I received an anonymous letter in the mail today.
This is second letter I’ve received… spooky!
I received the first letter over a year ago. Both letters contain promotional literature. The first one promoted a public speaking product and this one is promoting martial arts or so. They are all personalized with the text, “Avinesh, Check this out! -J”, written in blue ink and block letters. My address is written neatly on the front of each envelope in the same manner. The first promotional piece was taken from a computer magazine and the second piece was from a newspaper advertisement.
The originating postal code on the envelope appears to be: M4L 3T0. The ‘0’ almost looks like a ‘D’ on the envelope, but using a ‘D’ for the last character doesn’t follow Canadian postal code standards. A quick Google search shows that ‘M4L’ is Toronto, Ontario. It was mailed out at 8:11 AM on August 21. I never realized letters from Ontario get to BC so quickly — regular mail, no less.
Further research indicates that I’m not the only one that’s received an anonymous letter from the same postal code. I don’t think I know anyone in Ontario with a name starting with ‘J’.
Well, on to other things. I’ll update this post if I discover anything else.
Update (09/02/2007):
It appears several individuals received similarly addressed letters in the mail. Please read the comments to this blog post for details. Someone sure has lots of free time (and money) on their hands.
I attempted to use Canada Post’s Post Office Locator to determine the address of the post office, to no avail: “Postal code M4L3T0 was not found.” Very strange, considering the envelope was postmarked from that postal code.
This almost leads me to wonder if this is an inside job, by a disgruntled Canada Post worker. Perhaps, we can collectively contact Canada Post to help identify the culprit.
Update (09/04/2007):
I contacted Canada Post directly regarding the matter. I am awaiting a response.
Update (09/07/2007):
Canada Post indicated that as long as there’s a stamp on it, they will process it like any other piece of mail. They haven’t contacted me for more information.
Update (10/01/2009):
This Google query should answer most of your questions about this mysterious “J”:
http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=Hand+Addressed+Direct+Mail
As you can see, there are marketing companies that deliver hand-addressed envelopes with notes. Their reason for doing so? It increases the likelihood of someone opening a piece of mail. So, there you have it — an answer to this mystery.
I received a letter from this postal code. Enclosed was a cashier’s check and a letter about winning a sweepstakes. The letterhead stated it was from “Nationwide Financial Solutions” out of Quebec.
Anyone else see soemthing like this?
Hi, I just got one of those letter stating”Investors frustrated And Disgusted With 3% CD’s. Say they are victims of Banks Greed. There was a sticky note attaced saying my husband’s first name and then “Thought you;d be interested”. How sick is this. I want the US post office to look into this. Six or seven years ago I received these letter at my workplace about my weight. Something is up here and I believe it is from a sick co worker who is jealous of my success.
M4L 3T0
This is the postal code for the receiving Postal Outlet in Toronto. It won’t tell you anything about the origin of the envelope. It’s just the processing ‘stamp’ the receiving postal outlet puts on mail to show it’s been processed.
I received one of the wrinkle cream letters today. I was actually researching the paper when I came across this site. I’m an editorialist and will be looking into the process as well as writing a commentary on it. I do believe it is a scam for whatever the reason. We will get these folks.
Weird, I just got a cd in the mail the other day with no return address. Inside is a bunch of instructions for the cd which made it sound like it was a cd from a friend of mine, but none of my friends sent me one. The processing postal code was also M4L 3T0…. Funny enough, it is actually a decent cd.
I received an advertisemnt for “Want Perfect Skin?”, with a note on -Joan, Get it it works! J. It is from the weekly journal dated Thursday, November 20, 2008.
About five years ago I would get these but what really scared is when I would find post-it with articles attached in my purse signed J. This person is distrubed.
Just received a valentine card from secret admirer at M4L3T0 postal code, I know no – one in Toronto
M4T3L0
Weird. I’m not the only one. If you have a GPS, you can actually pinpoint exactly where that postal code is coming from.
So I did. The major intersection is Coxwell Ave / Dundas St East, to be exact on number 1963 Dundas St. East in Toronto, Ontario.
Researching any business with that addy will help.. Somehow.
