[Misc] Unordered Parcel arriving - scam?

[Klaas]

Excuse the off topicness of this, but always seems to be someone who knows what's what here.

Got a message from my mum that a parcel arrived at her house from META PLATFORMS T TECHNOLOGIES LLC, correct address, but not her name. She spent a while trying to work out who it belonged to but eventually opened it to see what was inside. There was a Quest 3 Headset and nothing else, no invoice or anything.
Day later woman arrived at door very apologetic, saying she's made a mistake, did a parcel arrive. My mum was happy to get rid of it and handed it over.

Sounds very dodgy to me. Those headsets cost about 400 quid I think. Anyone had any experience of this?

 

[Uh_huh_him]

Could be a genuine mistake -
If it was a scam to have some proof of address at your mum's house, a cheaper item would have been ordered surely?

 

[Klaas]

Could be a genuine mistake -
If it was a scam to have some proof of address at your mum's house, a cheaper item would have been ordered surely?

That's true. Although, my worry is somehow they've got it delivered and it's yet to be paid for? I dunno how that would work...

 

[Hamilton]

That's true. Although, my worry is somehow they've got it delivered and it's yet to be paid for? I dunno how that would work...

Can understand why that would be of concern.

 

[AlexBH]

I would never open a parcel that’s not in your name regardless if it’s delivered to your address. It’s actually an offence https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/26/section/84

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

That's true. Although, my worry is somehow they've got it delivered and it's yet to be paid for? I dunno how that would work...

There’s a few of those buy-now-pay-later companies operating e.g. Klarna. Maybe it was bought with one of these?

 

[dazzer6666]

That’s the facebook-owning company……….sounds more like a genuine mistake, someone has probably ordered the headset and they’ve cocked the address up, but were able to come back because they knew where it had been delivered. If her name wasn’t anywhere on it and she had no other communication about doesn’t sound like one of the typical parcel scams.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Did the woman have id matching the name on the parcel?

Did your mum snap a copy of it on her phone and a pic of the caller?

Did caller have proof of address and if so, was she local or was it obvious how address issue happened?

If not, your mum could have either returned the item or if not straightforward, handed to police and let them sort it.

All very easy for me to say, maybe not easy to do if you're older or feeling intimidated on your doorstep.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

That’s the facebook-owning company……….sounds more like a genuine mistake, someone has probably ordered the headset and they’ve cocked the address up, but were able to come back because they knew where it had been delivered. If her name wasn’t anywhere on it and she had no other communication about doesn’t sound like one of the typical parcel scams.

Maybe. But a quick Google shows a few scams which use other people’s addresses.

 

[Seaview Seagull]

Has your mum checked her bank account just in case?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I do miss @Ernest

 

[Cheggers]

I'd be a bit careful. I had a phone call from 'O2' a while ago saying a new iPhone had been ordered for me, that it was a mistake, but that it would be delivered to my house (as it was too late to stop the delivery) but it was OK as someone would come to my home to pick it up to be returned. I phoned the actual O2 after, who said it was a scam and cancelled the order. O2 didn't (and still haven't) told me how my account was accessed to make the order though.

 

[Zeberdi]

1. Did the woman have id matching the name on the parcel?

2. Did your mum snap a copy of it on her phone and a pic of the caller?

3. Did caller have proof of address and if so, was she local or was it obvious how address issue happened?

4. If not, your mum could have either returned the item or if not straightforward, handed to police and let them sort it.

All very easy for me to say, maybe not easy to do if you're older or feeling intimidated on your doorstep.

Some good points

1. There was no name on the parcel though
2. I wouldn’t advise vulnerable people try and photograph people without their consent who are standing on their doorstep, maybe someone with the foresight could ask the person to wait while they fetch the parcel then snap a shot from a window - This is why Ring doorbell videos come into their own!
3 Yes, I think I would have tried to get the woman’s proof of ID before handing it over or not answered the door at all - I would advise any elderly person not to open the door to strangers anyway.
4. Yes, the safest thing to do might have been to contact the company and asked them to collect the parcel.

The first thing I would ask is how this person knew the parcel was at the address it had been delivered to? I would check any credit card accounts to make sure there was no credit line opened up and contact company anyway to make sure I was not going to be charged for the goods and take it from there.

Very worrying for elderly people (or any of us!) scams are getting more and more sophisticated

Wrong post delivery - what should you do?

What you should do with wrongly delivered post depends on the specifics of the situation - so what should you do if you receive post that isn't meant for you?

www.saga.co.uk

 

[Shuggie]

Object lesson in how to buy something and leave no audit trail back to the person who collects the swag?

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Excuse the off topicness of this, but always seems to be someone who knows what's what here.

Got a message from my mum that a parcel arrived at her house from META PLATFORMS T TECHNOLOGIES LLC, correct address, but not her name. She spent a while trying to work out who it belonged to but eventually opened it to see what was inside. There was a Quest 3 Headset and nothing else, no invoice or anything.
Day later woman arrived at door very apologetic, saying she's made a mistake, did a parcel arrive. My mum was happy to get rid of it and handed it over.

Sounds very dodgy to me. Those headsets cost about 400 quid I think. Anyone had any experience of this?

Any chance she’s using the Quest 3 headset and the knock on the door was a virtual interaction within the game?

In all seriousness it’s a little strange that a value Item or any item for that matter would have been accepted via an online order without a name (it’s mandatory in most places for a number of reasons, liability being one)

I’d check your mums card statements to make sure and also have a look at her credit file (clear score is free) to make sure no accounts have been opened in her name recently. The collector obviously knew the address and a parcel was there which could be genuine or a test. Better safe than sorry.

 

[BNthree]

I would never open a parcel that’s not in your name regardless if it’s delivered to your address. It’s actually an offence https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/26/section/84

Though the parcel didn’t have any name on apparently so seems reasonable to open something addressed to your home to see who it is for.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

That's true. Although, my worry is somehow they've got it delivered and it's yet to be paid for? I dunno how that would work...

There will be no evidence that you signed for it. And if they are crooks they are hardly going to take you to court. But there could be some sort of attempt to get you to accept liability and make a payment. And yet the device is expensive so my guess is the error was genuine.

 

[alanfp]

Though the parcel didn’t have any name on apparently

The OP doesn't actually say that - said "not her name".

I do know someone who was targetted in a similar way whereby a scammer managed to order an iphone from his mobile phone account (not his credit card). It was sent to his address and a short time later the scammer phoned him and asked to come round to pick it up from him. It got sorted OK in the end but I think it was because my friend sent the phone back to his phone company, saying that he hadn't ordered it. So... I would check her mobile phone account in case it could have been ordered through that account.

 

[BrianB]

Contact the supplier and inform them of what's happened ...
Keep a record of the contact and information supplied.
That should cover against being billed for product.

 

[Iggle Piggle]

There is no doubt in my mind this isn't legit.
Who orders a piece of kit like this to the wrong address with no name on it?

i had something similar a few years ago with Vodafone (2 brand new iPhones ordered in my name). The ball ache involved in sorting it out was something else