Envelope of White Powder Received at IRS Covington, KY

700 AM Cincinnati

[TKEman]

It's probably some drug dealer trying to pay his taxes with Cocaine.

[Focault's Pendulum]

OK, for starters we make a list of people who hate the IRS....

Just print out all the social security #'s. It'll save paper.

[ravingnutter]

Hubby and I had a talk about this over the weekend. I got one of those crazy letters from a psychic and opened it just for grins, he got mad. We agreed not to open any letter in which we do not recognize the return address. Anyone can get a P.O. Box and claim to be a psychic or anything...mass mailings are easy.

[gjenkins]

Do not open them, but what to do next. I wouldn't just throw them away. What to do? Lorraine, why would you or your company be a target?

[Silas]

Don't be absurd. If a terrorist or other prankster wanted to mail something to you without it looking suspicious, they would definitely put a return address on it. They could put any type of phony return address on it - so why would they not do that?

[been_lurking]

Open very slowly with a letter openner.

While holding your breath, pinching your nose shut, and closing your eyes tightly.

Oh, and if the letter opener is sharp, be sure not to cut yourself.

[LurkedLongEnough]

An envelope containing a tea bag should cause as much concern...

[Don Joe]

No return address?
Into the trash.

No, don't do that!

If you really suspect it of being "something", call the police, or the FBI.

Consider: if it is an attack-mail, you would be destroying evidence, and quite possibly hampering an investigation that could save lives!

[OWK]

Do not open them, but what to do next. I wouldn't just throw them away. What to do? Lorraine, why would you or your company be a target?

If you have reason to feel they may be contaminated, I would call your local police. I personally would inspect them with a strong light (through the paper), and would try to determine what they contain, but I would not suggest this to anyone else.

Wash your hands afterward, and limit handling if possible. Don't panic. If the envelopes prove to contain anthrax, your knowledge of the fact will allow you to be treated prophylactically with antibiotics, eliminating any danger of contracting the disease state.

[chuknospam]

This is freakin amazing. I hardly ever get junk mail at my office. I look in my inbox this morning and there are two plain white business envelopes that are identical. They each have my name and address typed on a label. There is absolutely no return address anywhere on the envelope - nothing to indicate who it is from. They are both postmarked Kissimmee Florida and both first class. Now I am faced with a dilemma. Do I open them? My first instinct was absolutely not and I threw them in the trash, but now I'm worried that they might be something important from a client. Anyone that mails something without a return address is an idiot.

Turn them over to police, there were two envelopes containing white powder received in Hialeah, Florida. As reported in the Gainesville Sun yesterday (I couldn't find an online link) Both folks that opened them & their families became ill, they were hospitilized for observation. No word yet on what the substance was. But with the mail guy at that newpaper exposed, the editor that died, and the spores on the keyboard evidence to me indicates a possible mail source. Typed mail is all handled with automation, only hand written illegible addresses get human inspection & coded. Liklyhood of postal employees intercepting "terrorist mail" would be pretty slim. FBI & USPS ought to consider stopping & inspecting all mail without a ret. address. Furthermore, independent contracted trucking firms now handle intrastate & inter p.o. deliveries. Certainly an invitation for tampering, rough looking bunch of sub contractors. FBI ought to be keeping tabs on the USPS and other major delivery services UPS etc.

[hellinahandcart]

Lorraine, do not open those letters but do NOT throw them away. Call the police. Tell them you have received two unsolicited envelopes from FLORIDA--emphasize "Florida, where the anthrax outbreak outcurred"--with no return address, and that you do not wish to open them. If they don't send somebody right over to pick them up, call the FBI and tell them the same thing.

Hopefully they're just ads for time-shares or something. But you can't just throw them away. If it is anthrax it may put some poor sanitation worker or recycling-center employee at risk. What if they go through a shredder and the dust is released? For all I know the spores could survive burning as well. The letters have to be handed over to someone that can dispose of hazardous materials properly.

Don't be afraid to call. Better safe than sorry. The police will probably tell you that themselves.

[Dog Gone]

Now I am faced with a dilemma. Do I open them?

If you chose to open them, snip off the end of the envelope with a pair of scissors, rather than using a letter opener. You're far less likely to disturb the contents.

The lack of a return address is troubling, but the presence of one doesn't guarantee safety, either.

I hate to see us become afraid of routine mail, but being cautious seems wise to me.

[6ppc]

OK, for starters we make a list of people who hate the IRS....

My hard drive ain't that big!

[gumbo]

Let's hope it is just an estimated tax payment from a cocain dealer.

LOL!

[gjenkins]

I would also put them in a plastic bag before shining the light throught them.

[Dick Bachert]

Tell your sister to find another job -- unless your family name is QUISLING.

[the_alfalfanator]

BUMP

[mafree]

OK, for starters we make a list of people who hate the IRS....

By the time we get done with that list the next millenium will be here.

[NativeNewYorker]

49 - You are right, of course.