We've often heard parents say, "Don't accept gifts from strangers." But what if the gift arrives in the form of an unwanted email in your inbox or a strange package addressed to you that was left on your doorstep? What can you do then?
While it’s easy to regift those mediocre presents from family to someone else, decoding the reason behind receiving mysterious mails is quite a task. Imagine opening your door to find a peculiar envelope. Inside lies a potato with a quirky message written on it. How do you feel - confused? Amused? Puzzled?
Whether someone intentionally sent it or if it was a mistake made by the delivery person, people receive questionable packages in their mailbox. Keep scrolling to look at some intriguing deliveries individuals get.
#1 Guys, This Came In The Mail Today, But I Didn't Order It
I ordered some college books but got this instead. I'm wondering if this was an honest mistake or if I should be worried.
Image credits: Cinemageddon
With the rise of online shopping, the number of residential deliveries has increased significantly. Reports suggest there has been a 150% surge in global parcel volume. It skyrocketed from 64 billion parcels in 2016 to 161 billion in 2022. Whether it’s groceries or gadgets, people now rely on home delivery services for a wide range of items.
Among the major couriers, Amazon Logistics shipped 4.8 billion packages in 2022. To put that into perspective: Every single day, they dispatched 13.2 million packages, which is roughly equivalent to 547,945 per hour, 9,132 per minute and 152 per second. In 2022, the global average for parcels shipped per person was 42.
#2 Got This Letter Anonymously In The Mail
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#3 My Brother Received This Creepy Card In The Mail. Should He Take Any Actions?
The card was sent from Moonpig. We've looked at their website, and they state that they can’t disclose the details of the sender of a card. Should he contact the police? Not as an emergency, but just to inform them. He’s recently broken up with his girlfriend, and from what I gather, she seemed a little crazy. Does anybody have any advice, please?
Image credits: Throwaway6622334455
One of the major concerns for many online shoppers is whether their parcel will arrive late, or worse, not show up at all. However, as you can see from the pictures, some people are posed with a strange issue: they receive stuff they never ordered, including face creams, random pieces of jewelry and rubber chickens in the mail. While it’s delightful to get quirky packages from friends and family, it's important to be careful about unexpected deliveries.
#4 Someone Left This Package On My Door Step, When We Opened It Up This Is What We Found
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#5 I Received This Creepy Package In The Mail From An Unknown Sender. What Does It Mean?
I received this in the mail a few days after Valentine's Day. It was addressed to me with no return address. The lid was sealed shut, and although I probably shouldn't have, I pried it open with a butter knife (I hope I'm not cursed), and a wooden box with an anatomically correct wooden heart was inside. You can buy similar things on Etsy and other online stores. Do I have an admirer with really poor taste, or is this something more sinister?
Image credits: SharkBait85
#6 My Friend's Father Received This In The Mail From A Children's Fundraiser. Who Thought This Was A Good Idea
Image credits: TOMALTACH
A fraudulent activity that you should be aware of is called the brushing scam. Here’s how it works: Scammers create fake transactions by sending cheap items to random addresses. This generates a tracking number, allowing them to post verified reviews without really sending the advertised product.
#7 So, I Got This In The Mail Today. Some Girl Has Sent Me Pieces Of Hair From Her Head, Eyebrows, Arms, Toes, And Genitals. This Letter Is In Swedish
Image credits: NAKED_SWEDISH_CHEF
#8 My Mother Received This Terrifying Letter, Which Is Supposedly From A Crazy Cousin She Hasn't Spoken With In Over 20 Years Who Lives In The Mountains Of Hawaii Without Electricity
1st Picture:
"He sees you when you're sleeping; he knows when you're awake."
2nd Picture:
"Ellen,
We'll be by around 7 PM on March 23 to pick up you and yours; pack light and leave your earthly husk behind. As ever, no fornicators or immigrants need to apply. I see you at 7 PM (1900 hrs).
U KNOW WHO"
Image credits: _Jxander
#9 A Package I Received Today
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So while individuals are not typically charged for these unordered items, the seller benefits by creating fake reviews for their products using the receiver's name and account. It's a method used to boost seller ratings and deceive potential buyers.
