# Is this a scam? What is it supposed to do? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 29, 2019, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam-what-is-it-supposed-to-do/834740 "2019-05-29T22:05:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam-what-is-it-supposed-to-do/834740/1 "2019-05-29T22:05:07Z")
My wife received a package from Amazon containing 3 identical bracelet charms. She did not order them. She checked her account and they aren’t on there. She checked with anyone who might have sent them to her and they didn’t. We looked up the items on Amazon and they’re from a third party seller. It’s the only item they sell and they’re listed for **$200** , which they are assuredly not worth. She already contact Amazon customer service, but what could they possibly be trying to do? I’m assuming this seller is going to try and get $600 out of us, but I haven’t the foggiest idea how they will. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam-what-is-it-supposed-to-do/834740/2 "2019-05-29T22:14:23Z")
Not everything is a scam. It could be a mistake. ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam-what-is-it-supposed-to-do/834740/3 "2019-05-29T22:22:17Z")
It could be a mistake, but it’s probably a scam. But the good news is, your wife isn’t the one being scammed (much). I received something similar about a year ago (a tool set that nobody who knows me would ever send me) from Amazon. The explanation at the time was that it’s usually some sort of ratings scam. The vendors send to random people, then use their names to create “verified buyer” astroturfed ratings on the product. The actual product “loss” isn’t considered important (especially because as with your item, the actual “cost” of the item is far, far less than what they’re asking for them). Now it wasn’t clear how they got my name or address, or whether or not that was the specific thing that happened to me (or your wife). But the Amazon guy basically said not to worry about it, it wasn’t likely “real” identity theft, just someone borrowing your name to game the rating system (in specific, it never showed up on my “orders” page or associated with my Amazon account itself). ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam-what-is-it-supposed-to-do/834740/4 "2019-05-29T22:25:15Z")
Sometimes it’s a simple mistake. I’ve had a similar thing happen twice and one of my friends as well. The first time, there was a label glitch. The label had my address but there was a clear printer feed error with the label badly wrinkled. The thing is, if they shipped it to you (name and address) but you didn’t order it, it’s yours. You don’t really have to pay for it, third party seller or not. According to the [Federal Trade Commission](https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/business-guide-ftcs-mail-internet-or-telephone-order), it’s an unsolicited gift. The idea is to avoid scammers who may try to deliberately send unsolicited packages in order to get money. You can try to contact Amazon about returning it. They’ll probably accept a return (at your expense) but most likely, they’ll tell you to keep it. Even if it adds up to a lot of lost money in aggregate, it’s not worth the expense to Amazon of dealing with the relatively few cases of mistaken shipments. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam-what-is-it-supposed-to-do/834740/5 "2019-05-29T22:28:32Z")
That’s the beauty of it. It doesn’t DO anything! ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam-what-is-it-supposed-to-do/834740/6 "2019-05-29T22:35:01Z")
> [@TimeWinder](#): > > It could be a mistake, but it’s probably a scam. But the good news is, your wife isn’t the one being scammed (much). I received something similar about a year ago (a tool set that nobody who knows me would ever send me) from Amazon. > > The explanation at the time was that it’s usually some sort of ratings scam. The vendors send to random people, then use their names to create “verified buyer” astroturfed ratings on the product. The actual product “loss” isn’t considered important (especially because as with your item, the actual “cost” of the item is far, far less than what they’re asking for them). > > Now it wasn’t clear how they got my name or address, or whether or not that was the specific thing that happened to me (or your wife). But the Amazon guy basically said not to worry about it, it wasn’t likely “real” identity theft, just someone borrowing your name to game the rating system (in specific, it never showed up on my “orders” page or associated with my Amazon account itself). This (or something like it) is apparently called ‘brushing’ - as you say, sort of identity theft, but the perp (most probably) doesn’t mean you any harm - just means to use you to inflate the reputation of his store. When the product comes direct from random China, there isn’t much you can do about it. I guess with an Amazon-fulfilled delivery, you can probably report it back - you don’t have a trace of the transaction yourself, but there will be something on the label that Amazon can trace back to the fake version of your account - and Amazon might investigate the misuse of your identity, but probably not. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam-what-is-it-supposed-to-do/834740/7 "2019-05-30T09:02:48Z")