THIS is the weirdest thing EVER…I actually thought ‘J’ was a co-worker and was slightly offended by the suggestion that ‘it really works’ b/c the article that was sent was about not working too over time and being more effective.
I think we should form a support group :p
J just sent me an “article” with a promotion for “The Organized Executive”.
The bottom of the second page shows “Personalized Promotion by Briefings Media Group”. This ends up being these people: http://www.douglaspublications.com/
Basically, we are all in their database and they are spamming us by mail.
I too received a news paper article mine was about a dealership in manchester new hampshire having a sale, no return address and a sticky note that say’s shelley check this out! J. i really would like to know who this J. person is my sister in law says she used to get similar clippings about weight loss pill but like 6 or 7 years ago…freaky
Hi folks, I have received this articles from J and others approximately once a year for nearly ten years. What I received today though was a bit more disturbing…has anyone received an obituary in the mail with a hand written note? Same criteria, no return address and no indication of who it came from? Thanks for the Blog!
OMG! My wedding invited went out about a month ago. I just got a reply in the mail, with a checkmark next to Cant Come, with no name to indicate who can’t come! I would like to think my family and friends arent this dumb! When I googled the postal code, I found all this info. WEIRD. and now i need to know who didnt get an invite. Crap!
I received a threatening and disturbing letter from this address. I”m sure it has to do with some illegal stuff.I gave it up for someone to check it out
I recently received a letter with a return address of Queen’s Park Toronto 1, Ontario bearing the Postal Code M4L 3T0 followed by “048” in the stamp cancellation (post mark).
It was a harmless joke, indicating I had been appointed Air Raid Warden for my community. My guess is that there is a web-set somewhere that will forward mail for a small fee from an anonymous source.
I received a letter today , handwritten on an index card asking me to phone a number with an extention. Number is valid (just says to enter extention number) but extention isn’t. No return address just postal code M4L 3TD (but looks like an 0) Anyone else have this wierd problem!!! Freaked Out!!!!
Has anyone figured out who this is. I received a article with no return address as well with a post-it note attached to saying ” Call it’s Great” signed from “J”. The posted it note had my name on it.. Has anyone figured out who our friend J is?
We were selling something on kijiji and the person wanted to buy our equipment so they sent us a fake money order addressed to our home with no return address. they said they were from out of town and it was coming from their financier. The postal code was M4L 3T0. the money order was a fake and when we began researching the postal code, came across this website. obviously it is a scam and all I can say is be forewarned.
I too received a very disturbing letter about some family members addressed from this postal mark. I am thinking this person has gathered some info from Facebook and then twisted things around. They obviously don’t know these people very well because there were many inconsistencies in their letter. I’m not sure how they would even know if I were to take them serious or not but should I get another letter like this, I will turn it over to the authorities.
Someone is taking the time to do some research for the mail spam. My wife received one of these letters, from J himself…herself??? Addressed to her and her company, at least they spelled her name correctly. This one is for Government small business funding. It is just advertising junk mail. Plain and simple. Bet they even monitor the blogs to see of people are talking about it. Then they know it works. Best way to deal with it is a garbage can. Or recycle for the enviro people.
Do all scams come from this fictitious postal code. Unbelievable. Me too.
I recieved a news article back in 2005 and never knew to look on the internet for info. I couldn’t figure out who sent it or why. I came across it few nights ago and thought i’d come look and i found this site. I noticed that the earliest ones were in 2007, if mine was 05 how long has this been going on for and anyone yet have any ideas on who could be doing this?
I got my second one, this week, close to Valentine’s Day, neither one was signed “J.”
It’s a little creepy guys, anybody ever think of going to the police, I don’t live in Toronto or I might go. Didn’t someone narrow it down to an exact address?
I’m not sure if it would qualify as harassment but even this letter will be seen by him or her.
It’s very weird.
I just received a cheque in the mail today, from the same postal code in Ontario, M4L 3T0. I found it a little strange as the cheque is made out to me for $4000.00, The cheque belongs to National Bank of Canada in Toronto. I have done my homework, to cover my ass, I have phoned the bank and got them to check out the Cheque using the numbers that are on it, and it appears to be Legit, I am going to take it to the branch here in Calgary, just to make sure, and if they cash it, according to my lawyer, I wont be responsible for it later on if it turns out to be a fraudulent cheque, where as if I was to bring it to my bank, and cash it, I would be held responsible for it.
