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Who’s behind these mysterious deliveries? Woodside man showered with products he didn’t order
Mercury News ^ | 7 February 2024 | Lisa M. Krieger

Posted on 02/19/2024 8:32:28 AM PST by ShadowAce

Daniel Williams, come pick up your junk.

For more than six months, a parade of unsolicited Amazon packages — large and small, cheap and expensive, free or fraudulently billed — have arrived at John DeFiore’s rural Woodside home, addressed to a mysterious Mr. Williams.

“It’s like the Twilight Zone,” said DeFiore, 61, an electrical engineer who is meticulous about his online shopping habits and credit card use.

“We don’t want any of this stuff,” he said. “It’s not ours. We have everything we need.”

Online shopping offers near-infinite choice and convenience. But it has also created a global gathering place for digital crooks, fraudsters and credit card thieves. Consumers’ only remedy — calling customer service — is its own journey through hell.

DeFiore’s drama started innocently enough, with the arrival of a simple envelope holding two tiny machine screws. He dismissed it as a simple address error.

RELATED: Getting packages you didn’t order from Amazon or elsewhere? Here’s how to deal with e-commerce scams

“‘Oh, somebody just made a mistake,’“ he thought. “Maybe there’s a new neighbor named Daniel Williams.” He found a Dan Williams in the nearby town of La Honda — but, nope, the screws weren’t his.

Nor did they belong to any of the nation’s other Daniel Williams, such as the doctor who performs hand surgery in Wisconsin, or the former defensive tackle who does diabetes education in Memphis. The name, apparently a pseudonym, was used by what Amazon calls “a bad actor.”

The screws were soon followed by solar panel cables, a gaming console and an attractive digital picture frame.

Then came a portable foot spa, with air bubbles, temperature control and massage rollers.

(Excerpt) Read more at mercurynews.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Computers/Internet
KEYWORDS: amazon; scam
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To: PeterPrinciple
Your scenario is possible. Could be some neighborhood kids (or a mentally disturbed neighbor) pranking him for some odd reason. Especially if they somehow got hold of his credit card info.

This reminds me of something I was involved with as a kid. Back in those days, magazines had all those "blow-in" cards in which you could sign up for subscriptions, not just for magazines but for things like record clubs and other products.

Well there was a neighborhood bully that my friends and I wanted to "get back at" so we would collect those cards and fill them out, carefully using block letters so we weren't exposed by our handwriting, and sign this kid up for pretty much everything under the sun.

Pretty soon, this kid had all kinds of crap showing up on his doorstep by way of the US Mail. We were pretty detailed in our mischief too, signing him up for Playgirl magazine and ordering nothing but Barry Manilow and Donny Osmond albums from Columbia House and whatnot, in order to cause the most embarrassment possible as he tried to explain to his parents.

We finally stopped when we realized that postal inspectors were probably starting to investigate and would soon get on our trail. We were never caught and it's something I'm not very proud of today, but back then, we thought it was the most awesome prank ever.

21 posted on 02/19/2024 8:59:29 AM PST by SamAdams76 (6,575,474 Truth | 87,429,044 Twitter)
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To: Jamestown1630

Then what I said in post 6 is even more likely.

“That makes me suspect it’s actually on the Amazon side......perhaps a bad actor employee”

Or his bank.


22 posted on 02/19/2024 9:00:05 AM PST by V_TWIN (America...so great even the people that hate it refuse to leave!)
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To: Jamestown1630

Unless his computer has been compromised


23 posted on 02/19/2024 9:00:43 AM PST by V_TWIN (America...so great even the people that hate it refuse to leave!)
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To: Jamestown1630

I’m satisfied overall with Amazon, but you cannot actually ‘talk’ to anyone in other than a ‘chat’ mode, and that is often circuitous to get to.


24 posted on 02/19/2024 9:01:22 AM PST by Gaffer
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To: Gaffer

I’ve managed to talk to people twice; but it’s hard to get to a live human. (And of course, both times they were foreign.)


25 posted on 02/19/2024 9:06:15 AM PST by Jamestown1630 ("A Republic, if you can keep it.")
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To: V_TWIN

V_TWIN wrote: “The story goes on to say his Amazon Prime credit card began to incur charges. That takes it beyond “free stuff” territory.”

Doesn’t matter. The prime card is issued by Chase, not Amazon. I had an issue when I received an item I didn’t order and my chase card was charged for the item. The seller wanted me to return the item at my expense. Chase told them to pound sand. Chase removed the charge from my account. Chase told me that if I received an item I didn’t order, I was under no obligation to return or pay for the item.


26 posted on 02/19/2024 9:12:30 AM PST by DugwayDuke (Most pick the expert who says the things they agree with.)
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To: DugwayDuke
If you didn’t order it, it’s a gift and you don’t have to pay for it or return it.