> [@Great\_Antibob](#): > > The thing is, if they shipped it to you (name and address) but you didn’t order it, it’s yours. You don’t really have to pay for it, third party seller or not. According to the [Federal Trade Commission](https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/business-guide-ftcs-mail-internet-or-telephone-order), it’s an unsolicited gift. The idea is to avoid scammers who may try to deliberately send unsolicited packages in order to get money. Back in 1960’s UK, this kind of thing was rife. Sometimes an unsolicited package would arrive with an invoice, followed up by increasing threatening letters from “Solicitors”, or, more often, one would subscribe to something (Readers Digest were major culprits) and they would carry on sending the books/magazines even after the subscription ended. Eventually, we got The Unsolicited Goods and Services Act 1971 which _“makes it an offence for a company to send you goods you have not ordered. The legislation is intended to discourage companies from sending customers unordered goods in the hope that they will be induced by lethargy or ignorance (or threats) to pay for them. Companies who send out unordered goods in this way do so at great risk since once you receive the goods you do not have to pay for them and they are yours to keep.”_ I once subscribed to a ‘Book of the Month’ club. Once the special offer finished I did not renew but kept getting the books. For a couple of years, I would read the book and then drop it off at a charity shop. I received numerous letters demanding payment, but they eventually gave up. ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam-what-is-it-supposed-to-do/834740/8 "2019-05-30T12:52:26Z")
> [@TimeWinder](#): > > … > > The explanation at the time was that it’s usually some sort of ratings scam. The vendors send to random people, then use their names to create “verified buyer” astroturfed ratings on the product. The actual product “loss” isn’t considered important (especially because as with your item, the actual “cost” of the item is far, far less than what they’re asking for them). > > … I’ve heard this multiple times, but it just doesn’t make sense to me…I can’t connect the dots. How does sending random things to random addresses give the sender the ability create positive reviews? Why do they need to send anything at all? Why can’t they just write fake ratings posing as someone else? Is there some mechanism in place that requires something actually being sent in the mail to unlock the ability to create a rating? And if so, why not just send an empty envelop? WHile I hear this as an explanation, it doesn’t make sense how the mechanism of sending something in the mail allows the sender to create a fake rating. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam-what-is-it-supposed-to-do/834740/9 "2019-05-30T13:07:47Z")
> [@Sigene](#): > > … > > WHile I hear this as an explanation, it doesn’t make sense how the mechanism of sending something in the mail allows the sender to create a fake rating. I was thinking the same thing. How does this give them access to your account, which they’d need to post a review under your name; and how can you show as a verified buyer if Amazon has no record of your purchase? I wonder if they could be inflating their sales in order to launder money. ---
**Author:** ![MrFloppy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@MrFloppy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrFloppy)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam-what-is-it-supposed-to-do/834740/10 "2019-05-30T13:37:27Z")
Hmmm…interesting. About 6 months ago, I received an item from a seller on Amazon, unsolicited. Frankly I can’t even remember what it was. Recently (last month), I tried to write a review for something I just purchased (a pool light) and my account was restricted from leaving reviews because of suspicious activity. Since I have probably left less than a dozen reviews in as many years, I know it’s not anything I have done. I wonder if the two incidents are related. ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam-what-is-it-supposed-to-do/834740/11 "2019-05-30T13:53:55Z")
I still have a $75 piece of luggage (Rhymes with Tommy Yo Momma) sent to me about two years ago by Amazon. If anyone ever contacts me about it I’ll be happy to send it back although it has a few dings on it from the seven times I’ve used it. And I will be requiring a $50 storage rental fee for keeping it stored for them. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam-what-is-it-supposed-to-do/834740/12 "2019-05-30T14:37:54Z")
