System and method for outsorting suspect mail from an incoming mail stream

A method of sorting mailpieces and determining whether a mailpiece is suspected of containing harmful materials using a mailpiece processing system, the method comprising the steps of:

• a. singulating and feeding a mailpiece along a feed path of the system;
• b. reading the mailpiece as the mailpiece moves along the feed path to obtain information about the mailpiece;
• and
• c. determining whether the mailpiece is suspected of containing harmful material or is a trusted, mailpiece based upon the information read from the mailpiece.

A method of sorting mailpieces and determining whether a mailpiece is suspected of containing harmful materials using a mailpiece processing system, the method comprising the steps of:

• a. singulating and feeding a mailpiece along a feed path of the system;
• b. reading the mailpiece as the mailpiece moves along the feed path to obtain information about the mailpiece;
• c. determining whether the mailpiece is suspected of containing harmful material or is a trusted, mailpiece based upon the information read from the mailpiece, the determination made by comparison of the information read from the mailpiece to information in an addressee database and information in a suspect database, the comparison to the suspect database for determining whether the mailpiece is suspected of containing harmful material and the comparison to the addressee database is for determining the appropriate addressee and destination bin for a trusted mailpiece;
• d. printing an identification code on the mailpiece if the mailpiece is determined to be suspect;
• e. diverting the mailpiece into a collection module if the mailpiece is determined to be suspect;
• f. receiving the mailpiece in a bin module if the mailpiece has been determined to be trusted;
• g. receiving a video image of the suspect mailpiece at a video coding the video coding terminal for use by an operator to make a final determination as to the suspect status of the mailpiece;
• h. sending of the video image of the suspect mailpiece and information from the suspect mailpiece to an investigation entity;
• and
• i. storing the video image of the suspect mailpiece and information from the suspect mailpiece in a profile database an the investigation entity;
• whereby the determination as to whether the mailpiece is suspect or trusted includes determining whether the mailpiece contains a predetermined amount of suspect criteria;
• and
• wherein the information from the suspect mailpiece comprises a time and date of sort, a date and time of receipt, recipient information, sender information, and cancellation zip code.