“The real losers here are the consumers who are possibly believing many of these fake positive reviews, or this artificial padding of reviews, because they might see 100 positive reviews, and then there may only be 60 or 70 of them that are legitimate,” Chris McCabe, consultant and former Amazon policy enforcement investigator, was quoted saying.
#10 Strange Package In The Mail
I received this in the mail today. A burned sage stick, a baby doll, and an old photograph of an elderly woman. No return address, and no friends or family owning up to sending it. Just a weird prank? I'm so confused.
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#11 Got This Email While On The Toilet. Super Creepy
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#12 I Received A Terrifying, Scary Note In My Mailbox
I opened my mailbox to find this weird and completely terrifying note. It definitely seems like the person writing this was writing with their other hand to not get recognized, and this is what scares me so much. I don't know anyone who could do this, and I haven't noticed anything strange recently. I did call my close friends, and they all advised me to go to the police, which I'm planning on doing as soon as I can, but I'm not sure what they can do. One thing for sure is that I'm not sleeping tonight. Do you think I'm overreacting?
Image credits: mailboxthrowawayy
Sometimes, scams begin before you even receive the package. Scammers trick people by sending bogus emails or texts. Even though these messages appear to be from reputable shipping companies, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) advises consumers to avoid clicking on unsolicited links. They suggest people check the package status on trusted sites, and speak up if something seems fishy.
#13 Letter In The Mail My Mom Received Today
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#14 I Received A Clown In The Mail With This Note Yesterday. No Idea Who Sent It
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#15 Dirty And Bloody Envelope From The Postman's Accident
We received this in the mail today with a note from the USPS. It says, "The carrier who services your route was involved in an industrial or motor vehicle incident. Due to the incident, your mail came into contact with blood."
Image credits: sunsethacker
Such scams are more prevalent during the holiday season. People receive messages claiming they missed a delivery attempt. You are asked to click on a link to reschedule the delivery. Sometimes the scammers even try to create a sense of urgency by asking you to do it right away or else your package will be returned. However, when you click and enter your details, the fake website captures your personal information, which could be later used to steal your identity.
#16 My Junk Mail Got Wet, And The Text Is Floating Off The Page
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#17 I Bought An Energy Drink Online And They Sent Me A Bag Full Of Hair
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#18 So My Ex Boyfriend Sent Me His Shaved Beard In The Mail
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#19 My Friend Just Received This On Her Door Step
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#20 My Wife And I Got A Package From Budapest. We Don't Know Anyone From Or Visiting Budapest. What Was Inside Creeped Us Right Out
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#21 Random Dolls Were Mailed To My Friend's House. She Doesn't Know Who Or Why
She has no idea who sent them. There is no note inside with any information on why it was sent. Her social media name was used, not her legal name.
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#22 So, My Grandparents Asked Me To Bring In Their Mail While They're On Vacation, And This Is What I Saw
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Big delivery companies like FedEx and UPS provide information on their websites to help avoid falling for such scams. They have dedicated FAQ sections or articles with tips and resources on how to identify and avoid such frauds. It's better to be safe than sorry when it comes to protecting your private data.
#23 Creepy Letters My Dad Got In His Mail
All I have is that my dad lives out of town, where all the neighbors know each other, and he visits most of them regularly. He found most of the papers in his mailbox, and there were two in his neighbor's mailbox from across the road. They weren't in an envelope; they were simply dumped in the mailboxes.
Image credits: AlternativeBeing5
#24 My (Estranged) Dad Sent Me His Hair
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The FTC and cyber experts advise people to remain cautious regarding unwanted packages, as they may contain spam or malicious content. These fake packages are made to look so real that recipients open them without suspicion. By adopting proactive measures, we can easily protect ourselves against the risks associated with fake packages.
#25 A Few Months Ago, I Ordered A Pair Of Old Military Boots, And There Was A (Very Old And Likely Unstable) Hand Grenade Simulator Inside Of The Shoe. The Bomb Squad Had To Come To My Apartment
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#26 Got This Thing In The Mail The Other Day. No Idea Who Sent It
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#27 I Just Got This In The Mail. I Have No Idea Where It's From, And I'm Afraid To Listen To It
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The University of Pittsburgh Police Department has outlined several warning signs to watch out for. If the origin of the parcel is unexpected or you don’t know the sender, then it’s advisable to report it to the authorities. Other signs include misspelling of common words, excessive use of postage, odd shapes, oily stains or weird smells, and excessive use of tape. Additionally, the absence of a return address should raise concern.