If it has substantial value, the receiver could get sued for unjust enrichment if there is fraud or mistake involved. For small value items no one would bother going to court, but if it is worth enough to pay the legal fees, the lawyers could get involved with the unjust enrichment argument.
27 posted on 02/19/2024 9:13:14 AM PST by Dr. Franklin ("A republic, if you can keep it." )
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To: V_TWIN

Possibly; but since he’s a ‘tech guy’ one would think he’d have covered that. Your other suggestions seem more likely...


28 posted on 02/19/2024 9:13:15 AM PST by Jamestown1630 ("A Republic, if you can keep it.")
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To: SamAdams76

Friend of mine did a similar thing to his landlord, who was giving him a hard time. Ordered everything under the sun (magazines, “As Seen on TV” stuff, dozens of catalogs, etc.), and moved out.


29 posted on 02/19/2024 9:17:52 AM PST by P.O.E. (Pray for America.)
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To: DugwayDuke

I got an unsolicited package from Amazon, and called and texted anyone who might have sent it, but got negative replies. Then I called Amazon. The person I spoke to said it was a “mix up at the warehouse”, and I should keep it. On my next MasterCard bill, I saw a bunch of unauthorized charges to Amazon. Apparently the fraudster had had the first purchase delivered to my house and subsequent to somewhere else.

I called MasterCard, and they very politely told me to please try to rectify the matter with Amazon. Previously, all my encounters with Amazon customer service had been exceptionally positive. I explained the situation, but they refused to remove the charges. I called MasterCard and explained again (the fraud prevention agent had the history of previous call in front of her) and she removed the charges, and issued a new card. I asked if they were going to go after the miscreant. She said that she did not know, but probably not, since these cases cost more to pursue than any recovery they might make. I just wanted them to imprison the sob to encourage the others.


30 posted on 02/19/2024 9:43:06 AM PST by Lonesome in Massachussets (Perdicaris alive or Raisuli dead!)
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To: SamAdams76

That’s called a mail bomb. Make sure to sign them up for the free for 3 month special that he has to cancel. If you send enough the post office will make them pick it up at the post office. Get his phone number and pass that out like leaves in fall.


31 posted on 02/19/2024 9:47:30 AM PST by Keyhopper (Indians had bad immigration laws)
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To: dfwgator

Third place:

You’re FIRED.


32 posted on 02/19/2024 10:05:28 AM PST by woodbutcher1963
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To: V_TWIN
The story goes on to say his Amazon Prime credit card began to incur charges.

Then that's a signal that someone has your CC info and it's time to cancel that card.

33 posted on 02/19/2024 10:44:27 AM PST by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus…)
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To: metmom

He did cancel his card.....got a new one and received another delivery 2 days later.


34 posted on 02/19/2024 10:49:17 AM PST by V_TWIN (America...so great even the people that hate it refuse to leave!)
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To: V_TWIN

I saw that.

At that point, then just cancel it for good and not get a new one.

Find one somewhere else.

We have found eBay to be an excellent alternative to Amazon for items we are looking for.


35 posted on 02/19/2024 11:02:41 AM PST by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus…)
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To: metmom

At this point it should be a process of elimination.

If it’s not the card it’s possibly Amazon, the bank or his computer is compromised.


36 posted on 02/19/2024 11:09:32 AM PST by V_TWIN (America...so great even the people that hate it refuse to leave!)
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To: SamAdams76

You know when you start a confessional posting you’re supposed to have an intro that starts:

A friend of my sisters brother who was in Vietnam had a cousin that had knocked up a coed who had the child which was then raised by somebody’s wife in the church congregation and he said....


37 posted on 02/19/2024 11:17:44 AM PST by Clutch Martin ("The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that the lightning ain't distributed right." )
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To: ShadowAce
I have been ordering prep stuff for a while now. Most of this load of stuff came via by Fedex and UPS but of late most is delivered by my now overworked mailman since Prime shipping went almost exclusively to USPS.

I live in the middle of nowhere in a large old farmhouse and I have stacked empty bedrooms full of boxes and they have spilled over to most other spaces as well... it looks pretty busy here...lol

This is a sign of the times, I'm sure other freepers can relate..

I got an extra 300w portable solar panel setup once I did not order, was not charged and they said to just keep it when I asked... while another time one cheap 58.99 100w panel was broken and they made me ship it back...odd


38 posted on 02/19/2024 11:25:32 AM PST by Bobalu (I can’t even feign surprise anymore.)
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To: Bobalu
BTW: If anyone is curious this is the 58.99 solar panel and they are indeed excellent, delivered free and if you need to send one back that is free as well... no shipping charges. I have about 60 of this brand now...

But it saddens me that when I order them the mailman has to make an extra trip because they fill his little jeep he drives.. last time he brought 6 panels and it was quite a load for him.


39 posted on 02/19/2024 11:39:05 AM PST by Bobalu (I can’t even feign surprise anymore.)
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To: Gaffer

Here ya go...AMZN Customer Service...

1 888-280-4331


40 posted on 02/19/2024 12:00:41 PM PST by moovova ("The NEXT election is the most important election of our lifetimes!“ LOL...)
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