UI Health Care News

Procedures for Handling and Addressing Suspicious Mail

Take all incoming mail to a room that is out of traffic and that has a door. Use Postal Service, Department of Public Health and FBI criteria (see list below) to evaluate each piece of mail before opening or redistribution. These criteria, listed below, should be printed and posted where mail/packages are opened.

What questions should I ask before I open the mail?  

• Evaluate before you open mail!
• Is this a reasonable piece of mail for me to expect?
• Does the address accurately reflect the name and address of the addressee?
• Do I know the sender?
• Can I consider this junk mail and discard?
• Do I really need to open this piece of mail?

What should I do if I receivve suspicious mail? 

• Do not open it!
• Do not handle more than necessary
• If possible, obtain the following information:
  • A complete description of the mail in question
  • Return address
  • Postmark and date
  • Addressee
  • Description - approximate size, color, and material (i.e. regular business envelope, brown paper wrapping, cardboard box, etc.)
  • Isolate the mail piece
  • Notify individuals in the immediate area and call University Public Safety Office or UIHC Safety & Security (see below).

If mail is opened and contains a threat or unexpected substance. 

Isolate the mail piece, vacate and secure the room or area if possible. Notify individuals in the immediate area and move to a close by secure room. Avoid spreading possible contamination within the building. If a sink is available in the immediate area, wash exposed skin with soap and warm water. Notify University Public Safety Office at (33)5-5022, or at UIHC call Safety & Security at (35)6-2658.

Be prepared to provide the following information:

• Your name, location, phone number
• Why do you consider the mail suspicious? (See list below)
• A complete description of the mail in question (See above)

What will UI Public Safety officers do to process threat information? 

Using the official FBI screening criteria, determine if the threat is valid or not. If Public Safety determines that there is not a threat, the item will not be picked up. If warranted, Public Safety will respond to the location of the suspicious mail and evaluate further and secure the area if necessary. Public Safety will then assist in determining if additional assessment is needed. If the package has to be removed for further evaluation, it will be destroyed as part of this process.

What general precautions should I take when opening mail? 

• Be observant for suspicious envelopes or packages.
• Open mail with a letter opener, or method least likely to spread contents.
• Open packages/envelopes with a minimum amount of movement.
• Do not blow into envelopes.
• Do not shake and/or pour out contents.
• Keep hands away from nose and mouth while opening mail.
• Wash hands after handling mail.

Criteria for profiling suspicious packages* 

Substance concerns:

• Protruding wires, stains, or odors.
• Powdery substance on the outside.
• Strange odors or stains.

  Postmark concerns:

• Postmark city or state does not match return address.
• Insufficient postage or excessive postage.
• Foreign mail, air mail, and special delivery.

  Packaging concerns:

• Unfamiliar packaging.
• Unusual weight for size of package.
• Excessive masking tape, string, twine, etc.
• Poor or incomplete packaging.
• Unusual weight, given its size, oddly shaped, or lop-sided.

  Address concerns:

• Packages marked "Personal" or "Confidential."
• No returned address
• Wrong, outdated, or misspelled address.
• Addressed to individual(s) no longer at the work address.
• Misspellings of common words.
• Hand-written, incomplete or poorly typed addresses.
• Incorrect titles, or titles but no names.

*Criteria established by the US Postal Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Iowa Department of Public Health.