(THUMB AREA) – The Michigan State Police Caro Post has noted a recent increase in unsolicited and suspicious packages being delivered to homes throughout Tuscola, Huron, and Sanilac Counties.
The packages are coming from overseas, mostly China, and are showing up in the mailboxes of residents who have not ordered these items. So far, the packages have contained harmless items; mostly consisting of home goods, cleaning supplies, small electronics, and even personal accessories.
The Michigan State Police wants to remind residents to be extremely cautious and to avoid opening any packages originating from overseas, especially if you have not placed any recent online orders.
These packages can be difficult to trace and typically have Chinese or other foreign languages on them making it very difficult to decipher the contents.
If you receive a package from another country and suspect you may have received something you did not order, please call 911.
Both troopers and local police officers are trained to handle these circumstances and have various resources available to help them determine if the packages are safe to open.
The Michigan State Police has also discovered some of these incidents can be the result of hackers accessing your online retail accounts and ordering items directly using your profile and financial information.
If you receive items in the mail under suspicious circumstances, we recommend checking all online retail and financial accounts to check for unauthorized activity.
If you find your account has been compromised, contact the affected institution right away and have your account closed as soon as possible.
With the upcoming holiday seasons, criminals will be in full force.
Considering the rapid increase of online fraud and identity theft cases, the Michigan State Police also recommends utilizing a reputable credit monitoring service to help protect your accounts and identity.