I was recently offered free merchandise, but I declined it. I had purchased a set of snake tongs (we capture and relocate snakes around our house). I really liked the tongs and wrote a glowing review, complete with pictures. Several potential buyers said that my review helped with their decision. Then I got an email from the company telling me they now offered a new-and-improved product that they wanted to give me in hopes I’d like it and give a positive review. The thing is, I’m perfectly happy with the togs I already have and see no reason to upgrade. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam-what-is-it-supposed-to-do/834740/13 "2019-05-30T14:57:31Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > I was thinking the same thing. How does this give them access to your account, which they’d need to post a review under your name; and how can you show as a verified buyer if Amazon has no record of your purchase? > > I wonder if they could be inflating their sales in order to launder money. From this, it sounds like they’re making a fake account under the same name: [https://www.cbsnews.com/news/amazon-brushing-scam-couple-receives-packages-they-didnt-order/](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/amazon-brushing-scam-couple-receives-packages-they-didnt-order/) I still don’t understand why they would need to ship it out to the actual address. I’m guessing that’s what happened here, as the seller is brand new and the item doesn’t have any reviews. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam-what-is-it-supposed-to-do/834740/14 "2019-05-30T18:30:11Z")
There is a more nefarious version of this scheme. Some guy with a stolen credit card learned my work schedule and had Amazon packages from his account sent to my house, and he would take them right after they were delivered when I was still at work. Because I never ordered them I didn’t even realize packages were being delivered to my house and he probably thought putting a third party address wouldn’t directly link back to him with the stolen goods. I only found out a day I didn’t go to work and got a bizarre package delivered to me and the receipt had a name and credit card number I didn’t recognize. ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam-what-is-it-supposed-to-do/834740/15 "2019-05-30T19:13:22Z")
> [@Sigene](#): > > How does sending random things to random addresses give the sender the ability create positive reviews?.. > WHile I hear this as an explanation, it doesn’t make sense how the mechanism of sending something in the mail allows the sender to create a fake rating. > [@davidm](#): > > I was thinking the same thing. How does this give them access to your account, which they’d need to post a review under your name; and how can you show as a verified buyer if Amazon has no record of your purchase? They’re not using my account. They’re using an account they created with my name and address, because Amazon (or whoever) will notice if all the reviews for a product come from the same address. Sending in the mail doesn’t matter – it’s just whether the product was actually purchased (by the scammer, using their own account with my name/address on it). That makes them a “verified purchaser” and they can then use that same account to leave a review. I suspect that they use real names/addresses to prevent the stuff from being returned by the carriers and drawing attention to themselves. Of course, this only works if the value of the review is perceived to be higher than the value of the product, which is why we’re not receiving items of high value this way… ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam-what-is-it-supposed-to-do/834740/16 "2019-05-30T19:23:39Z")
FWIW, I posted this in Dec 2016: [Just got a big box of stuff from amazon…that I didn’t order](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=813779) I called amazon and eventually got this email from them: > [@](#): > > Hello, > > Thank you so much for informing us that you received a package that you didn’t order. > > In this case, there’s no need to return the item. You’re welcome to keep, donate or dispose of it–whichever option is most appropriate and convenient for you. > > I hope this solution works for you. We look forward to seeing you again soon. > > We’d appreciate your feedback. Please use the links below to tell us about your experience today. > > Best regards, > [CSR name] A Doper who works for amazon posted this after I sent him a pic of the shipping label: > [@](#): > > OK ---- ThelmaLou ---- 98% chance you got gifted by someone on their last day. Your package was filled at the Fulfillment Center in Hebron KY which has a reputation for ----- let us say “interesting” ------ employees. It was then probably flown as part of what we refer to as Archangel to the sortation center in San Antonio and from there placed on a pallet (B line, pallet number 18) to be trucked to your local post office where the USPS handled it from there. In theory the number before the C032 could tell the Big Wigs in Da Jungle who filled that particular box (the “picker” who runs around the warehouse shopping for you) but -------- this time of year scanners get grabbed and people forget to log out and you really can’t tell much of anything without physically watching the box in reverse as it leave the gaylord it was loaded in back through to where it was sealed to the person doing the picking. It could be done — we have that many cameras. But does it make business sense to do so. > … > > The turn-over for part-timers at FCs is really high; basically after 3 weeks you are a veteran and after 2 months you are a senior staff member. I know people at FCs and they are not nearly the happy campers us SC (sortation) people are ---- we usually last more like 4 months. (I’ve been there over 2 years but I’m a little nuts so it helps). Pickers, being timed while they do it, run from place to place to place filling an order and having the results logged by their scanner. