Mystery parcels arriving in post!

sparkypants · Oct 26, 2011

Hi team,

So i wonder if anybody out there knows anything about this/heard a similar story/is secretly the person doing this :Wha:

lol.

I don't remember signing up for anything, but someone, somewhere, is sending me mystery parcels. Which is very nice, (I do still find post exciting, simple minds...) but it's also very odd.

The first one was just an envelope with my name and address on, from Leeds. I don't know anyone from Leeds, I've never known anyone from Leeds. I'm not even sure I know people who have BEEN to Leeds. And i live a loooong way away. In London.

Anyhoo, this first package was two discs in plastic wallets with 'Travel 1' and 'Travel 2' written on them. And on the discs was literally a copy of hundreds of DK travel guides, Lonely Planet travelguides, FootPrint travel guides. Loads of them! And those things cost a lot of money!

Today another package arrives from North West Midlands... still don't know anyone around there. Only an envelope with my name and address on. No note or anything. Two discs, though these have printed pictures on. One is every Tin Tin book and Asterix book uploaded onto disk. And one is an ebook copy of the New York Times bestsellers from 2010-2011.

What exactly is going on here!?? Someone is spending an awful lot of time (and pretty sure stealing a lot of copyrighted work) to send me these things n I don't even know who they are!

Either that or MI5 are secretly trying to recruit me and I just can't work out the hidden messages :Wha:

areteus · Oct 26, 2011

Odd... there have been some people on ebay selling discs of copyrighted works so it could be something similar to that. It is entirely possible that you are getting stuff mailed to your address by mistake instead of somewhere else in your street? Are they actually addressed to you?

Susan Coffin · Oct 26, 2011

Could it be a secret admirer? Or, perhaps someone you have met in passing who is traveling? Perhaps forgot about the person? Anybody from work, church, school, your circle, who has been traveling?

A company trying to solicit would make sure their contact information was included.

Also, you said the disc has handwriting on it. That is definitely a person and not a company, unless you specifically asked for the information.

I, personally, would be leery of receiving packages/parcels from someone without any contact information, especially if the stuff on the discs had anything to do with my special interests. How would someone know personal information about me? Also, stealing copyrighted stuff? It's all kind of freaky, if you ask me.

Okay, I'm going off on a tangent....

In this situation, I would not open them and throw them away.

Susan Coffin · Oct 26, 2011

areteus said:
Odd... there have been some people on ebay selling discs of copyrighted works so it could be something similar to that. It is entirely possible that you are getting stuff mailed to your address by mistake instead of somewhere else in your street? Are they actually addressed to you?

She said her name and address are on the envelopes.

sparkypants · Oct 26, 2011

Yep name and address on envelopes and nothing else. It is verryyy odd. And I do want to travel and enjoy reading (obvs) though never been a huge Tin Tin or Asterix fan.

Bizarre! Will see what else arrives before I start to panic lol!

veinglory · Oct 26, 2011

I would store these (incase the become relevant to something later) and not use them. Keep in mind that discs can contain malware.

Shakesbear · Oct 26, 2011

I'd take them to the police. explain the circumstances and ask for advice. Or I'd go here http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Dl1/Dir...Governmentcitizensandrightscontacts/DG_195948

and ask them for advice. It could be, as has already been suggested, stuff going to the wrong address, but I have a nasty suspicious mind and think this is some kind of scam.

Torgo · Oct 26, 2011

I can't think of a legit reason for books from different publishers to be lumped into a single package like that. I'd alert the publishers and be very careful of the discs - the only thing I can really imagine is that the content is bait to get you to run malware-ridden PDFs. (PDFs are rather handy as malware delivery vehicles...)

Friendly Frog · Oct 27, 2011

Weeeird.

Any friends with a bizarre sort of humour, perhaps?

Mystery parcels arriving in post!

sparkypants

areteus

Susan Coffin

Tell it like it Is

Susan Coffin

Tell it like it Is

sparkypants

veinglory

volitare nequeo

Shakesbear

knows a hawk from a handsaw

Torgo

Formerly Phantom of Krankor.

Friendly Frog

Snarkenfaugister