Potential scam via special delivery?

Marksfish

Sorry if this is not the right forum to post in, I did look for something more relevant but there didn't appear to be anything.

A Special Delivery before 1 Saturday was received today. Inside the A4 window envelope was a blank sheet of paper with only the addressee name and delivery address on it. A sticker on the rear gives an address but no name. A Google search shows it is a building of multi business use, none of the names ring any bells. A tracking check shows the envelope was posted about 3 miles away from the address on the back.

As it stands, we have no idea who or what has sent nothing to us and paid £11 for the privilege. I am wondering if it is some sort of a scam whereby someone now has a delivery signature, but no- one can recall ordering anything of value. What if whatever it is supposed to be is time sensitive? What if the sender doesn't realise nothing was put inside, how can it be proven at a later date?

Somewhat confused at the moment :huh:

Bradden

That is odd!

shaun_from_Africa

Marksfish wrote: »

I am wondering if it is some sort of a scam whereby someone now has a delivery signature, but no- one can recall ordering anything of value.

Do you have an ebay or Paypal account?
If so, log on to them as soon as possible to make sure that there is nothing fishy going on with them as one possibility is that someone has hacked an account, placed an order in your name with "you" buying something from them then sent the empty envelope as proof of delivery.

Unlikely but possible and some scammers are very smart nowadays.

Manxman_in_exile

Sorry - I'm probably being thick, but why are you £11 out of pocket?


Carry out the checks suggested by shaun to be on the safe side, but unless you know you are expecting something I don't think I'd waste a lot of time on it (although it would be quite satisfying to find out what's happened and why).


It's not clear from your post, but it was correctly addressed to you by name (at the correct address) and not to someone else?


I'm not sure I'd sign for a delivery to someone I didn't know at my address. I've signed for it but I can't release it to anyone.

Marksfish

Manxman_in_exile wrote: »

Sorry - I'm probably being thick, but why are you £11 out of pocket?

I'm not, the sender is. It is the cost of sending a before 1pm on a Saturday special delivery.

Manxman_in_exile wrote: »

It's not clear from your post, but it was correctly addressed to you by name (at the correct address) and not to someone else?

Yes, correctly named and addressed. I wouldn't sign for someone not at our address either, let alone open it.

Manxman_in_exile wrote: »

(although it would be quite satisfying to find out what's happened and why)

Indeed it would, but unless they make contact again it is going to remain a mystery.

Marksfish

shaun_from_Africa wrote: »

Do you have an ebay or Paypal account?
If so, log on to them as soon as possible to make sure that there is nothing fishy going on with them as one possibility is that someone has hacked an account, placed an order in your name with "you" buying something from them then sent the empty envelope as proof of delivery.

One of the first things we thought of and checked, thanks for the suggestion though.

Manxman_in_exile

That is odd if it was correctly addressed to you - unless it's a straightforward error and something was meant to be in it but wasn't put in the envelope.


I tend to be a bit suspicious and I'd be inclined to keep the envelope and "contents" safely, in case it becomes significant later.


Incidentally, because I'm suspicious I open everything delivered and addressed to my house but bearing a name I don't know. I understand that once a letter etc is delivered to an "address" it's finished its journey through the postal system and so long as you are not opening it dishonestly or with the intent to cause detriment to the person named, there's nothing wrong with that. I want to know why someone I don't know is using my address. (With signed for I just refuse to accept it like you).

Marksfish

Manxman_in_exile wrote: »

That is odd if it was correctly addressed to you - unless it's a straightforward error and something was meant to be in it but wasn't put in the envelope.

Will just have to wait and see if they make contact again. So long as it wasn't Camelot and my £1,000,000 cheque was missing :rotfl:

Geodark

This rings a bell with me from a good few years ago - it was some form of scam, but I can't remember exactly how - something in the back of my mind says it was some form of ebay / paypal scam

hollydays

Might be useful for others via a google search if you put the address of the offices on here, though if it's a scam , they may use a different address every time.

davidmcn

Manxman_in_exile wrote: »

I understand that once a letter etc is delivered to an "address" it's finished its journey through the postal system and so long as you are not opening it dishonestly or with the intent to cause detriment to the person named, there's nothing wrong with that.

Even that's not relevant if the item was sent to your address, only if it's addressed to somewhere else and delivered to you by mistake (the legislation refers to the address, not the name).

Obviously if you then go on to do something dishonest with it, that may constitute an offence in its own right.