Attempted Amazon Delivery Scam
Discussion
I ordered a Macbook on Saturday despatched from Amazon and sold by Amazon so not a third party seller.
Sunday delivery and because of the value the item needs a OTP to be read out to the driver.
I spent a chunk of the day watching the online tracking and the delivery time got pushed out and the driver pulled up around 6pm so I went out as our house number isn't always easy to spot and the driver had a parcel in his hand so I gave him the PIN.
When he handed me the parcel which looked like a sealed Amazon box with an Amazon label on it with my name and address it was light as a feather.
I rejected the delivery as whatever was in the box it clearly wasn't a laptop - the label said 3.5KG weight so looked like the right label.
The driver mumbled something about going to speak with his boss and drove off then came back 5 minutes later with a parcel with the correct laptop in it (a boxed sealed Macbook in a brown cardboard outer in an Amazon box) with the box all sealed with an Amazon delivery label on it.
Checked it on the drive before accepting - then I got the Amazon delivery notification via the app.
The driver was practically grovelling saying something about it being the end of his shift and his manager had sorted it out.
I'm assuming this was some attempt at a scam and I'm assuming on the delivery drivers side - but I can't work out how the first box seemed to be sealed with Amazon Xmas tape and with a legit Amazon delivery label on it.
Are the scammers that advanced or am I missing something really obvious?
Sunday delivery and because of the value the item needs a OTP to be read out to the driver.
I spent a chunk of the day watching the online tracking and the delivery time got pushed out and the driver pulled up around 6pm so I went out as our house number isn't always easy to spot and the driver had a parcel in his hand so I gave him the PIN.
When he handed me the parcel which looked like a sealed Amazon box with an Amazon label on it with my name and address it was light as a feather.
I rejected the delivery as whatever was in the box it clearly wasn't a laptop - the label said 3.5KG weight so looked like the right label.
The driver mumbled something about going to speak with his boss and drove off then came back 5 minutes later with a parcel with the correct laptop in it (a boxed sealed Macbook in a brown cardboard outer in an Amazon box) with the box all sealed with an Amazon delivery label on it.
Checked it on the drive before accepting - then I got the Amazon delivery notification via the app.
The driver was practically grovelling saying something about it being the end of his shift and his manager had sorted it out.
I'm assuming this was some attempt at a scam and I'm assuming on the delivery drivers side - but I can't work out how the first box seemed to be sealed with Amazon Xmas tape and with a legit Amazon delivery label on it.
Are the scammers that advanced or am I missing something really obvious?
GasEngineer said:
How did you manage to reject the first delivery once you had given him the PIN?
When he handed me the box I told him I wasn't accepting it because it very clearly couldn't have a laptop in it.I had my phone with me and I asked if he'd mind if I could get a photo of his Amazon ID to avoid any issues if the system thought the parcel had been accepted and he was fine with that so I have that.
The "your parcel has been delivered" notification only came through after the second actual delivery so however Amazon's system works I can only guess the OTP and whatever the driver has to do to mark the delivery as complete are separate things - that's a guess though.
I imagine, even with checks, there are people at Amazon who can do things such as issue fake boxes/labels to certain drivers, get rolls of sealing tape (the paper string backed stuff that they use). Or someone in their High Value department could mark the box with a dot to say it has something of decent value to be stolen.
The thing with Amazon is that they don't give a fig about the customer opening an empty box, and will often push the cost onto their couriers, or the customer.
At home, our Amazon couriers are spot on.
Vikingette2 lived n Canada Water over the summer and the couriers were thieving barstewards. Despite living in student accomm with 24hr manned concierge and NO letterbox, a number of Amazon couriers delivered the items by claiming on they had "put through letterbox". There. is. no. letterbox. And a few of the items were too bulky for letterboxes. So V2 switched to delivery to lockers. We took her out to lunch one weekend, and on the way back she had notification that her locker delivery was available. We were standing with her when she opened the locker to a flat cardboard envelope with no contents and the adhesive seal ripped open.
