Danger, even with companies we know well
12-06-2010, 08:25 PM
#1
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Merced, CA
Posts: 4,188
Dear friends on Quilting Board, I got this in my regular mailbox, and after reading it I became uneasy about friends and family being away from home so much during the holidays, when a lot of packages are being delivered. I've mentioned before that a lot of my family wear badges, and most of the family are somewhat uneasy about being so trusting with strangers.
I wrote back and asked permission to share this with this quilting group online. Permission was given and I "copied" and "pasted" the whole thing here. The writer is married to a commercial pilot, the "Flyboy" she refers too, and he is off working when this went on. She also loves Great Danes and has two of her own.
-----------------------------------------------------
Anything Goes
-------
December 6, 2010
Greetings...
I have always been the type of person who believes in gut instincts and have almost always trusted in them. In the very few instances I went against my gut instincts, I was definitely sorry and paid for not "listening" to my gut...
On Friday, my gut was not only talking, but screaming and I had no choice but to follow the "voice". The outcome hasn't been determined yet, but here's what happened...
Friday afternoon, the poochies were out in the back and I heard them barking in the direction of the front of the house. This usually means they hear someone or something in, or near the driveway even though they are quite a distance from the street...
I went to the living room and peeked out the blinds and sure enough, a Fed Ex truck was at the foot of the driveway. I was glad the poochies were outside because it is always a free for all when someone comes to deliver a package. Between opening the door, trying to keep them back, and sometimes having to sign for a package, it can be quite the "fun"...
I waited and the guy didn't come out of the truck as I watched and waited. My phone started ringing and rather than run for the phone and miss the chance of answering the door solo, I decided to just let the machine get it. It rang and whoever it was that called, didn't leave a message...
I wondered what was taking the driver so long, but he finally got out of his truck and headed to the front door. Rather than take a chance of the dogs hearing the doorbell from outside, I quickly opened the door and the driver literally jumped as I opened the door...
He said, "I thought you weren't home"
Huh?
"It didn't look like anyone was home and you didn't answer your phone".
"YOU, just called my house"?
"Yes, and it didn't look like anyone was home"
Gut started working here. In this neighborhood, it looks like NO ONE is home because you can't tell from the front. No One leaves their cars in the driveway...
My brain started ticking...
Uh, you didn't think I was home and then called my home and when you thought I wasn't home you came to the door? He also didn't have any "sorry we missed you" stickers in his hand since he thought I wasn't home, but he did have my package, which I signed for...
This is where it got even stranger. He was very nervous and started rambling about people not being home and home invasions and his house getting broken into while his little girl was playing a video game, yada, yada, yada. The whole time his voice was a bit "quivery" and he rambled and rambled until I finally said...Well, someone is always home and I don't think too many people would want to just pop in here unannounced. He asked why and with that I said...
"Moosieeeeeeeeeee, Gingerrrrrrrrrrrrr" and BAM through the dog door they came in literally seconds. They started barking and ran to the door which made him move back a foot even though the heavy duty screen door kept him safely on the outside. They must have sensed he wasn't a "friend" because they had their "Big Dog" bark and growl going on and it appears their gut was working like mama's...
He left and I was bothered by this whole episode for a few hours as I went through it in my mind over and over, wondering if I was overreacting and each time, I came up with the same answer...
NO, something wasn't right and I felt, and still believe, my house was being "cased" by him, for himself or for one of his cohorts. He wasn't my regular Fed Ex guy and I wonder if he's a temp hired for Christmas...
In all the years I have received packages from Fed Ex, not one single driver has ever called my home, even if I wasn't home, and on the rare occasions I may have not been home, a sticker was left on the door...
Oh, the number left on the caller ID after he called. Surpriseeeee
"Unknown"
I finally decided to call Fed Ex and talked to someone who was NOT amused at my story and took down the info and promised me this would be given to the station manager and I would be contacted. I did tell her I was going to call the police to let them know what happened, just in case there may have been some home invasions in the area that may have coincidently received a package from Fed Ex a short time before their robbery...
