Who is tampering with my mail?

I am not normally someone who is interested in conspiracy theories, however, there are some strange shenanigans happening with my mail…amongst other things.

Submitted by working class … on August 20, 2012

First of all, there is a definite change in the time it is taking for letters to reach my house. I receive quite a lot of mail each month, and there is a noticeable slowing down. People tell me they have posted something (as they always have) yet I don’t not receive the letter or package until a couple of days later than expected.

Big deal! I hear you say…hold on, that’s not all.

I have started to receive letters and parcels that are damaged. Not enough so the contents fall out, but just enough to see what is inside, and where they are from.

Wait…there is more.

I have even received several items that are no longer in any packaging whatsoever. They are just posted through my letterbox completely uncovered, with no sign of any wrapping.

I haven’t finished yet…

I never receive my mail any later than 2pm. Last week, I went to a local shop at 19.50, when I returned at 20.05, 6 letters and a small parcel had been delivered. Does the post office usually deliver at that time?

We have recently changed various insurance policies, and subsequently received upwards of twenty letters from the insurance company. All the letters are in white envelopes, with the company brand in the corner, franked, with a computer generated address label. I received a card through my door advising me that I had a letter waiting for me that did not have sufficient postage on it, and that I would need to call in and pay for it.

When I collected the letter, it was from the insurance company, in a brown envelope with no brand, and it had a second class stamp, rather than being franked. The insurance company denied that it could be from them, and that it was impossible that they would send out a letter in that manner. All their letters and envelopes are computer generated and then franked. He said they do not have any stamps.

As an aside to the mail issues, my wheelie bin has been moved about, despite being in a secure garden, and out of site, and I have had an N-Power man rummaging in my meter cupboard, yet when I spoke to N-Power, they denied any visit took place, and also denied the man’s existence.

There is something strange going on, but I cannot decide whether it is just me.

Comments

snipfool

11 years 7 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by snipfool on August 20, 2012

Er... well to me all of that certainly sounds pretty fucked up. That's if any of it really happened- can't rule out that these are the delusions of a paranoid schizophrenic of course... :)

Do you have any reason to believe someone (I'm assuming you think the government) would want to look through your post and rummage through your cupboards? You've got quite a prominent blog here and I see you're now the editor of Freedom- how protected is your identity?

Has anyone in similar positions had similar experiences?

You could try putting a speck of whitish dust on your computer mouse before you leave your house and check if it's still there when you get back... no guaranteeing that'll catch them out though...

Railyon

11 years 7 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Railyon on August 20, 2012

That's some seriously spooky shit, man... :|

Devrim

11 years 7 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Devrim on August 20, 2012

I worked at the P.O in the UK for about five years though it was a few decades ago.

I have started to receive letters and parcels that are damaged. Not enough so the contents fall out, but just enough to see what is inside, and where they are from.

It happens regularly to all sorts of letters, particularly small parcels. When there is a stop on something it comes back to the postman as good as new.

I never receive my mail any later than 2pm. Last week, I went to a local shop at 19.50, when I returned at 20.05, 6 letters and a small parcel had been delivered. Does the post office usually deliver at that time?

If it is being done on overtime, yes.

First of all, there is a definite change in the time it is taking for letters to reach my house. I receive quite a lot of mail each month, and there is a noticeable slowing down. People tell me they have posted something (as they always have) yet I don’t not receive the letter or package until a couple of days later than expected.

One possible explanation is that your local sorting office is understaffed, which would explain the late deliveries too (if they don't have a full-time postman on your walk and it is going out on overtimes, sometimes it might not get done, and certainly packets would be left behind)..

Devrim

jolasmo

11 years 7 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by jolasmo on August 20, 2012

I wouldn't be at all surprised if it's the state intercepting your mail. It's certainly not uncommon. Don't let it bother you, just be aware that you may be under some sort of surveillance.

~J.

thegunshow

11 years 7 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by thegunshow on August 20, 2012

It's the police, seen it so many times before.

snipfool

11 years 7 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by snipfool on August 20, 2012

i'd want to send a suspicious sounding and anonymous letter to myself saying to meet at a relatively quiet place in a week's time, then turn up and see if there are any unusual characters lurking... ;)

Steven.

11 years 7 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Steven. on August 20, 2012

thegunshow

It's the police, seen it so many times before.

more information please?

I remember reading about spying on mail during the Cold War, and MI5/6 or whoever had a team who did it, where they sealed up envelopes afterwards so you couldn't tell they had been disturbed. It would seem strange to do it messily.

Not to mention strange in general because who in this day and age has any kind of important correspondence in the post? It's just shit from Amazon, pizza leaflets and bank statements!

Steven.