On a second occasion I got V2 to video herself, putting in the code into the locker and Being a cocksocket with an axe to grind I spent ages on chat with Amazon. It was escalated to their Property Security Division, who gave me 1001 apologies and assurances. They investigated with some of the couriers and the result? They found no wrong doing and the resoluton was sending me a link so that I could pin the entrance to the student accomm! f
k off! It's a 7 storey building with a massive glass entrance, humoungous fking sign, 3 concierges on duty at any one time, open 24/7/365 and you want a fking pin location for your thieving couriers?! s!
In each case, Amazon did refund or replace the items, but that did cause issues. With the amount I spunk on Amazon, they can fk themselves if they ever tried to deny a refund
The thing with Amazon is that they don't give a fig about the customer opening an empty box, and will often push the cost onto their couriers, or the customer.
At home, our Amazon couriers are spot on.
Vikingette2 lived n Canada Water over the summer and the couriers were thieving barstewards. Despite living in student accomm with 24hr manned concierge and NO letterbox, a number of Amazon couriers delivered the items by claiming on they had "put through letterbox". There. is. no. letterbox. And a few of the items were too bulky for letterboxes. So V2 switched to delivery to lockers. We took her out to lunch one weekend, and on the way back she had notification that her locker delivery was available. We were standing with her when she opened the locker to a flat cardboard envelope with no contents and the adhesive seal ripped open.
On a second occasion I got V2 to video herself, putting in the code into the locker and Being a cocksocket with an axe to grind I spent ages on chat with Amazon. It was escalated to their Property Security Division, who gave me 1001 apologies and assurances. They investigated with some of the couriers and the result? They found no wrong doing and the resoluton was sending me a link so that I could pin the entrance to the student accomm! f
k off! It's a 7 storey building with a massive glass entrance, humoungous fking sign, 3 concierges on duty at any one time, open 24/7/365 and you want a fking pin location for your thieving couriers?! s!In each case, Amazon did refund or replace the items, but that did cause issues. With the amount I spunk on Amazon, they can f
k themselves if they ever tried to deny a refundsounds like a lucky escape on that.
Guessing the box had been opened on another side and the laptop removed potentially or a replacement label generated and stuck onto something random (assuming some drivers have that ability for damaged in transit labels?)
Curious how his manager supposedly sorted it out and they happened to have another laptop of the exact same spec on the van just to give to you ... I would still be inclined to report it to Amazon though.
Guessing the box had been opened on another side and the laptop removed potentially or a replacement label generated and stuck onto something random (assuming some drivers have that ability for damaged in transit labels?)
Curious how his manager supposedly sorted it out and they happened to have another laptop of the exact same spec on the van just to give to you ... I would still be inclined to report it to Amazon though.
x5tuu said:
Curious how his manager supposedly sorted it out and they happened to have another laptop of the exact same spec on the van just to give to you ... I would still be inclined to report it to Amazon though.
The driver was part of the scam I imagine. Amazon won't care. A few years ago I stumbled across the contents of an Amazon delivery van (either stolen van or crooked driver) dumped down a country lane - a large percentage of boxes opened (imagine they know which likely to have valuable contents). Amazon didn't do anything about it, I think the police turned up in the end. Locals left to clear the rubbish.
Was it a couple of years ago when we had snow around Christmas impacting deliveries and one of the courier companies went bust, resulting every retailer piling deliveries onto ste companies such as Evri? The Evri drivers went on a robbing spree with everything being "lost" and loads of empty boxes being found in random hedgerows.
te companies such as Evri? The Evri drivers went on a robbing spree with everything being "lost" and loads of empty boxes being found in random hedgerows.bhstewie said:
hstewie said: I had my phone with me and I asked if he'd mind if I could get a photo of his Amazon ID to avoid any issues if the system thought the parcel had been accepted and he was fine with that so I have that.
You'd imagine that if the driver was complicit in any scam, he'd have been visibly reluctant for you to take a photo.Edited by TheJimi on Monday 16th December 10:44
768 said:
Surely this sort of thing gets rumbled very quickly? No one's not going to report a laptop not turning up and they must have a record of which driver took it.