If nothing comes of it, so be it, but I felt uncomfortable enough by this driver to do something aboutit and based on the amount of time that I AM alone, I felt it better to be safe than sorry...
The station manager is supposed to call me Monday and the police officer is supposed to call me sometime after Tuesday. (I guess the guy would have had to put me IN a Fed Ex box to get a call sooner)...
I'll let you know what, if anything, comes of this whole thing...
I will say this before I go. For all the years I have had Great Danes and marveled at their gentleness given their massive size, I have often joked with Flyboy about these two goofballs showing crooks to the "good stuff" if someone ever broke in...
My gut now tells me that my "little" girls would protect their mama and I have a feeling that there's one Fed Ex driver who may request a route change asfter Friday...
Even if he is innocent...
:-)
I wrote back and asked permission to share this with this quilting group online. Permission was given and I "copied" and "pasted" the whole thing here. The writer is married to a commercial pilot, the "Flyboy" she refers too, and he is off working when this went on. She also loves Great Danes and has two of her own.
-----------------------------------------------------
Anything Goes
-------
December 6, 2010
Greetings...
I have always been the type of person who believes in gut instincts and have almost always trusted in them. In the very few instances I went against my gut instincts, I was definitely sorry and paid for not "listening" to my gut...
On Friday, my gut was not only talking, but screaming and I had no choice but to follow the "voice". The outcome hasn't been determined yet, but here's what happened...
Friday afternoon, the poochies were out in the back and I heard them barking in the direction of the front of the house. This usually means they hear someone or something in, or near the driveway even though they are quite a distance from the street...
I went to the living room and peeked out the blinds and sure enough, a Fed Ex truck was at the foot of the driveway. I was glad the poochies were outside because it is always a free for all when someone comes to deliver a package. Between opening the door, trying to keep them back, and sometimes having to sign for a package, it can be quite the "fun"...
I waited and the guy didn't come out of the truck as I watched and waited. My phone started ringing and rather than run for the phone and miss the chance of answering the door solo, I decided to just let the machine get it. It rang and whoever it was that called, didn't leave a message...
I wondered what was taking the driver so long, but he finally got out of his truck and headed to the front door. Rather than take a chance of the dogs hearing the doorbell from outside, I quickly opened the door and the driver literally jumped as I opened the door...
He said, "I thought you weren't home"
Huh?
"It didn't look like anyone was home and you didn't answer your phone".
"YOU, just called my house"?
"Yes, and it didn't look like anyone was home"
Gut started working here. In this neighborhood, it looks like NO ONE is home because you can't tell from the front. No One leaves their cars in the driveway...
My brain started ticking...
Uh, you didn't think I was home and then called my home and when you thought I wasn't home you came to the door? He also didn't have any "sorry we missed you" stickers in his hand since he thought I wasn't home, but he did have my package, which I signed for...
This is where it got even stranger. He was very nervous and started rambling about people not being home and home invasions and his house getting broken into while his little girl was playing a video game, yada, yada, yada. The whole time his voice was a bit "quivery" and he rambled and rambled until I finally said...Well, someone is always home and I don't think too many people would want to just pop in here unannounced. He asked why and with that I said...
"Moosieeeeeeeeeee, Gingerrrrrrrrrrrrr" and BAM through the dog door they came in literally seconds. They started barking and ran to the door which made him move back a foot even though the heavy duty screen door kept him safely on the outside. They must have sensed he wasn't a "friend" because they had their "Big Dog" bark and growl going on and it appears their gut was working like mama's...
He left and I was bothered by this whole episode for a few hours as I went through it in my mind over and over, wondering if I was overreacting and each time, I came up with the same answer...
NO, something wasn't right and I felt, and still believe, my house was being "cased" by him, for himself or for one of his cohorts. He wasn't my regular Fed Ex guy and I wonder if he's a temp hired for Christmas...