Now that we have ample information on avoiding suspicious packages, let’s have a look at some unexpected deliveries people received at their doorsteps.
#28 I Ordered A Package, And A Random Phone Came In The Box
The only thing I can think of is that someone tried to dispose of a burner phone used for suspicious activities, but still, it's so strange. The delivery guy just buzzed the doorbell and practically zipped down the stairs, because when I opened it, he was gone.
Image credits: Throwawaybigpp2
#29 I Got This Random Death Threat Email
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#30 My Sister Got This In The Mail Today
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#31 This "Live Harmless Animals" Warning On A Package Addressed To My Roommate
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#32 Tomorrow Is My Birthday And This Bust Was Just Delivered To Me With No Indication Of Sender
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#33 Heaven's Gate Still Answers Emails, 18 Years After An Incident
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#34 Got This In The Mail Today
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#35 I Found This In My Mailbox. It Came With A Note Addressed To Me, But Nothing Else
I have asked everyone I know. Anyone I can think of would admit to it as a joke for laughs. Possibly the strangest thing to put in my mailbox.
Image credits: MuffBadger
#36 My Mom's Work Got A Weird Mail Intended For My Mom
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#37 My Boss Received A Letter From An Inmate Today That Is Facing Charges For Aggravated Stalking
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#38 I Received A Random Package That Is A Little Too Personal
Me and my boyfriend just moved to the new apartment last year. I haven’t been on any social media outlets or have disclosed my address to anyone but close family and friends. I have three bunnies, and would consider myself a bunny mom. One day, I received this random package addressed to me at my front door. I checked with all of my family members and friends, and none of them have sent this package. I don’t surround myself with people who would even send packages that are super unorthodox like this. I called Amazon about it, and they said the sender left a note saying "From Santa." I’m off-put by this. My boyfriend thinks this is from a secret admirer. Any suggestions? Should I be worried?
Image credits: FuchsiaFish
#39 I Got A Creepy Letter In The Mail. Anyone Know Where This Letter Might Have Come From? What Does The Card With The Moon And Crows Mean?
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#40 At The Post Office Where I Work, Someone Mailed A Bunch Of Bees
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#41 Why Would Someone Send This?
I'm looking for reasons why someone would send this to someone. It was addressed to me (I have only been at this house for 10 months). I live in the Midwest and don't know anyone in Pennsylvania.
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#42 I’m Getting Married In October. Someone Mailed This To Me. There Is No Return Address, And My Address Was Typed, So I Can’t Identify The Handwriting
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#43 A Seller Reused "Cremated Remains" Packaging To Ship A Package
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#44 Two Letters From Someone Who Stalks Me While I’m At My Job
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#45 My Friend Received This In The Mail Today. No Return Address. What Is The Meaning Behind This?
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#46 I've Received A Strange Amazon Gift Package
I got this package yesterday from my apartment's Amazon Hub and I had no idea what it was because I hadn't ordered anything. To my surprise, it's a pack of seeds with a gift note from someone named K. I have no idea who this person is or how they got my full name and address, but here we are.
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#47 My Daughter Received This In The Mail Today. She's Two
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#48 Today, A Stranger Slipped Two Keys And A Fake $100 Bill Into Our Mail Slot And Ran Away
Update: While I was on my way home from work, my partner called me and told me that our downstairs neighbor was screaming about how we poisoned his dog, had been putting cameras in his place, and had been mind-controlling him. He then shouted at her while I was on the phone about how he wanted his keys back. So, I guess they were keys to his house? Also, he's totally insane, and I'm really glad we are moving next month.
