Unnecessary scam

BEF

Yes indeed. Thanks. I still keep thinking that if local sorting offices had a Holding Bin and an emergency contact it would still be sitting there instead of in the crooks hands...

Manxman_in_exile

BEF said:

... It is like the parcel no longer belongs to you after you've given it over to be posted!

I don't think it's "like" that - that's what it actually is.  Once you've posted it, it's effectively no longer your property and can't (or at least shouldn't) be intercepted or interfered with before it's delivered to the addressee.

powerful_Rogue

BEF said:

Yes indeed. Thanks. I still keep thinking that if local sorting offices had a Holding Bin and an emergency contact it would still be sitting there instead of in the crooks hands...

How big would this bin be and how long would the items be held in this bin?

Aylesbury_Duck

BEF said:

Yes indeed. Thanks. I still keep thinking that if local sorting offices had a Holding Bin and an emergency contact it would still be sitting there instead of in the crooks hands...

I can't see how that would help in the vast majority of cases.  In your case, it was simply that you discovered it was a probable scam in the very small window between dropping the parcel off and it beginning its journey.  If you'd have made that discovery four hours later, then what?  A holding bin at each stage of the process, just in case?  It's simply not practical.  

Given the value of the item at stake, your discovery that you had been defrauded and your knowledge of where it was being delivered to, did you consider driving to Scotland to intercept it on the doorstep?

davidmcn

BEF said:

I still keep thinking that if local sorting offices had a Holding Bin and an emergency contact it would still be sitting there instead of in the crooks hands...

For the one in a million items where the sender changes their mind?

Such a concept would also muck up concepts such as "proof of posting" as evidence of something having been sent, if the sender could then just snatch the item back.

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

BEF said:

I have just been scammed for £1100.00 which could easily have been stopped. The parcel containing an iPad was given to the Post Office at 4:45pm just before they closed. Only 20 minutes later I discovered information that the buyer and the address in Scotland had a history of scamming! From that moment my whole family spent the rest of the  evening frantically texting, phoning and emailing to try to find some way to now STOP the parcel from being delivered! There was no possible way whatsoever? Even a call to the police told us it is best to wait a day or two in case the Paypal payment is activated. Of course it never will be... All we could do was watch and "track" my iPad move from the Post Office to the local sorting office then get collected and driven to Scotland overnight and actually get delivered the next morning at 09.00 into the hands of the scammer. How ridiculous is this system? Yes I insured the parcel but I cannot claim for it because of course the package was delivered and signed for! This could so easily have been avoided with a simple click box to cancel the delivery even making a charge to the sender for the inconvenient service? What is so difficult about doing this for the consumer? It is like the parcel no longer belongs to you after you've given it over to be posted!

Please tell us who you bought this box of air from, was it from someone offering such a bargain that the price was right for you, without any thought of why they sold it so cheap!

theonlywayisup

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth said:

BEF said:

I have just been scammed for £1100.00 which could easily have been stopped. The parcel containing an iPad was given to the Post Office at 4:45pm just before they closed. Only 20 minutes later I discovered information that the buyer and the address in Scotland had a history of scamming! From that moment my whole family spent the rest of the  evening frantically texting, phoning and emailing to try to find some way to now STOP the parcel from being delivered! There was no possible way whatsoever? Even a call to the police told us it is best to wait a day or two in case the Paypal payment is activated. Of course it never will be... All we could do was watch and "track" my iPad move from the Post Office to the local sorting office then get collected and driven to Scotland overnight and actually get delivered the next morning at 09.00 into the hands of the scammer. How ridiculous is this system? Yes I insured the parcel but I cannot claim for it because of course the package was delivered and signed for! This could so easily have been avoided with a simple click box to cancel the delivery even making a charge to the sender for the inconvenient service? What is so difficult about doing this for the consumer? It is like the parcel no longer belongs to you after you've given it over to be posted!

Please tell us who you bought this box of air from, was it from someone offering such a bargain that the price was right for you, without any thought of why they sold it so cheap!

The op is the seller. 

shaun_from_Africa

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth said:

Please tell us who you bought this box of air from, was it from someone offering such a bargain that the price was right for you, without any thought of why they sold it so cheap!

The OP (or someone in their family) was the seller of the iPad and they have been scammed by the buyer by them sending a fake "Paypal will release the money when the goods have been sent" email.

mattyprice4004

Your solution would make very little business sense - they'd have to have someone on hand in every depot just in case this happens, 24/7 call centre staff etc - it's just a no go. 

I for one don't want to pay extra to post my parcels, all because some people fall victim to scams. Those of us that use due diligence shouldn't have to be penalised - and you just know that some would kick off about being charged for the return. 'I've already paid my postage, why should I pay more' etc etc. 
Then what about where the system fails, and a recall is issued but it slips through the net and is delivered anyway? Royal Mail is suddenly on the hook for £1000+. 

Sorry to hear you were scammed, but you can't expect a business to have a 24/7 'whoops, I cocked up' telephone line. 

BEF

Yes I get the picture I can see now that is not a fair option. I wish I had thought of AD's idea of driving there to greet the delivery :-)