‘I got this in my letterbox’: What's behind the eerie note delivered to residents?
By
Seia Ibanez
- Replies 42
In a world where information travels faster than the speed of light, it's not uncommon for a piece of paper to cause a stir.
But when that piece of paper is a cryptic note urging people to stay home on a specific date, it's bound to raise more than a few eyebrows.
This was the case in Western Sydney last week when residents found an unsettling message in their letterboxes, prompting a wave of concern and confusion.
The note, stark in its brevity, read: 'Warning, 8th Nov 24. Stay out of the Sydney CBD. Stay safe, stay home.'
Such a message, devoid of context or explanation, was met with alarm. Community groups buzzed with speculation, and social media became a hotbed of theories and fears.
'I got this in my letterbox. Has anyone else? Does anyone know what it's about,' a worried mother posted, echoing the sentiments of many.
'I don't know where it came from, but I will be staying at home with my kiddies regardless and thought I would share with my fellow mums because whatever this is, we need to protect our babies.'
The ensuing panic forced NSW Police to step in, urging the public to disregard the note.
'There is no credible information to substantiate these claims, and the information has been assessed as baseless and without merit,' they stated.
But where did this note originate, and what was its motive?
It has been uncovered that the note was written by conspiracy theorists Annette Calarco and Doris Duriye Osman.
These two individuals spread doomsday warnings to their followers, predicting a major catastrophe on November 8.
Their claims were extreme, suggesting that a disaster ‘may involve nuclear explosives’ could trigger a tsunami along the east coast of NSW.
Their followers, caught in fear, discussed emergency preparations and plans to evacuate to the Blue Mountains.
Osman even advised parents to keep their children out of school on the fateful day.
When the day passed without incident, Calarco backpedalled, claiming that the disaster had been averted thanks to the awareness they had raised.
However, this did little to mitigate the backlash they faced for inciting unwarranted panic.
Calarco, known for her social media presence in the realm of stray cat rehoming, and Osman, a naturopath who sells health products online, found themselves at the centre of a storm of criticism.
'Now we're being crucified by people who've come out of nowhere; they haven't looked at anything, and they've jumped on the hating bandwagon,' Calarco lamented on her social media.
'We're not apologising guys, we're not doing that. I absolutely know that you guys are completely uninformed—you want to shoot the messenger.'
Members, always double-check your letterboxes, as they may become a frontline in the battle against fraud.
In a previous story, a woman received a wrapped object in her letterbox with a note claiming that it was from NSW Health, creating suspicion of its authenticity.
But what’s the object in question? Find out about the suspicious object here.
Have you ever received a similar note or message that caused concern? How did you respond, and what steps did you take to verify its authenticity? Share your experiences with us in the comments below.
But when that piece of paper is a cryptic note urging people to stay home on a specific date, it's bound to raise more than a few eyebrows.
This was the case in Western Sydney last week when residents found an unsettling message in their letterboxes, prompting a wave of concern and confusion.
The note, stark in its brevity, read: 'Warning, 8th Nov 24. Stay out of the Sydney CBD. Stay safe, stay home.'
Such a message, devoid of context or explanation, was met with alarm. Community groups buzzed with speculation, and social media became a hotbed of theories and fears.
'I got this in my letterbox. Has anyone else? Does anyone know what it's about,' a worried mother posted, echoing the sentiments of many.
'I don't know where it came from, but I will be staying at home with my kiddies regardless and thought I would share with my fellow mums because whatever this is, we need to protect our babies.'
The ensuing panic forced NSW Police to step in, urging the public to disregard the note.
'There is no credible information to substantiate these claims, and the information has been assessed as baseless and without merit,' they stated.
But where did this note originate, and what was its motive?
It has been uncovered that the note was written by conspiracy theorists Annette Calarco and Doris Duriye Osman.
These two individuals spread doomsday warnings to their followers, predicting a major catastrophe on November 8.
Their claims were extreme, suggesting that a disaster ‘may involve nuclear explosives’ could trigger a tsunami along the east coast of NSW.
Their followers, caught in fear, discussed emergency preparations and plans to evacuate to the Blue Mountains.
Osman even advised parents to keep their children out of school on the fateful day.
When the day passed without incident, Calarco backpedalled, claiming that the disaster had been averted thanks to the awareness they had raised.
However, this did little to mitigate the backlash they faced for inciting unwarranted panic.
Calarco, known for her social media presence in the realm of stray cat rehoming, and Osman, a naturopath who sells health products online, found themselves at the centre of a storm of criticism.
'Now we're being crucified by people who've come out of nowhere; they haven't looked at anything, and they've jumped on the hating bandwagon,' Calarco lamented on her social media.
'We're not apologising guys, we're not doing that. I absolutely know that you guys are completely uninformed—you want to shoot the messenger.'
Members, always double-check your letterboxes, as they may become a frontline in the battle against fraud.
In a previous story, a woman received a wrapped object in her letterbox with a note claiming that it was from NSW Health, creating suspicion of its authenticity.
But what’s the object in question? Find out about the suspicious object here.
Key Takeaways
- A false conspiracy theory contained in a note hand-delivered to Sydney homes caused panic among residents, urging them to stay home on November 8 due to an alleged disaster.
- The note claimed a major catastrophe might occur, falsely mentioning the potential use of nuclear explosives and a resulting tsunami on the NSW east coast.
- Conspiracy theorists Annette Calarco and Doris Duriye Osman were behind the note, spreading the misinformation through their social media channels and prompting followers to take drastic measures such as keeping children home from school.
- NSW Police reassured the public that there was no credible information to support the claims made in the note, and the origins of the note led to a backlash against Calarco and Osman for inciting unnecessary fear.