I'd imagine the ID is fake if they've put any thought in.
Even if the ID is fake, there's still going to be an audit trail of the item back at Amazon, surely?I'd imagine the ID is fake if they've put any thought in.
What this scam attempts to do is pass the blame onto the customer receiving the device.
The bit I don't understand is how the delivery driver could hope to get away with it more than a couple of times, which would lead me to think it is executed by someone at the distribution point say offering various delivery drivers a bung.
The bit I don't understand is how the delivery driver could hope to get away with it more than a couple of times, which would lead me to think it is executed by someone at the distribution point say offering various delivery drivers a bung.
There was a post a few months ago about this sort of thing - but it was more of a catch 22 situation.
Delivery driver wouldn't give the parcel to the recipient until they got the code. Recipient wouldn't give the code until they'd had a chance to open the package and make sure the expensive item was actually inside it.
Delivery driver wouldn't give the parcel to the recipient until they got the code. Recipient wouldn't give the code until they'd had a chance to open the package and make sure the expensive item was actually inside it.
TheJimi said:
You'd imagine that if the driver complicit in any scam, he'd have been visibly reluctant for you to take a photo.
My thoughts exactly.There are a few things that make no sense at all.
I was just determined I wasn't going to get caught in a "you accepted the package" situation.
I don't get why the driver didn't just drive off and mark the delivery complete rather than coming back with the laptop.
bhstewie said:
hstewie said:TheJimi said:
You'd imagine that if the driver complicit in any scam, he'd have been visibly reluctant for you to take a photo.
My thoughts exactly.There are a few things that make no sense at all.
I was just determined I wasn't going to get caught in a "you accepted the package" situation.
I don't get why the driver didn't just drive off and mark the delivery complete rather than coming back with the laptop.
bhstewie said:
hstewie said: I ordered a Macbook on Saturday despatched from Amazon and sold by Amazon so not a third party seller.
Sunday delivery and because of the value the item needs a OTP to be read out to the driver.
I spent a chunk of the day watching the online tracking and the delivery time got pushed out and the driver pulled up around 6pm so I went out as our house number isn't always easy to spot and the driver had a parcel in his hand so I gave him the PIN.
When he handed me the parcel which looked like a sealed Amazon box with an Amazon label on it with my name and address it was light as a feather.
I rejected the delivery as whatever was in the box it clearly wasn't a laptop - the label said 3.5KG weight so looked like the right label.
The driver mumbled something about going to speak with his boss and drove off then came back 5 minutes later with a parcel with the correct laptop in it (a boxed sealed Macbook in a brown cardboard outer in an Amazon box) with the box all sealed with an Amazon delivery label on it.
Checked it on the drive before accepting - then I got the Amazon delivery notification via the app.
The driver was practically grovelling saying something about it being the end of his shift and his manager had sorted it out.
I'm assuming this was some attempt at a scam and I'm assuming on the delivery drivers side - but I can't work out how the first box seemed to be sealed with Amazon Xmas tape and with a legit Amazon delivery label on it.
Are the scammers that advanced or am I missing something really obvious?
I had exactly the same thing with an Apple Watch - from Amazon, sold by Amazon.Sunday delivery and because of the value the item needs a OTP to be read out to the driver.
I spent a chunk of the day watching the online tracking and the delivery time got pushed out and the driver pulled up around 6pm so I went out as our house number isn't always easy to spot and the driver had a parcel in his hand so I gave him the PIN.
When he handed me the parcel which looked like a sealed Amazon box with an Amazon label on it with my name and address it was light as a feather.
I rejected the delivery as whatever was in the box it clearly wasn't a laptop - the label said 3.5KG weight so looked like the right label.
The driver mumbled something about going to speak with his boss and drove off then came back 5 minutes later with a parcel with the correct laptop in it (a boxed sealed Macbook in a brown cardboard outer in an Amazon box) with the box all sealed with an Amazon delivery label on it.
Checked it on the drive before accepting - then I got the Amazon delivery notification via the app.
The driver was practically grovelling saying something about it being the end of his shift and his manager had sorted it out.
