Am I being paranoid? Listen to this....

[LDS Jock]

A couple of months back I was on an Islamic site which offered a free Qur'an. I'm always up for something free, and I am interested in learning more about Islam, so I ordered it. It came in the mail yesterday. The package had been opened, ripped open enough the book would come out. The book and the package together were in a plastic bag with an apology from the post office saying.....
--------------------------------------------------------------
"We regret the damage to your mail during handling by the Postal Service. We hope this incident did not inconvenience you. We realize that your mail is important to you and that you have every right to expect it to be delivered in good condition.

Although every effort is made to prevent damage to the mail, occasionally this will occur because of the great volume handled and the rapid processing methods which must be employed to assure the most expeditious distribution possible.

We hope you understand. We assure you that we are constantly striving to improve our processing methods in order that even a rare occurrence may be eliminated.

Please accept our apologies"
------------------------------------------------------------
I have never had this happen before and the first time it happens is on a package from Saudi Arabia with Arabic writing all over it. Hmmm. My sister tells me I'm crazy, its just a coincidence and to stop with all my conspiracy theories. What do you think? Am I being paranoid about this?

[THUNDER HANDS]

1. yeah dude, it was opened by the govt.

You think they're told NOT to open stuff from Saudi Arabia with arabic writing all over it?

[LDS Jock]

4. I didn't think when I ordered it it would be such a big deal

I also didn't know it was coming from Saudi Arabia though. Wonder if I'm now being watched. :scared:

[ohioliberal]

2. I don't think so

Anything now that comes in the mail from the middle east is bound to be inspected.

[gingergreen]

3. I'm sure it was searched

they search the mail all the time.

Once I sent a box back to the States from France...all that we received was the address label!! We had over $200 of souvenirs in the box.

[LDS Jock]

6. dang!!

And you never got your stuff? What were you doing in the heart of all evil (France) anyway?

[gingergreen]

9. nope never got it

oh France isn't so evil...although the men ARE arrogant!

We were backpacking for the summer and wouldn't to send a load back so we didn't have to carry it around. Oh well. Never got the money back either cuz we lost the postal receipt :(

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

5. Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you.

It could be a coincidence. Sometimes stuff does get damaged in the mail, and I've gotten a couple of mangled bits of (non-controversial) mail with that sticker. But it does make you wonder, and I wouldn't be surprised to find out that the post office, under orders from the Bush Reich's Ministry of Fatherland Security, is opening "suspicious" packages (from certain countries) to check them out, and then putting them back together and claiming they were damaged. Wouldn't surprise me at all.

[pinniped]

Are there any black SUVs parked in front of your dwelling?

:tinfoilhat:

[LDS Jock]

8. lemme go check

[pinniped]

7. deltree

.

[ET Awful]

10. I doubt it was accidental. . .

but I also doubt that it was directed at you personally. Odds are they do a random screening of packages originating from S.A. and other muslim countries.

Another possibility would be if the organization providing the free book is on a watch list of some sort (which is a possibility for almost any Islamic charity).

[LDS Jock]

11. I just don't like the idea of someone going through my stuff

Will you get your cat to attack them for me?

[ET Awful]

15. I can try, but it's more likely he'll just purr at them real loud :) n/t

[LDS Jock]

16. then send him my way instead n/t

[ET Awful]

17. Nah, I like him where he is . . . if I give him a pseudo belly rub

with my foot, he latches on and becomes a fantastic dust mop :)

[Modem Butterfly]

12. My partner sent a mink blanket back home once

One of my partner's relatives gave him a fur coat for me. I don't wear fur and anyway, it was too small, so he had it made into a blanket as a surprise and shipped it home (he used to travel for business and sent it from DC). The package arrived having obviously been ripped open and re-taped in a shoddy manner (bad duct tape job). The blanket was gone but instead we received a nice print of a work by Chagall. It was as though someone at the Post Office decided to do an exchange for us. Thankfully, we'd insured the package and got our money back. Now, whenever we send anything by the Post Office we insure it for twice the value.

That being said, we got a crooked Postal agent. You got inspected. You may very well be on the proverbial "list". If I were you, I would count on having my mail inspected on a near regular basis. You could live in fear of this or you could cause a lot of problems for the Post Office. Maybe some kind-hearted DUers could have some fun by sending you benign packages wrapped in such a way as to encourage the PO to waste man-hours and resources? We can be a creative lot you know...

[Mike Niendorff]

13. Easy way to find out:

Order another one, and see if it happens again.


MDN

[LDS Jock]

14. hmm.. now there's a thought

it took five months to get this one, so I won't know for sometime but that would certainly be a coincidence if both were opened. I got the feeling this might have happened before because they asked me to email them whenever the package arrived. Is that to make sure it ever gets here?

[elehhhhna]

18. they asked for an email?!! Now THAT's GOOD SERVICE! (sarc/off)

[gollygee]

19. I've had that same letter

and for things as innocuous as People Magazine.

But I think it was searched and they just put in that note in the hopes you'd think it just got ripped.

[sniffa]

20. it was me

part of my Ldsjock staLking routine.

my bad

[LDS Jock]

22. stop stalking and just come on in

the door is unlocked for you sniffa

[neweurope]

21. I'm sure that it was searched because it was from an Arabian country.

And after they found the Quran I'd certainly be afraid on being on a list now. And if I had anything in the house that shouldn't be seen by outsiders ;) I'd get rid of it.

The Bushistas aren't playing. Read PATRIOT.

As ocelot said above: Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean that they aren't out to get you.