# Am I being set up for a robbery? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 19, 2008, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-set-up-for-a-robbery/477927 "2008-12-19T16:57:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-set-up-for-a-robbery/477927/21 "2008-12-19T19:12:16Z")
I called the police and they said that if they call again or come to the door that I should not answer and I should call 911. This seems to me to be an ineffective way to approach this but I don’t control the police, so whatever. They didn’t even want the number the “FedEx” guy called from, just told me to call 911 should it happen again. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-set-up-for-a-robbery/477927/22 "2008-12-19T19:12:21Z")
Another vote for calling the cops. They’ll have the resources to really check up on this, and they live for catching ID fraud; people are terrified of ID fraud and cops always need success stories when budget cuts come knocking. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-set-up-for-a-robbery/477927/23 "2008-12-19T19:17:53Z")
If this is an inter-state fraud, doesn’t some other org have jurisdiction? FBI or Secret Service? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-set-up-for-a-robbery/477927/24 "2008-12-19T19:18:32Z")
> [@pbbth](#): > > I called the police and they said that if they call again or come to the door that I should not answer and I should call 911. This seems to me to be an ineffective way to approach this but I don’t control the police, so whatever. They didn’t even want the number the “FedEx” guy called from, just told me to call 911 should it happen again. Sounds like you talked to someone who didn’t want to get involved. :rolleyes: Call the headquarters office for your police department and ask to speak to a detective in the fraud squad (a.k.a. bunco). Don’t let some jerkwad desk sergeant keep you from being protected and served. ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-set-up-for-a-robbery/477927/25 "2008-12-19T19:24:45Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > Sounds like you talked to someone who didn’t want to get involved. :rolleyes: > > Call the headquarters office for your police department and ask to speak to a detective in the fraud squad (a.k.a. bunco). Don’t let some jerkwad desk sergeant keep you from being protected and served. Or he thinks the OP is overreacting, which could easily be the case. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-set-up-for-a-robbery/477927/26 "2008-12-19T19:26:54Z")
> [@Maastricht](#): > > I would call the cops, NOW, and have them lie in waiting. If I were them, I would jump at this chance. It is a very easy and comfortable way for them to make an arrest, an arrest of a scammer who could easily, if unapprehended, scam the life savings out of dozens of people. They won’t stake out a crime like this. I can almost guarantee it. I was burgled twice in a period of days, and they wouldn’t stake out my place. They simply can’t afford it. ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-set-up-for-a-robbery/477927/27 "2008-12-19T19:34:07Z")
I called back the number that originally called me this morning (thank Og today has been a slow day at work!) and they said they have no way of looking up a package in their system by name or address to get me a tracking number and I will just have to wait until they deliver it to me for more information. Since the police aren’t interested I am now wondering what to do. I don’t want to ignore the delivery since at this point it may well be legitimate, however poorly set up the delivery has been, but I also don’t want to invite scammers into my building either. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-set-up-for-a-robbery/477927/28 "2008-12-19T19:45:20Z")
> [@pbbth](#): > > I called the police and they said that if they call again or come to the door that I should not answer and I should call 911. I’ll join the chorus here- call the cops back and ask to speak to someone other than Chief Wiggum. I’m sure they’re not going to send a squad car to your place to stake it out overnight, but there’s no reason for them to tell you to wait for the armed robbers to show up before you call back. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Lionne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Lionne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lionne)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-set-up-for-a-robbery/477927/29 "2008-12-19T19:49:09Z")
No way to look up packages after it was apparently important enough to call you about? Sounds shady. If it were me, I’d ignore the delivery and not bother with the cops again. If it’s legit, they’ll get it to you, either by giving you a place to pick it up or accepting an alternate address for delivery. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-set-up-for-a-robbery/477927/30 "2008-12-19T19:50:38Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > I’ve never had FedEx, UPS or any of them call before a delivery even for “signature required” packages. I’m not sure why everyone is being so suspicious. The Fedex website mentions a service option called “FedEx Appointment Home Delivery,” for which the description reads, “If your recipient needs to arrange for delivery on a specific date and by a scheduled time, this is the perfect option. We will contact the recipient by phone in advance to schedule the delivery.” It’s entirely possible that this was the service option selected by the shipper. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-set-up-for-a-robbery/477927/31 "2008-12-19T19:52:25Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > They won’t stake out a crime like this. I can almost guarantee it. I was burgled twice in a period of days, and they wouldn’t stake out my place. They simply can’t afford it. Staking out a home for days when it may, or may not be robbed (again) is indeed a long shot for police, However, investing an hour to be at a specified adress at a specified one-hour interval, with the certainty of catching a crook redhanded and make an arrest; any policeman worth his salt should jump at the chance. What do they expect 911 to do? Come to your house and write down that, indeed, no one is there anymore? Serve and protect, indeed. ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-set-up-for-a-robbery/477927/32 "2008-12-19T20:09:33Z")
> [@Maastricht](#): > > Staking out a home for days when it may, or may not be robbed (again) is indeed a long shot for police, However, investing an hour to be at a specified adress at a specified one-hour interval, with the certainty of catching a crook redhanded and make an arrest; any policeman worth his salt should jump at the chance. > > What do they expect 911 to do? Come to your house and write down that, indeed, no one is there anymore? Serve and protect, indeed. I’m not even asking for a stakeout! I just wanted them to check into the number they called from because it sounded suspicious. Then, if they found that someone is sitting in an apartment in the Bronx running a sting operation and claiming to be FedEx they could do whatever needs to be done at that point. ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-set-up-for-a-robbery/477927/33 "2008-12-19T20:11:42Z")