My daughter is ill and has a blog set up to receive letters from all over the world. She’s received a few of these letters. Same postal code, same block letters. However it is just cards. They are usually signed from a person that cares. However the second last one we received said Sending thoughts and prayers from Oakville Ontario. Every card is typed the same and none of them have a name. The postage info is always the exact same. The 0 kind of looks like a D. Whoever they are, they make sure to send one for every holiday and occasion.
My husband just received an unsigned birthday card in the mail, a few days days before his birthday. The card was not the kind you would send to someone you don’t know well but would have been funny from a family member or friends. We contacted the most likely family members who could have sent it but they knew nothing about it. I Googled M4L 3T0 (the “0” does look like a “D”), and located your rather interesting blog regarding this postal code.
My husband is not on Facebook, or any other public domain site, so it’s a mystery to us who could have sent it. For many years, I received advertisements with personal notes, such as “Sue this is really interesting” from someone who just signed off as “J”, but not knowing who this person was, I just threw them out.
Thought you’d be interested in another unsolved mystery from this postal code.
Has anyone received harassing letters from this postal code? I have and this has been taken to the police but i was curious about others. It must be possible to pay for haveing your letters redirected from this postal code.Thanks, P
I received an annonymous letter from this postal code M4L 3T0, it said “I love you” and had toe nail clippings taped to the letter! I was absolutely disgusted when I opened the letter, I figured maybe it was a friend of mine trying to play a joke on me. But I have asked almost everybody and nobody knows anything about it (they all think its hilarious though) Even if it were someone tricking me, how would they be able to send it from this annonymous postal code???
I received on from Arizona today with a bulk postage mail stamp on it. It’s for wrinkle cream. I’ve gotten these over a period of 15 years. The ads were for rapid weight loss or wrinkle cream. Talk about self imagine being hurt and also feeling that there is a weirdo out there. Very strange that each time I move, I would get one at my new address. I called the postal service. You can send the letter to Inspection Service p.o box 400, Seattle, Washington. 98111
Don’t complain too much people. Sometimes it’s very important to be able to send an anonymous letter, and you will appreciate it. Anonymous communication is an important right. There may come a time when you want to notify someone about something, and find it very important not to reveal who you are.
Obviously, some people abuse the looseness in the snail mail system.
And note that there is no practical way to validate the authenticity of a return address, if one is actually given. If anonymous letters were banned, then those wishing to send anonymous letters would simply use bogus return addresses.
So, I’m afraid you have to suck it up, folks.
I received a “J-note” in the mail at work and was awfully disturbed by some of the comments that I read on here. The advertisement that I received was from Postal code M4L 1A9 and was for a magazine called “Success Strategies”.
My co-worker called the number on the advertisement (1-800-791-8699) and they were well aware of the advertising they call “J notes”. For the woman that received a birthday card they said that they often send out annoymous birthday cards with j-notes as a form of advertising.
They said “it is all legal and it’s meant to frighten anyone”.
Just call that number and get your name off their list.
What a creepy way of advertising… :S
I got one of these with a car ad tearsheet. The yellow notes said, “Paul, check this out. J.” My wife saw it and hired a divorce lawyer, thinking “J” was asking me to buy her a car, etc.etc.
In year 2000 I received an anonymous get well card addressed to a Sir H. Secombe. It was posted from M4L 3T0 to my then address on Bayview Ave in Toronto. There was a lengthy note to Sir H. Wishing him well after a stroke. There was much reference to God as well as reference to Wales in 1988. The writer stated “I will never forget Wales in 1988, though I didn’t even know you existed then”. I got this odd mail in pre-Wikipedia days and did not know who the addressee was. Turns out it is Sir Henry Secombe of an old British comedy show.
Hello,
I’ve received an anonymous letter from this postal code. The contents are very disturbing and they are about my family. We do not have a connection to Toronto. Has anyone else received something similar? It’s so upsetting to me.
Police cannot
Do anything about it.
I have been receiving harassment letters for the last 10 months.