And Now, Canada Post Scams

I know a couple who at age fifty plus years refused to get any sort of technology...no cell phones, no computer, no digital camera, and no whatever else existed twenty five years ago or in the years since then. It was hard for me to imagine how they managed, especially in this day and age where contact with real people in businesses barely exists and automation rules. I sometimes envy these folks, now octogenarians. Their life is simple. They're happy, healthy, and unless they've fallen prey to one of "those" land line phone calls, they've probably never been scammed.

It's getting harder and harder to negotiate past the criminal element. Each day, there's a new way criminals either appeal to people's emotions, create fake but real looking letterhead, and the latest, fake websites so that you need to be super careful who you are contacting. My best advice is, don't respond to anything no matter how official it looks. On the phone, hang up. Canada Revenue and banks don't phone you. If there's something in your email (phishing), delete. Most places don't contact you this way either. Be diligent and, sadly, suspicious of everything.

So here's my latest. We've been pretty wise to most of these scams thus far. Recently, I was away on a trip but had been expecting a package. I forgot to put a temporary stop on my mail at the post office. I received a text message (smishing). It appeared as follows.

I wasn't thinking and was caught by surprise so I didn't  look carefully at the phone number. I clicked on the form, and it was quite detailed and official looking with Canada Post letterhead, stating that they couldn't leave a parcel in a secure location, so I had options of other dates for delivery. I did not fill out the attached form. I was wary, especially when it offered optional Sunday delivery dates for the package with a required fee. On the other hand, I was expecting a package and was hoping it wouldn't be lost or returned. I phoned my local post office but received no answer so I left a message.

Fortunately, someone returned my call and told me that they NEVER send text messages or emails regarding any postal service, nor do they ever charge extra for delivery. This was a scam intended to get access to my info or credit card. 

So, did all this cost me anything? Yes, it certainly did. Since I was out of the country and panicked about a potential scam or a disappearing parcel, I had to use my roaming fees to make several phone calls to sort things out with my local post office. First day, no response to any calls. Day two, got an answering machine and left messages on two occasions. Day three, I noticed three missed calls and a phone message which I listened to. Total, $36. That, plus stopping my mail for a week to ensure that it's all secure, $26. Another lesson learned, priceless.

___________________________________________________________________________________

Previous Scam Blogs

***Land line phone calls - see blogs April 18, 2015, "Warning! Scam Alert", and also May 17, 2015

***email scams - see also Jan. 11, 2017 "Be Aware...More Scams" 

___________________________________________________________________________________

*** Smishing and phishing? Phishing - Cyber criminals send fraudulent emails that seek to trick the recipient into clicking on a malicious link. Smishing uses text messages instead of email. Cybercriminals try to steal your personal data, trick you into giving out credit card info, and commit fraud or other cyber crimes.

Canada Post & You've Got Mail Part 2

On January 11, 2014, I wrote a blog about super mail boxes, or community mail boxes that were sprouting up in newer neighbourhoods like ours. I included the absurd idea spewed by the conservative government about the health benefits to seniors of these eyesores.

Seven years later,  I've become used to the idea of occasionally trekking a couple of blocks and I've adapted to varying climatic hindrances that were part of acquiring my mail.

Recently, the super mailboxes have been upgraded. We received a notice and a set of keys one day. Several weeks later, I was afforded further senior exercise opportunities by having to visit the mailbox three times. The boxes had suddenly been changed and I had neglected to switch the key on my lanyard. After going back home and retrieving the correct new key, I headed back only to discover that the boxes and numbers were also different. Back home I went to reacquaint myself with the new information. Then I tried to get my mail ! 

 At first glance, I noted the attractive artwork and sleek, stylistic design of the replacement boxes. 

Apparently, these boxes are not  only pretty, but also "more secure" we're told by Canada Post. That's a relief. After all, I wouldn't want anyone stealing my coupons, solicitations for money, or my Senior Health and Snowbird magazines.  If you look carefully at the front, there's an added bonus...giant numerals that can easily be seen without having to put on the dreaded reading glasses. OK...so far, so good.

Lovely concrete slabs to be hidden by snow in winter. I'd hate to have boxes 14 to 16...read on.