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#49 Just A Bag Of Little Babies Mailed To Me By My Aunt
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#50 Junk Mail. I Get These About Every Four Months. None Of It Ever Makes Sense, And We've Gotten Them For Over 20 Years
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#51 I Got This Really Weird And Kind Of Creepy Mail Today. Nothing I Looked Up Helps Me Figure Out What It Is
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#52 Someone Left A Creepy Doll And A Coded Letter On A Bench In Our Area. Does Anyone Have Any Idea What The Letter Says?
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#53 This Morning, I Received This Email After Changing My Netflix Password
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#54 I Went To My Mailbox To Find This. None Of The Neighbors Received This. Should I Be Freaked Out?
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#55 Is This Real?
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#56 A Creepy Letter That Was Sent To My Mum
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#57 Does Anyone Else Received A Creepy Mail Like This?
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#58 A Creepy Doll Was Sent To My House
My dad is a large antique collector, and he's always preferred oddities over normal antiques. So a few months ago, he found an antique Ouija board (and planchette) on eBay. He placed a bid and won. About three weeks later, we got two boxes in the mail. My dad called me to the garage to open the Ouija board with him. When I went outside, there were two fairly big boxes sitting on the floor. My dad was equally puzzled about the two boxes, but they were both addressed to him.
He opened the first box, and there was the Ouija board. Then I opened the second box, and I saw an antique doll staring up at me. My stomach dropped. My dad picked it up and had no clue why it was shipped to us. The doll gives me a horrible feeling, and every time I look at it, I just feel completely creeped out.
We assumed the seller had accidentally shipped both a doll and the Ouija board to us. My dad contacted the seller and sent pictures of the doll, and they said they had never seen it before. We did some research, and it is a German doll from the 1800s. This doll is worth a lot; it is weird that someone would just give it up.
We still have the doll (behind glass); it's been almost 6 months, and we have heard nothing from anyone.
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#59 Received This Handwritten Letter In My Mailbox Today
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#60 I Just Moved Into A New Apartment. An Old Tenant Received This In The Mail Shortly After Moving Out
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#61 We Got This Mystery Mail Today, And We Don’t Know The Person Who Sent It. It Seems Like This Jeffrey Guy Is Giving Out Valuable Dollar Bills. Any Thoughts On What Is Going On?
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#62 My Mate Brought In His Mail, And These Crawled Out
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#63 We Moved Into Our New House A Few Months Back, And A Mysterious Card Appeared. I Will Not Be Opening Any Mail Named For This Person Ever Again
"P.S. Have a fantastic Christmas. Somehow, you have never ever left my mind. One way or another, I hold you responsible for so many horrible things that happened to many people. Inclusive of the death of one person. I thought it might be appropriate to send you a pile of sh*t in a box of Milk Tray chocolates. Than thought that decision would make me no better than you."
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#64 My Sister Received This Letter Along With 7 Missed Phone Calls From The City It Was Mailed From
My sister lives on the east coast and received this letter, to her apartment the other day. Her address is not listed online anywhere. This is so scary.
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#65 Just Stumbled Across This Old Gem A Friend Of Mine Received A Few Years Ago
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#66 Anyone Have Any Ideas Where This Weird Mail Came From?
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#67 Our Store Received This Card In The Mail Today With No Return Address
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#68 Went To Get My Mail And This Was Waiting For Me
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#69 I Think I Just Got A Drone In The Mail
I just called UPS. They told me that it was one of the undelivered packages in their office, and asked if I've ever had an undelivered package. I said no, but he insisted that it was mine, and said that it was up to me if I want to keep it or not.
I don't think that's the right way to go about this, so I'm going to call the number on the card, and get this sorted out.
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#70 Someone Mailed This To My Dad, And He Has No Idea Who Or Why
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#71 Rejection Letter And Returned Check From The Church Of Satan. A Friend Found This When His Roommate Moved Out
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#72 I Received A Religious Hate Package Through My Door
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#73 A Small Circuit Board Mailed To Me With No Return Address. It Was Taped To A Piece Of Paper With The Coordinates Of My House Printed On It. That Was The Only Thing In The Envelope
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#74 Got These In The Mail With No Message Or Return Address
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#75 Weird Mail Delivered
My partner received this parcel this afternoon in the mail. We’re not entirely sure who sent it, and it came with a crumbled-up cookie. We’re obviously not going to eat it, but we’re a bit confused as to where this came from. I googled the company name, but nothing came up except a company in Ballarat. We’re based in the western suburbs of Melbourne, if that helps. Any advice or information would be greatly appreciated!
