EYEWITNESS NEWS (WBRE/WYOU) — The search for answers continues for these so-called "Mystery Notes" that are being found inside sealed food products.
So where are these so-called mystery notes coming from and what, if anything, do they mean?
These are just two of the many questions 28/22 News has heard from area residents regarding notes found inside sealed food products in our region. The I-Team first reported word of the notes last week.
The I-Team is doing a deep dive into these notes, and one thing is for certain. The people who have reached out to the i-team say they really don't care what the words on these notes mean. If anything, they are more concerned about how anyone can gain access to our food supply.
Notes like this have been found in a wide variety of sealed products in northeastern and central Pennsylvania. Including cereal boxes and the i-team is being contacted by residents across the region.
Notes revealed, cryptic investigation continuesA Wilkes-Barre Township resident found a note in a beauty product. She emailed 28/22 news that reads in part:
"It seemed the note was placed in the box during manufacturing, as it was folded neatly. At first, I thought it was product directions until I unfolded the note. I hope you can find out who is doing this. So unsettling."
A resident from Brodheadsville, Monroe County emailed the I-Team, which reads in part:
"I found a note like the one in your story--in cereal. I think it was Christmas Eve. Threw it away. Was wondering if it was okay to eat?"
Congressman Matt Cartwright has been looking into these notes.
"We've had some calls to the office, of course, this is a very weird situation. It's probably a very weird person behind all of it but you don't want to take chances because there's an implication of public safety when you talk about food products," said Cartwright.
The I-Team reached out to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, the state agency that oversees the food supply in the commonwealth. A spokesperson says they have received similar complaints like this in the past.
"Prior incidents have turned out to be slips of paper inserted through the sides of cereal box tops, so they are inside the cardboard, but not within the sealed internal packaging. The department has received no recent complaints."
Shannon Powers, Press Secretary for the PA Department Of Agriculture.
And what about the words on the note? Which include references to current world events, the dark web, and conspiracy theories. As well as punctuation marks and other symbols. What, if anything, do they mean? 28/22 News took a note to Spencer Rappaport, who is a computer engineer and runs a computer repair business in Kingston.
"Initially from what I'm seeing this definitely some computer calls in this.Some programming. I'd have to do some compiling to see what it actually cues if anything," said Rappaport.
28/22 News asked, "What will you do next? What are you hoping to find if anything?"
What this is, if it is a code, what it executes, and where it goes. So I can try to identify if it actually is a code and what it's supposed to do. It could be something malicious it could be nothing.
Rappaport is in the process of trying to translate the words on that note. We will have more on what he finds if anything.
For more information check out the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture for consumer complaints or concerns about food products.