For most people, a rubber band on a mailbox starts as a nuisance and becomes a question they can’t shake. It might be an innocent tool from a rushed postal worker or a lazy way to attach flyers. But when you don’t recognize the reason—and especially when it appears more than once—it can feel like someone is watching the rhythms of your home a little too closely. That uneasy mix of “probably nothing” and “what if” is exactly what keeps you alert.

The truth is, context matters more than any TikTok theory. One odd rubber band in an otherwise quiet week is likely harmless. But if it coincides with unknown cars lingering, packages disappearing, or past harassment, it deserves attention. Remove it. Write down when you found it. Ask neighbors what they’ve seen. And if your instincts keep tugging at you, call the non-emergency police line. Better a false alarm than ignoring the first small sign that something isn’t quite right.