                                                                   

So what could possibly be the problem you ask? Upon careful examination you can see that the boxes are no longer square, but resemble a safety deposit box. Yes, they are slightly wider and yes, the advantage that's described in the user guide is that your magazines will lay flat as will your large business envelopes. Yayyy....bonus no more added wrinkles to William Shatner or Betty White on the cover of my Zoomer magazine.

https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpo/mc/assets/pdf/cmb/CMB_Guide_en.pdf  

There's a telephone number to call if you have mobility issues...wonderful. Good thinking. This does not help the bulk of the older population in our neighbourhood. I don't think the idea of "test subjects" ever came into the designer's mind. I'm also certain that there's been no input from the public and by public, I'm referring specifically to the senior population. 

I saw an older man who seemed to have brought a small child to help get his mail. How nice I initially thought...grandpa has taken grandson with him. I also saw a woman who was curiously contorted into a pretzel in front of the installation. Then I located and opened my own mailbox. 

I was instantly thankful that my mail slot was toward the centre and not lower down. First, I had to hunch down and twist my neck in an attempt to determine whether anything was inside (hence, pretzel lady). Secondly, the slit was so narrow, my slightly chubby, adult arm could barely fit inside (thus, small child accompaniment). Thirdly, I think the slot went all the way into the next township.

I must say though, these mailboxes give me a new mission. Henceforth, I will spend some of my free time lurking and doing an independent study of mail retrieval methods from these boxes. I'm particularly looking forward to seeing how well people are able to accomplish handstands in order to get mail from slots 14 to 16.

Oh....and please, please don't ever send me a parcel!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

UPDATE - Went to the mailbox with my adult son yesterday. He offered to reach into the box for our mail. His arm is thinner and longer, still....

This morning, hubby suggested a new solution. Brilliant.

You've Got Mail

I love getting mail. I'm not talking about electronic mail. I'm talking about real mail...the paper kind that has actually been sent by someone. Sure, there are often a lot of bills, flyers and assorted junk, but every now and again there are pleasant surprises.

Today I picked up the mail at our community mailbox. It's that super mailbox on the corner that is being proposed for all Canadian citizens because, how does the quote from the CEO of Canada Post go?  "Ending home delivery and shifting millions of Canadians to community mailboxes offers at least one unintended upside - more exercise for seniors."

Found this on Facebook "Meanwhile in Canada".

The truth is, it's cheaper. It's a cost cutting option. There'll eventually be less service costing more money. I believe that Canada Post is downsizing itself into extinction. With the increased use of couriers, email, texting, Zoom and the like, paperless everything and other technology, physical mail will one day be a thing of the past. Sad really. By the way, has anyone noticed that our stamps have now gone up to over a dollar?  You'll know you're really special if you get a Christmas card from me next year. But alas, I digress.

We have actually had the good fortune that has been afforded only a quarter of the population to this point. We're in a newer neighbourhood and therefore have had a community mailbox all along. As my 84 year old neighbour can attest, she was particularly appreciative of the opportunity to walk several blocks and get her exercise during the recent ice storm, power outages and fallen/falling trees.

Just as it's sad to see the disappearance of cursive writing, I think it will be even sadder not to see any personalized handwritten mail.

I have a small collection of postcards which I have saved. My grandpa sent some to grandma during the war. Mom sent some to dad after he first came to Canada and vice versa. I sent a few to my parents at some point. I suppose postcards were a quicker way to reach the other person than a full length letter. They were also a way of sharing an experience and they usually arrived in less than a week. How wonderful is it to have these memories?

A friend asked me to send her a postcard while I was away last year...an unusual request. I had fun being silly and writing them and I sent not one, but six. I dated them and mailed them on different occasions and from different places, hoping that one would arrive on her doorstep every few days. I was gone over a month. The postcards arrived two weeks after I returned and all at once. I'm not certain when and where the postal service broke down, but the fact remains that even with faster travel and frequent air service, sending mail is not efficient any more.

So for now, as we check our community mailboxes, we might still see some surprises. In the future, there might be nothing more than ads and the occasional bill or magazine. There'll be no urgency to go to the superbox. Then where will the seniors get their exercise?