11 years 7 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Steven. on August 20, 2012

snipfool

i'd want to send a suspicious sounding and anonymous letter to myself saying to meet at a relatively quiet place in a week's time, then turn up and see if there are any unusual characters lurking... ;)

that reminds me of this:
http://robj98168.blogspot.co.uk/2012_04_01_archive.html

working class …

11 years 7 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by working class … on August 20, 2012

Yeah, there is nothing sinister that I have delivered (well, depends on your views I suppose). I usually have post from AKUK, Active Distribution, and Freedom each month, and some other bits and pieces. and the usual bank statements and junk-mail

working class …

11 years 7 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by working class … on August 20, 2012

that reminds me of this:
http://robj98168.blogspot.co.uk/2012_04_01_archive.html

hahahaha

PartyBucket

11 years 7 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by PartyBucket on August 20, 2012

I do a bit of buying and selling online and I know Royal Mails delivery practices have changed recently; stuff that used to come in the afternoon in a van now comes in the mornings by a guy pushing a little cart, Deliveries on Saturday are later and they are planning to roll out a scheme where they leave your stuff with a neighbour if you are not at home to take it.
Or somebody might be messing with your mail, obviously, but maybe its not as sinister as you think.

Serge Forward

11 years 7 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Serge Forward on August 20, 2012

It's the Freedom connection, innit? Many years ago when I lived in London, I phoned Freedom bookshop and got through to the old Morning Star offices on Farringdon Road. Another occasion when I phoned Freedom, it went straight through to Scotland Yard. And if anyone thinks I'm taking the piss here, I'm not and I kid you fucking not.

ocelot

11 years 7 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by ocelot on August 20, 2012

Back in the day the technology was fairly primitive, but nowadays if they want to read your mail, it's easy enough without leaving any visible traces.

But I used to get occasional spates of mail being opened and delivered in plastic bags, and phone jiggery pokery. Usually in the run in to major mobilisations as a low-level wind up. Branch (or 5) will do that to you every now and again just to see if it bothers you. Obviously if it stresses you out then they'll do it a lot more in the hopes of winding you up. Also, sometimes they're just bored. I'd ignore it if I was you. It's only Poker...

the button

11 years 7 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by the button on August 21, 2012

Another possibility is far-right presence in your local sorting office. Back in the early/mid-90s in West Yorks, they had quite a presence in the post office and used to find out the names & addresses of "commies" by looking for envelopes franked with the CND symbol, etc. And I'm guessing that the OP figures quite prominently on the radar of the local fash.

As ocelot says, whoever's doing it, the aim is to wind you up rather than get a sneaky peep at the latest from AK Press.

frank syratt

11 years 7 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by frank syratt on August 22, 2012

Make friends with the folk who deliver the post, our postman will chat about allsorts.

jef costello

11 years 7 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by jef costello on August 23, 2012

The button is likely to be right, if you can obviously tell then it's probably amateurs or people trying to show you they're looking. Devrims made some good points too.
Either that or it's like what happened where I used to live where a guy basically ran his own sorting office where they looked through the mail for chequebooks etc before he delivered it. They got caught in the end because he was too lazy to deliver what they didn't steal iirc.

TeflonMaster

11 years 7 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by TeflonMaster on August 27, 2012

I am subscribed to Revolutionary Perspectives by the CWO, and the last few issues my envelope has obviously been opened. The seal has been torn and sealed back down with a glue stick.

I mean i'm sure it is tempting. IT is just a manilla envelope that can be easily opened (which is why I am so sure that it was, because pieces of the paper were torn from the seal, and the seal was waaayyyy too weak). I don't think they were spying because of me lol. But they of course got an eyeful. I hope they read some of it.

skinnyman

11 years 7 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by skinnyman on August 27, 2012

Earlier this year i received some damaged packages through the post one of the packets had been opened and recealed you could very clearly see where it had been opened . The packets contained material for campaign against the arms trade leaflets and badges by the time the packets reached me i could not believe the state they where in one of the packets posted through my door was that bad the contents where spilled out on the doormat . Clearly on the front of the packets was written campaign against the arms trade maybe thats why they opened the packets but they clearly were damaged no other mail has been received in this condition but it does make you think .

Steven.

11 years 7 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Steven. on August 27, 2012

I have received some damaged packages through the mail, but so does everyone sometimes because of the process post goes through.

Kureigo-San

11 years 7 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Kureigo-San on August 28, 2012

Every item I've received in the post from Workers Solidarity Movement it has had a tear, just enough to see that it's not a schematic for a nuke I am guessing.

Choccy

11 years 7 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Choccy on August 28, 2012

I ordered a package and the seller said it would take 3 days, BUT IT TOOK 4 DAYS!

working class …

11 years 7 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by working class … on August 28, 2012

yeah yeah you can all laugh lol

klas batalo

11 years 7 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by klas batalo on August 28, 2012

Just to be honest and put it out there I don't really want to contribute to the hysteria about this, but a few times our comrades trying to order endnotes here in the US we've received either tampered packages, or in one case we got the package with the side teared out and no books inside. I guess the postie really wanted to read about communisation and value-form theory! Of course this was probably stateside, but who knows.

I've gotten plenty of other radical related mail here before, some with stuff clearly denoting so on the outside (mostly Crimethinc, lol) and there had never been a problem. This was the first stuff I had ever noticed having tampering with.