I'm assuming this was some attempt at a scam and I'm assuming on the delivery drivers side - but I can't work out how the first box seemed to be sealed with Amazon Xmas tape and with a legit Amazon delivery label on it.
Are the scammers that advanced or am I missing something really obvious?
We, my daughter and I were ready for this -
We had several parcels in separate packages that day and guess what, All were brought to the door except one.
I don't need to say which one.
My daughter, who is impossibly good looking [But you definitely wouldn't want to meet her on a dark night] suggested that he might want to go and check his van.
He did and the Apple Watch appeared.
Moral - anything like that - be prepared and check the delivery carefully.
TheJimi said:
bhstewie said:
hstewie said:TheJimi said:
You'd imagine that if the driver complicit in any scam, he'd have been visibly reluctant for you to take a photo.
My thoughts exactly.There are a few things that make no sense at all.
I was just determined I wasn't going to get caught in a "you accepted the package" situation.
I don't get why the driver didn't just drive off and mark the delivery complete rather than coming back with the laptop.
Few years back now, bought a watch from a chap in Germany.
Email saying delivered. It wasn’t.
Next I got a card from courier saying left at back door.
We had a right of passage - terraced house. Builders working in several properties, you’d be crazy to leave it at back door.
Reported this and courier changed his tune, I meant put through cat flap in back door.
Ah yes, using your magnetic collar?
Back and forth on this for weeks - eventually the courier company (handled at UK end by Parcel Force) paid out the sender on insurance and he refunded me.
Four years later we were knocking down a shed. What do we find wedged between shed and garden wall…..
I presume courier was going to come back at some point but decided against it.
I still had seller’s email but never got a response back. Called Parcel Force several times, seemed to not be able to access records or couldn’t be bothered. Kept the watch.
Email saying delivered. It wasn’t.
Next I got a card from courier saying left at back door.
We had a right of passage - terraced house. Builders working in several properties, you’d be crazy to leave it at back door.
Reported this and courier changed his tune, I meant put through cat flap in back door.
Ah yes, using your magnetic collar?
Back and forth on this for weeks - eventually the courier company (handled at UK end by Parcel Force) paid out the sender on insurance and he refunded me.
Four years later we were knocking down a shed. What do we find wedged between shed and garden wall…..
I presume courier was going to come back at some point but decided against it.
I still had seller’s email but never got a response back. Called Parcel Force several times, seemed to not be able to access records or couldn’t be bothered. Kept the watch.
I don't think there is anything new in a few dodgy delivery folk trying it on.
25+ years ago I had a new bike "delivered" to my work address, signed for by receptionist as I was out of the office for an hour or two. What was actually delivered was an empty bike box from a different brand of bike. Cue phone calls and complaint.
A week later my bike was delivered - in a torn box, clearly taped up, dust/mud all over tyres and some cheap used plastic pedals fitted so it did not fit in the box properly.....
25+ years ago I had a new bike "delivered" to my work address, signed for by receptionist as I was out of the office for an hour or two. What was actually delivered was an empty bike box from a different brand of bike. Cue phone calls and complaint.
A week later my bike was delivered - in a torn box, clearly taped up, dust/mud all over tyres and some cheap used plastic pedals fitted so it did not fit in the box properly.....
Back in February I'd bought a book from Manchester University Press, I can't remember who was delivering it now but I got concerned as delivery day came and I got a message from someone asking if I was expecting a parcel. I was, as the book was far too big to fit through a letter box.
I expected the book to be abandoned in a hedge or something as although it cost me £30 it was of no useful value to someone in a scam as it was far academic purposes and no more than 10 people and some university libraries would own one. Fortunately it arrived although it came in a battered box with a hole in it, but the book was fine.
If it was anything exciting or valuable I'd never have got it.
Michael
I expected the book to be abandoned in a hedge or something as although it cost me £30 it was of no useful value to someone in a scam as it was far academic purposes and no more than 10 people and some university libraries would own one. Fortunately it arrived although it came in a battered box with a hole in it, but the book was fine.
If it was anything exciting or valuable I'd never have got it.
Michael
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