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#76 This Came In The Mail. 5 Self-Adhesive Rubber O Shapes And 5 Screws Of Paper With A Hard, Dark Green Ball Of Something Oily. What Are These Creepy Things?
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#77 I Found This In The Mailbox Today. I Don't Have Neighbors I Don't Know
1st Picture:
"Sorry, I can't hear or see you perfect people anymore. I don't recognize your voices anymore. I really do need help before I let go again..."
2nd Picture:
"Sorry, everyone, I do have real problems with my health. I do need more help again. I'm tired of figuring out everything."
Image credits: SliceOfTy
#78 We Got A Random Letter From Poland With Nothing Written On It. We Live In Texas, And We Have No Idea Who The Sender Is
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#79 This Package My Mom Got From Some "School" In South Dakota, Begging For Money
At first, I saw St. Joseph and thought it was a religious thing because my mom's Catholic and frequents church a lot. Then I saw "Indian" and thought kids in India were asking for money. But no, this is a school in South Dakota. I don't know what their deal is. The website says they sent all these things to "catch our attention."
Image credits: StillCockroach7573
#80 My Sister Found A Lone Mailbox That Randomly Appeared In A Park She Frequents. This Message Was Inside Of It
"Rita was a fine matchmaker and had a low internal voice and impeccable eye focus on your delicious foot area. RIP"
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#81 I Received This In The Mail Today Anonymously. No Clue What It Is, But It Looks Like Handmade
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#82 Received This In The Mail. What Is This?
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#83 Snake In My Mailbox. All I Wanted Was To Get My Mail
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#84 I Received This In The Mail A Few Weeks After My Mom Died
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#85 Neighbors And I Found This Note/Goodie Bag In Our Mailboxes
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#86 My Friend Received An Interesting Package In The Mail
I get a text message this morning from my friend with the following message, "Yesterday we received a mysterious package from California delivered via FedEx, it had no markings on it. It's shrunk wrapped with what had to be 3 or 4 rolls of shrink wrap. We cut away at the shrink wrap to find this."
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#87 My Boyfriend Got This In The Mail Today. I Want To Know How This Happened. Nobody Can Figure It Out
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#88 A Roommate Received A Letter From The Church Of Scientology Regarding A Book He Purchased From Them In 1986
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#89 Weird Postcard I Got In The Mail. Anyone Know What These Numbers Mean?
So this postcard came addressed to me today. I have no idea what it is or why it would come to me. Given the saying "They’re coming".
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#90 This Odd Box Of Sugar Cookies Showed Up At My Door. No Address, No Note Or Anything, Just Cookies In This Smoke Alarm Box
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#91 Someone I Know Got Sent This Through The Post, Addressed To Her House, But No Name, And She's More Than A Bit Creeped Out. Anyone Got Any Ideas What This Is?
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#92 I Just Got A Package From The Philippines Addressed To Me. No One Ordered Anything. They Look Like Seeds, But I Don't Want To Open The Package
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#93 Today, I Received My Letter Like This
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#94 Yep, That's A Bloody Tooth On My UPS Package
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#95 I Got This In The Mail. I Have No Idea Who Or What It Could Be From. I Don't Know Anyone In Ohio And It's Just Weird
The entire thing including the scribbled out parts says, "If we remain together until we die, this too shall pass. Love like there is no tomorrow, laugh like a kid, stress is pointless." I'm beyond confused.
Image credits: Huge_Locksmith1865
#96 Creepy Random Email I Received Today
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#97 Got This Weird Advertisement In The Mail. I'm Not Going There
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#98 Mailed 1992, Delivered 2013
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#99 This Is The Second Suspicious Letter I’ve Received With No Return Address
I got a letter similar to this about a year ago, but I moved out of that state three years ago. There is no return address, and I don’t know what language this is. I have no clue how they have my new address, and I have no idea if I should be concerned or not.
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#100 This Just Came In The Mail. Anyone Ever Gotten Something Like This?
Image credits: reddit.com