In all the years I have received packages from Fed Ex, not one single driver has ever called my home, even if I wasn't home, and on the rare occasions I may have not been home, a sticker was left on the door...
Oh, the number left on the caller ID after he called. Surpriseeeee
"Unknown"
I finally decided to call Fed Ex and talked to someone who was NOT amused at my story and took down the info and promised me this would be given to the station manager and I would be contacted. I did tell her I was going to call the police to let them know what happened, just in case there may have been some home invasions in the area that may have coincidently received a package from Fed Ex a short time before their robbery...
If nothing comes of it, so be it, but I felt uncomfortable enough by this driver to do something aboutit and based on the amount of time that I AM alone, I felt it better to be safe than sorry...
The station manager is supposed to call me Monday and the police officer is supposed to call me sometime after Tuesday. (I guess the guy would have had to put me IN a Fed Ex box to get a call sooner)...
I'll let you know what, if anything, comes of this whole thing...
I will say this before I go. For all the years I have had Great Danes and marveled at their gentleness given their massive size, I have often joked with Flyboy about these two goofballs showing crooks to the "good stuff" if someone ever broke in...
My gut now tells me that my "little" girls would protect their mama and I have a feeling that there's one Fed Ex driver who may request a route change asfter Friday...
Even if he is innocent...
:-)
12-06-2010, 08:31 PM
#3
Power Poster
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Idaho
Posts: 11,375
I am glad she had great danes. I would also be uneasy about this. She did the correct thing.
I don't like the new ways UPS delivers either. They don't even ring the doorbell, they just leave the packages. What if someone steals them or they get ruined in the weather? I would be plenty ticked.
I don't like the new ways UPS delivers either. They don't even ring the doorbell, they just leave the packages. What if someone steals them or they get ruined in the weather? I would be plenty ticked.
12-06-2010, 08:41 PM
#5
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Western NY
Posts: 2,005
Thank you for sharing this. So many angles for scams these days. Can't be too careful. And danes are a fantastic dog. Their size alone usually does the trick, but they will protect their humans. Once watched an insurance salesman try to climb a tree in a hurry, lol. Never came back.
12-06-2010, 08:44 PM
#6
Super Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Southern IL
Posts: 1,265
Our packages are left on our front porch, wrapped in a plastic trash bag tied around it. But yes, neighbors or any passers by can pick it up if your neighbors aren't watching out for you. So glad everyting turned out like it did & you weren't harmed.
12-06-2010, 08:48 PM
#7
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Cadillac, MI
Posts: 6,487
Our FedEx driver knocks on the door and often, after taking a look at my cast or wheelchair, will offer to bring the package in as far as the laundry room.
This whole thing sounds suspicious. My smaller dog is half Border Collie and considers me her sheep. She is very protective.
Thank you for posting.
This whole thing sounds suspicious. My smaller dog is half Border Collie and considers me her sheep. She is very protective.
Thank you for posting.
12-06-2010, 09:43 PM
#9
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Lake Stevens, WA
Posts: 1,914
In our neighborhood this fall, a large UPS pachage waited on the porch while the resident went to answer the phone. She told the caller to please hold, returned to the door and found her package missing!
Another person (on the same block!) had her front door kicked in when she didn't answer the doorbell. She screamed, and the guy ran.
Another local scam is a robber pretending to be a cleaning person.
Watch out for each other so we can all have a safe and happy holiday season!
Another person (on the same block!) had her front door kicked in when she didn't answer the doorbell. She screamed, and the guy ran.
Another local scam is a robber pretending to be a cleaning person.
Watch out for each other so we can all have a safe and happy holiday season!
12-06-2010, 09:53 PM
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Neillsville, WI
Posts: 452
Just this am the UPS guy dropped off a pkg for me. He knocked on the door and left. It freaked me a little because when I went to the door (me & Elli heard the knock) there was no one there. I was expecting a pkg so I opened the door to look and there it was. This guy is getting super fast!
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