Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
office where the addressee is not in the habit of receiving personal mail.
Other wordings, such as “Fragile,” “Rush,” or “Handle with Care,” are also
common in mail bombs.
Suspicious Lettering on the Envelope
Obviously, if the envelope is addressed with letters clipped from a news-
paper or magazine, you will pay attention to it. That is unusual enough
to get anyone to notice. Equally as significant, though a bit more subtle,
may be the incorrect spelling of the name and/or title of the addressee.
In addition, the handwriting may be distorted or smudged.
Return Address
The return address may be nonexistent or fictitious, or the return address
may be delivering a message as well. For example, an industrialist accused
of releasing toxic substances into the environment might receive a letter
with a cemetery plot as a return address. This type of return address is
particularly significant and should cause your alarm bells to work double
time.
Physical Signs
A package or letter containing an explosive may have protruding wires,
aluminum foil, or oil stains. The package itself may feel stiff and look lop-
sided. It may have an excessive amount of wrapping and an obviously
irregular shape. The package may feel as if it has liquid sloshing around.
Mail bombs generally also have excessive postage. There may be a strange
odor coming from the package or even an electronic buzz. A ticking sound
from inside the package is more common in cartoons, but if that type of
sound is coming from a letter or package, and you are not expecting a
mail order cuckoo clock, don't open it.
Postmark
Check the postmark and compare it with the return address. There should
be a general correlation between the two. For example, if the return
address says John Smith, 123 Main Street, Anyplace USA, and the post-
mark is from Yemen, you might want to think twice.