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that if you get your hands on a scanner logged to another person you can basically go nuts. If you are slightly better than that you can figure out how to create total orders from thin air at different stages from before the stuff is “picked”. > > Now remember – you are making fair money ($12.50 per hour most places) but its only part time and you may just be seasonal. And at a FC like Hebron you are getting treated pretty poorly and pushed really hard. And you figure out the tricks. Like I said earlier; some associates just have to get their pound of flesh out of the company on their way out the door. I would bet money (and US stuff at that) that that is what happened here. There were never any bad (or any other kind of) consequences from this event. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam-what-is-it-supposed-to-do/834740/17 "2019-05-30T20:05:48Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I was recently offered free merchandise, but I declined it. I had purchased a set of snake tongs (we capture and relocate snakes around our house). I really liked the tongs and wrote a glowing review, complete with pictures. Several potential buyers said that my review helped with their decision. > > Then I got an email from the company telling me they now offered a new-and-improved product that they wanted to give me in hopes I’d like it and give a positive review. The thing is, I’m perfectly happy with the togs I already have and see no reason to upgrade. I dunno, as the snakes evolve you may need the new features. I was surprised to see that there’s a cutthroat competition going on Amazon between snake tong sellers, though not all of them use that term (my favorite is “Outdoor Adventure Handling Tool”). Perhaps you could review the “Crackshot Men’s Snake Guardz Socks” and the company might send you an entire snake handling wardrobe, good for backyard adventures and some Baptist services. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam-what-is-it-supposed-to-do/834740/18 "2019-05-31T04:31:48Z")
> [@TimeWinder](#): > > It could be a mistake, but it’s probably a scam. But the good news is, your wife isn’t the one being scammed (much). I received something similar about a year ago (a tool set that nobody who knows me would ever send me) from Amazon. > > The explanation at the time was that it’s usually some sort of ratings scam. The vendors send to random people, then use their names to create “verified buyer” astroturfed ratings on the product. The actual product “loss” isn’t considered important (especially because as with your item, the actual “cost” of the item is far, far less than what they’re asking for them). > > Now it wasn’t clear how they got my name or address, or whether or not that was the specific thing that happened to me (or your wife). But the Amazon guy basically said not to worry about it, it wasn’t likely “real” identity theft, just someone borrowing your name to game the rating system (in specific, it never showed up on my “orders” page or associated with my Amazon account itself). Huh. If it DOES put you in as a “verified buyer,” you could write a review and pan the hell out of it… ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam-what-is-it-supposed-to-do/834740/19 "2019-05-31T05:08:46Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I was recently offered free merchandise, but I declined it. I had purchased a set of snake tongs (we capture and relocate snakes around our house). I really liked the tongs and wrote a glowing review, complete with pictures. Several potential buyers said that my review helped with their decision. > > Then I got an email from the company telling me they now offered a new-and-improved product that they wanted to give me in hopes I’d like it and give a positive review. The thing is, I’m perfectly happy with the togs I already have and see no reason to upgrade. [This happens a lot](https://www.theguardian.com/money/2018/oct/20/facebook-fake-amazon-review-factories-uncovered-which-investigation). > [@](#): > > Facebook fake review factories uncovered by Which? investigation > > Firms paying refunds to buyers who write fivestar reviews on Amazon, consumer group says > > Fake review factories that run on Facebook and manufacture misleading five-star reviews that are then posted on Amazon have been uncovered by investigators from Which? The consumer group said two large Facebook groups – Amazon Deals Group and Amazon UK Reviewers – were behind the unscrupulous practice, along with smaller groups. Together they may have up to 87,000 members potentially engaged in writing fake reviews. > > Inside the Facebook groups, companies post details of products for which they are seeking positive reviews. The reviewers have to pay for the items – so that Amazon believes the buyer is genuine – but after leaving a glowing review, the company refunds the purchase price through PayPal, and sometimes pays an additional fee. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam-what-is-it-supposed-to-do/834740/20 "2019-05-31T05:34:45Z")
> [@BubbaDog](#): > > (Rhymes with Tommy Yo Momma) If I googled ‘luggage brands’, I might figure it out. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-scam-what-is-it-supposed-to-do/834740.md?page=2)