posted on October 16, 2001 06:05:27 PM new
To preface this thread, I need to say we had an Anthrax scare at the post office in the next town over from me.
I live on the coast of N. Carolina in VERY close proximity to 3 Marine Corps installations, Camp LeJeune - Jacksonville, New River Air Station - New River And MCAS Cherry Point - Cherry Point/Havelock.
Here is the email I just received from my ISP:
Dear Internet East Friends and Subscribers:
Due to the recent events concerning the distribution of Anthrax via the US Postal service, we are taking the following precautionary measures to ensure the safety of Internet East’s employees and the citizens in our coverage area.
1. All payments sent through the mail must be returned in the envelope provided with your invoice.
2. All mail-in payments MUST include a return address.
3. All in-store payments must be delivered in person without an envelope.
4. If you receive your invoices by e-mail, print out the invoice, if possible, and bring in or mail the printed invoice with your payment following the above guidelines.
5. If you use our “Drop Box” located at our business office, all above guidelines still apply.
Due to the increased risk in our area, any payments submitted that do not follow the above requirements will be quarantined until verification of authenticity is completed. To minimize any possible delay in payment processing, we encourage you to take advantage of our Automatic Credit Card billing that not only makes payments faster and easier, but also entitles you to a reduced rate of $16.95 per month. Also, you may view your invoices and make payments by using our online Customer Information website at https://www.inet-east.com/custinfo/ .
Please note: Internet East will not be held responsible for any late payments if the above requirements are met.
To change your payment method or for more information, please contact our main business office by calling (252) 463-XXXX or by e-mailing [email protected] . Thank you for your time and understanding in this matter. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
Sincerely,
Internet East, Inc.
I'm sitting here with my jaw hanging open.
One other comment. The owner is former Marine Corps(the saying goes: Once a Marine, always a Marine). Maybe he knows something the rest of us in town don't?
posted on October 16, 2001 06:24:13 PM new
Well, anthrax aside, the above "requirements" don't seem all that different from most businesses I send payments to via the mail.
There is normally an included envelope with a bar code on it to use, putting your return address on it is common sense, many times there is a slip or piece of the bill that you return with the payment.
If you aren't a prankster or someone looking to make trouble...what's the big deal? Aren't the authorities telling everyone to "be careful?"
Edited to add...for the past few months, I've been making 90% of my bill payments through my banks Online site. The information downloads to Quicken, I save time, money (no stamps) and the payments get where they're going very quickly.
posted on October 16, 2001 06:50:35 PM new
Now dont jump me like EG got when she asked an innocent question, but this latest scare of mail and anthrax makes me wonder what affect it is going to have on ebay and packages being mailed.
posted on October 16, 2001 06:55:01 PM new
I'm sure it will have at least a minor effect. (affect?)
I read an article online that stated that online retailers believe sales will be up this season due to flight restrictions etc. That contradicts what you would think would happen with shipping concerns increasing.
My comment to the thread was only aimed at the ISP's decision concerning their mail. I wonder now if more of us will be getting those types of announcements from our utility companies as well.
Point being, why did my ISP feel the need to send something like this out????
I mean, SHEESH, if the mail doesn't have a return address on the envelope, it's going to go into quarantine???
Don't you find that just a little bit over the top?
I just sent their billing dept a question as to why I am being auto billed for 17.95 instead of 16.95. I didn't know there was a discount! Wonder how long that has been in effect.
posted on October 16, 2001 07:06:35 PM new
It may seem "over the top", but as far as the missing return address goes, it was one of the things the FBI said to watch out for, along with a post mark and return address not "matching".
One of the bosses at your ISP either is responding to his boss, or taking steps that they feel will protect their employees. I don't ever send anything without including a return address, so while this may be over the top, it certainly wouldn't be a problem for me.
The discount they mentioned is probably buried in the small print of their billing agreement.
posted on October 16, 2001 07:10:15 PM new
I think you will notice very soon, in some ways your already starting to see it the fear and effect of all these things are slowly wearing off.
THing is there were already so many things in life to be carefull of that might kill you everything from greasy food too smokeing hell now its mail towers plane shopping I think this country is almost numb to the point where things that are bad and will kill you the fear factor is about gone.
Americans are to the point now where if they wake in the morning might as well have a cup of coffee half dozzen eggs pound of bacon and a smoke before the mail comes in and kills you off frist.
Then for lunch a big mac large frys before you get on the plane that plows down the next building some where no matter what you do or where you turn there is a threat..
posted on October 17, 2001 06:27:18 AM new
Deb, I'm not really surprised, I fully suspect that the course of events in the near future will force changes on all of us. The problem with these changes will be the limitation of what we all have taken for granted: TRUST
I do understand the ISP's position, however they have certainly overreacted, I would imagine that the Postal System is putting into place safeguards to protect the integrity of the mail system and will be able to give some protections to all of us in our daily routine where the mail is concerned. Only time will tell on that.
As of yesterday we've had 11 anthrax scares here since Sat. per the talking heads on tv. One station has made an editoral decision in that they will not broadcast the scares unless it is real, to help prevent giving notority to the pranksters. I would imagine that the other stations will follow suit in time.
Bill (Elecdata1 here and everywhere else)
[ edited by elecdata1 on Oct 17, 2001 06:28 AM ]
posted on October 17, 2001 07:35:50 AM new
The Anthrax scare should not affect the buyers(as they're the ones sending the envelopes) as much as it will the sellers(as they're the ones receiving envelopes.)
I know most of those I get in the mail are handwritten--many have no return addresses--and I don't stop to double-check them with my list before opening them. So--if you're not afraid of receiving envelopes, the Anthrax scare should actually help sellers of good merit as more buyers will be looking at the seller's feedback record to be sure they're dealing with a reputable seller. It will probably weed out many new sellers as (1) they don't want to start accepting envelopes, and (2) their reputation is not established, thereby they won't get as much business as their experienced competitors.
I, for one, am not afraid of a terrorist sending me an anthrax filled envelope--I have a better chance of getting struck by lightning.
The only problem is, there is no such school. It was a bogus return address.
Zazzie,
That is not true. The only thing steam ironing does is stop the spores from becoming airborne. It doesn't kill the Anthrax. Anthrax can live under intense temperature conditions.
To boot, kidlet's elementary school was on lock down yesterday afternoon(no one on school property without proper ID, no outside recess and a 2 Marines outfitted with an M-16 greeting parents at the school gate) after one of the little darlings in Jr. High thought it would be funny to pull a prank and cause another Anthrax scare in the area.
posted on October 17, 2001 11:54:48 PM new
Hepburn
That's a good question. I don't know what affect it will have on packages being delivered but it has definitely had a affect on bidding.
Since the first Anthrax scare, our bids are off more than 50%. That is 50% worse than business has been since 9/11. We went from 75% sell through to 40% after 9/11 to 20% so far this week..
What else could possibly happen to make things worse? I'm not worried about Antrax but I am worried about the loss of income.
joycel
Unfortunately it isn't helping anyone. We have a 1700+ feedback rating and a solid reputation. It isn't making a bit of differnce.
[ edited by outoftheblue on Oct 17, 2001 11:58 PM ]
