Have you ever received an Amazon package that you didn’t order? Did you keep it, or did you report it to Amazon?
It may be concerning to get an Amazon package you didn’t order and pay for, especially if the shipping label does not have your name.
Getting an Amazon package that you didn’t order may be more common than you think, and it happens to many people:
1. Someone Ordered a Gift for You at the Amazon Website
Receiving an Amazon package you did not order can often be the result of someone sending it as a gift.
The rise of e-commerce platforms like Amazon has made gift-giving much easier, even when the recipient is far away.
Rather than just sending flowers or chocolates over the phone, you can now select a more personalized and thoughtful gift that can be shipped directly to the recipient’s address.
With Amazon’s vast selection of options, you can give a useful and meaningful present without even leaving your home.
Simply log in to your Amazon account using a computer or mobile app, choose gift wrapping and add a personalized message if desired.
The option to send gifts anonymously is also available.
2. The Amazon Package was Routed to your Address by Mistake
You can also get an Amazon package you didn’t order if it was routed to your delivery address by mistake.
This can happen if a customer makes a mistake when entering their delivery address upon making the purchase. They might have misspelled the street name or entered the wrong house number accidentally, and their package ended up at your house instead.
This is also possible if you just recently moved into your house and the previous resident forgot to update their address on their Amazon account.
In some cases, there may have been an error on the shipping label, which caused the misrouting of the package.
Luckily for the customer, if this happens, they can simply contact Amazon and report the issue. Amazon’s customer support department can help them locate the package, and they may be able to get a refund.
If you received an Amazon package that was clearly meant for someone else, with their name on the shipping label, you can also contact Amazon to return the package.
Why Are Amazon Packages Getting Lost? (6 Common Reasons)
3. The Package was Sent as part of an Amazon Brushing Scam
A “brushing scam” is a tactic used by some Amazon third-party sellers to artificially boost their product ratings and reviews.
These sellers pay someone to make a fake purchase using a fabricated Amazon buyer account, and have the product delivered to a real address.
Once the delivery is complete, the third-party seller can then leave a positive review for their own product using the fake account.
Higher ratings and reviews improve a seller’s ranking in Amazon’s search results and can lead to more sales. However, this practice violates Amazon’s terms of service and is discouraged by the company.
If you receive an unsolicited package, Amazon encourages you to report it to customer service, as it may be part of a brushing scam. Sellers engaging in this tactic may face suspension or ban from the platform.
What to Do When You Get an Amazon Package You Didn’t Order:
If you receive an Amazon package that you did not order, your first step is to determine if it was a gift.
You can reach out to friends and family to see if they sent you something from Amazon. If the package has your name as the recipient, it is likely a gift, even if it’s anonymous.
However, if the package has another person’s name as the recipient and a different address, it may have been misrouted.
If the package has someone else’s name but your address and you recently moved, it may have been intended for the previous resident.
If the package has a different name but your address and you’ve lived at your home for a long time, it may be part of a brushing scam.
In all cases, contact Amazon to attempt to fix the issue or report the scam.
Here are the details you can include when reporting a potential brushing scam:
- List of Amazon order IDs
- Number of Amazon packages received
- Photo of the shipping labels, but this is optional
- Any additional information that can help in the investigation
If the package is part of an Amazon brushing scam, you also don’t have to return the item. You can keep it, and Amazon will do its job to investigate it.
Ultimately, it is up to you if you will keep the package or not. If the package was part of a brushing scam, then you’re allowed to keep it, especially if it’s something that you may find useful.
What’s important is that you report the potential scam to Amazon so they can investigate and take action against the third-party seller.
Now if the Amazon package is not part of a scam and was simply delivered to you by mistake, you don’t have any legal obligation to return it.
You can keep it if you want, and there is no law that will force you to return the package, so it is up to your moral compass whether you will return it or not.
Sources:
Amazon Delivered To The Wrong Address? Here’s What To Do
What Happens If I Get Someone Else’s Amazon Package (Full Guide)