> [@pbbth](#): > > My family is sending my packages to my office. My friends might send me a package but it would be from Hayley or Nicky or Ali or whoever, not Curma Properties. This is not correct. The name will be whomever shipped the package. To see what I mean, go [here](http://fedex.com/Dropoff/start?locale=en_US), on this page by providing your zip code you will see the FEDEX shipping locations closest to you. If you unselect Fefex Staffed and Fedex Kinkos the locations provided will be authorized shipping centers but any packages sent from there willl carry their name not the person who paid for the pakages name. ---
**Author:** ![Karyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/fbc32d/32.png) [@Karyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Karyn)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-set-up-for-a-robbery/477927/34 "2008-12-19T20:15:34Z")
Here it would be the District Attorney’s Office that would investigate that kind of fraud. You might want to call them and see what they say. ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-set-up-for-a-robbery/477927/35 "2008-12-19T20:17:41Z")
> [@pbbth](#): > > I called back the number that originally called me this morning (thank Og today has been a slow day at work!) and they said they have no way of looking up a package in their system by name or address to get me a tracking number and I will just have to wait until they deliver it to me for more information. Since the police aren’t interested I am now wondering what to do. I don’t want to ignore the delivery since at this point it may well be legitimate, however poorly set up the delivery has been, but I also don’t want to invite scammers into my building either. Option 1, call the people who are shipping you packages and ask for the tracking number. By tracking those packages you’ll be able to determine if one of those is your suspect package, you’ll know because they’ll be a scheduled delivery date that coincides with the date you set up. Option 2, check for a FEDEX truck outside before letting someone in. You can also genereally refuse to accept the package and ask the driver to hold the package for pickup at FEDEX which will be at the distribution hub located closest to you. ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-set-up-for-a-robbery/477927/36 "2008-12-19T20:23:36Z")
> [@Stuffy](#): > > Option 1, call the people who are shipping you packages and ask for the tracking number. By tracking those packages you’ll be able to determine if one of those is your suspect package, you’ll know because they’ll be a scheduled delivery date that coincides with the date you set up. > > Option 2, check for a FEDEX truck outside before letting someone in. You can also genereally refuse to accept the package and ask the driver to hold the package for pickup at FEDEX which will be at the distribution hub located closest to you. I tried option 1. They wouldn’t give me a tracking number. I didn’t order anything so I am not expecting a package and the closest place you can use to send a FedEx package to all of my friends is a post office. I did not recieve a call or an email from anyone, friend or business, telling me to expect a package at my home except this random FedEx call. That is why this seems suspicious to me. Option 2 is next on my list, though because I live in NYC with parking the way it is I might not be able to see a FedEx truck in the street. They may have to park half a block over or on the corner, which I can’t see from my window. If I can’t see the FedEx vehicle through my window my next step would be to set up a giant net over the door to trap them like wild game. Or not. I’ll work on some better ideas.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-set-up-for-a-robbery/477927/37 "2008-12-19T20:28:34Z")
> [@pbbth](#): > > If I can’t see the FedEx vehicle through my window my next step would be to set up a giant net over the door to trap them like wild game. Too bad it’s not coming from Unexpected Package Safari. ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-set-up-for-a-robbery/477927/38 "2008-12-19T20:36:14Z")
> [@pbbth](#): > > I tried option 1. They wouldn’t give me a tracking number. I didn’t order anything so I am not expecting a package and the closest place you can use to send a FedEx package to all of my friends is a post office. I did not recieve a call or an email from anyone, friend or business, telling me to expect a package at my home except this random FedEx call. That is why this seems suspicious to me. Yeah the problem is they should have given you one when they first called you, but it’s not something that would occur to a regular Joe to ask for, and it’s not atypical for the Hubs to be lackadaisical in this regard. Did you happen to get the first number via Caller ID? If so, that will be the hub as I mentioned previously, and they will be able to provide their address which should be verifiable. > [@](#): > > Option 2 is next on my list, though because I live in NYC with parking the way it is I might not be able to see a FedEx truck in the street. They may have to park half a block over or on the corner, which I can’t see from my window. If I can’t see the FedEx vehicle through my window my next step would be to set up a giant net over the door to trap them like wild game. Or not. I’ll work on some better ideas.🙂 You can refuse the package rather than let them in (I assume you have some type of intercom that you can speak with them on), they should provide you with the tracking number and location of the hub so that you can pick it up yourself. This option will mean the you most likely can’t retrieve your package until the next business day. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-set-up-for-a-robbery/477927/39 "2008-12-19T20:40:35Z")
You’re in NYC, and your building has a security door, don’t buzz them in, go down to get the package. Leave your keys with one of your nosy neighbors, or see if your super would be willing to accompany you to the front door. ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-set-up-for-a-robbery/477927/40 "2008-12-19T20:41:50Z")
Oops, I almost forgot to mention it, and I’m not sure if it’s applicable to you anyway, but the two Fedex hubs I’ve been to have limited pick up hours. Both of them were in the evening and something like 5:30 - 7:30. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-set-up-for-a-robbery/477927.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-being-set-up-for-a-robbery/477927.md?page=3)