Plenty of thing can go wrong when you ’re ordering from Amazon , or any other online retailer . Your package could get lose or stolen , or go far far afterward than you anticipated . Now you’re able to tally one more concern to that tilt : receiving Amazon packages you did n’t order .
AsClark Howardreports , there ’s an due east - commerce scam depart around calledbrushing , in which marketer habituate false accounts to purchase their own products , then mail them to unsuspecting people . This is all a roundabout way of ensure they can indite positive reviews for their own products , thereby giving their item a hike in Amazon ’s search results .
The good news is that you ’re lawfully allowed to keep any items sent to you , asLifehackerpoints out . The Federal Trade Commission state , “ If you receive merchandise that you did n’t guild , you have a legal right to keep it as a spare gift . ” This is intend to protect consumer from chanceful companies that send you poppycock and then postulate payment , which is illegal , but the late cozenage complicates matter .
That bring us to the regretful news . If you ’re the dupe of a brushing scam , that entail your personal selective information — your name and transport address , at the very least — have likely been compromised . Secondly , many of these “ phantom marketer ” do n’t include a paying back address or order number on the package . If they were to send an illegal product such as drugs or artillery to your doorstep , you could find yourself in some legal fuss . The better thing to do is to report unordered merchandise to Amazon to make them mindful of the problem .
Of course , there are also far less pernicious explanations for why you received a package you did n’t society . It could be a talent , especially at this prison term of year . The emptor opt whether or not to let in a gift receipt , but they still may have intended it to be a nowadays even if they did n’t tick the " natural endowment receipt " corner . It could also be an true mix - up . For education on how to return a talent or wrong order , shoot the breeze Amazon’sReturns Center .
lease ’s say you receive an Amazon package that ’s addressed to a different person , though . In that typeface , you’re able to contact Amazon and bid to return it . Keep in mind that the caller is compel to ante up for any merchant marine costs you would incur . In some cases , they might even order you to keep the package , according to Lifehacker . moot it a wages for trying to do the right thing ( and hope there ’s something honest in there ) !
[ h / tClark Howard ]
