US mail contact the Postal Inspector. If another carrier contact Customs. 

It is well to be suspicious; Sedalia Dave gave his sound advice before I could even reach for the keyboard.

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Don’t expect even a return phone call from the USPS Postal Inspectors

 

Discuss with your local main Post Office manager, but he likely will not actually assist you in any way.

 

You may wish to try calling your local FBI office to discuss.  They may not have a real interest either, but may help by giving you a contact that IS interested.

 

My guess is everyone will simply shine it on.  
 

But, I noticed in one article that William & Mary College has an group following this stuff.  Try contacting them.

 

Cat Brules

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1 hour ago, Sedalia Dave said:

“If you receive a gift in the mail that you did not order, you can choose to keep it or throw it away. It is up to you. This is a rare instance where “finders, keepers” applies. Do not get conned into paying for the gift or merchandise if the sender follows up with a phone call or email. Unsolicited merchandise is yours to keep

Four or five years ago I received a DVD from the NRA about self defense with a pistol.

 

About a week later I got a bill for $20 from the NRA for this DVD.

 

I threw it in the trash. About every two weeks for the next several months I got this bill for $20.

 

Then they gave up.

 

I never did watch the DVD.

 

When I was a kid, once or twice a year there would be a long flat box in the mailbox. A god-awful ugly tie. From some blind institute. Along with a notice asking for a donation to pay for it.

 

That's when I learned that unsolicited merchandise is yours to do with as you will - keep it, send it back, throw it away, pay for it or not. If you did not order it, it is yours.

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I received a ten pound, 500 page beautiful hard-bound 'coffee table" book 200th year anniversary of the founding of the Corps about the history of the Marine Corps that I never ordered.  Loved the book, but I refused to pay for it and they never sent me a postage paid return container to  return in it.  That was in 1975.  I gave it to my retired Marine CWO5 son-in-law about two years ago.

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About 15 years ago, I received numerous packages of pills I didn't order. I didn't pay. I just tossed them. I called the 800 numbers on the packages and told them I didn't order the merchandise and was going to toss them. They tried, to no avail, to get me to pay. They gave up.

 

I also got something from the NRA that I didn't order, didn't pay for, and tossed.

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1 hour ago, Sedalia Dave said:

If it came through the US mail contact the Postal Inspector. If another carrier contact Customs. 

This ^^^^ is what I would do.

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Unsolicited “pills”?  Good grief!  Who would even think of taking something like that?

 

Cat Brules

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