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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think this is really weird/unsettling - possible fraud?

72 replies

SarfE4sticated · 05/12/2018 18:24

I got home from work today, big brown box, addressed to DH. Asked him what it was, he thought it was an xmas present for DD that I had ordered. No it isn't. I have opened it. It's a drone. Sent from some company in China, addressed to DH, but the mobile on the sheet inside is not his number, or anyone we know.
WTF am I meant to do with it? I am worried that someone is going to come to the front door asking for a parcel.
DH has been having some 'unusual activity' on his bank account which the bank have blocked, someone tried to buy a BT mobile using DD's name address and DOB but not his bank card. BT called him to flag it up, and it got cancelled.
What should I do? Am feeling a bit sick/panicky about it.
DH is out this evening at a course.

OP posts:
Allthebubbles · 05/12/2018 18:58

This happened to a relative who was sent two iPhones but the money hadn't been taken from her account. I think someone tried to pick them up but she said she'd sent them back. I still don't know exactly what the scam is- or the benefit to those doing it.

Original poster
SarfE4sticated · 05/12/2018 18:58

One other point is that DD has just started walking home on her own after school and letting herself it. On her own for an hour until we get home from work, so maybe they think she would be a soft touch if they knock.

OP posts:
BorisAndDoris · 05/12/2018 19:02

Well if someone does come round, tell them that the parcel was dropped off at the local police station as it wasn't yours and they can request it there. Any criminal will chalk it up to a failed scam. No gain but no loss either.

BorisAndDoris · 05/12/2018 19:02

And tell DD to not answer the door. Easy.

Original poster
SarfE4sticated · 05/12/2018 19:04

I thought about doing that Boris would the police deal with it? I'll take it on the way to work tomorrow.

OP posts:
AnastasiaVonBeaverhausen · 05/12/2018 19:05

I wonder if they're committing fraud with someone else's card after being blocked on your DHs but using the address as it's one they have and know the name of the individual there.

Original poster
SarfE4sticated · 05/12/2018 19:07

Yes Anastasia I think that's what they are doing. Seems a bit of a haphazard scheme, because how can they ensure they'll get the goods.

OP posts:
chickenchip · 05/12/2018 19:07

She spoke to the catalogue company and they said it is a known scam. So she contacted the police and they asked her to get the registration and description if anybody did turn up. Sure enough someone did and she told them she had sent them back. Very worrying though Confused

BorisAndDoris · 05/12/2018 19:08

You don't need to take anything to the police to be honest. Just tell anyone turning up that you did. They'll never go there because it's clearly illegal activity. Your DH's name with a different but similar address? Maybe an error. A different name but your address? Again, maybe an error. But both? Nope. Have you googled the mobile number? Or put it in the Facebook search bar? That may tell you the real owner/scammer.

BorisAndDoris · 05/12/2018 19:10

Also check your contacts for the number. Identity fraud is usually someone with access to your details, maybe an acquaintance or neighbour.

AjasLipstick · 05/12/2018 19:14

Spies from China!

Original poster
SarfE4sticated · 05/12/2018 19:23

Thanks everyone, you've all been so helpful. I would like to get rid of the effing thing, so would either want to send it back to the company or take it to the police. Don't want to pay postage though, it's bloddy heavy, so taking it to the police station would be preferable.

OP posts:
FishesaPlenty · 05/12/2018 19:30

It's usually mobile phones.

Here's the scam. Goods ordered in Mr SarfE4sticated's name using his stolen card details. Seller will only deliver to the address the card's registered to (usual security precaution).

The next step is that the scammer uses a stolen card to pay for a same-day courier to come round to collect from you and deliver to a different 'Mr SarfE4sticated' in another town, it's explained as a labeling error by the sender. On delivery the courier's intercepted by a 'neighbour' who accepts the delivery.

An extra touch is where someone 'from the seller' actually telephones in advance to explain that they've made a mistake and sent Mr SarfE4sticated a parcel meant for another Mr SarfE4sticated and they'll be sending someone round to collect.

scepticalwoman · 05/12/2018 19:31

OP,
I received a very expensive handbag from a high end online retailer - I hadn't ordered it but it was in my name and paid for via my bank account. A couple of hours after it arrived there was a knock on the door and a taxi driver arrived to collect the parcel "delivered by accident" by * online retailer.

I was on the phone to the police (having spoken to my bank) so when he knocked the police spoke to him (a legitimate cab driver) who had been hired to take the parcel to an address many miles away. It was a scam and I would have lost my money and the bag if my bank hadn't been on the ball.

scepticalwoman · 05/12/2018 19:32

And cross posts with FishesaPlenty Grin

VeganCow · 05/12/2018 19:37

Happened to someone I know. The scam is, they order stuff to an address, any address from electoral roll or something from your paper bin, and hope they will get a text on the delivery day with a time slot. They wait for delivery to be made and later knock and say 'have you got a parcel its been delivered here by mistake' and most people will hand it over because they say 'oh its a phone' or whatever and when they open it in front of you and show you that yes, it is a phone, or whatever, you assume its a simple delivery mistake.

maddening · 05/12/2018 19:39

Have you called the mobile number?

Original poster
SarfE4sticated · 05/12/2018 19:45

No maddening I haven’t. Too chicken 🐓.

OP posts:
Boswelland · 05/12/2018 19:51

There's a common theme at the moment with fake reviews. Stores cannot just buy fake reviews any more as amazon has cracked down on it. So to circumvent this, stores will just send out loads of items to random addresses in order back and write a fake review from a ' verified buyer'. They do this at a loss in terms of stock, but it can push their listing to the front page, increasing sales in the long term.

Boswelland · 05/12/2018 19:54

To add to my comment, there's an interesting podcast on the whole fake review/sending stock to random people here: www.gimletmedia.com/reply-all/124

Original poster
SarfE4sticated · 05/12/2018 20:09

I saw that Boswelland when I did my first google search, but surely they don't need to give fake reviews on £500 drones. Googled the company and their UK stockist is Currys so I guess I could take the drone into a store and speak to a manager.
Also googled the number and got to a weird website uk-community.com which was like a directory site with their number on it, name and area. very perplexing.

OP posts:
Boswelland · 05/12/2018 20:15

Ahhh if the stockist is Curry's that's definitely more suspicious!

Original poster
SarfE4sticated · 05/12/2018 20:20

So am I taking it to:
a) Post office
b) Police station
c) Currys*
d) somewhere else

*none of the order paperwork mentions currys, just googled the drone makers and they have currys listed as their UK stockist so poss a bit tenuous

OP posts:
Howhot · 05/12/2018 20:26

Can you Google the number? Or search it on Facebook?

AnchorDownDeepBreath · 05/12/2018 20:36

Call the police for a chat. I don't think Curry's would be able to do anything yet.

I'd imagine someone will turn up and ask for it. They'll either have used a card in DHs name or another card; but it'll be stolen, and they have the item delivered to a random address (usually the billing address of the card) so that they can place online orders without them being declined. They then turn up and collect the parcel, most people will pass them over and they then can't easily be tracked with the stolen goods. If the parcel isn't handed over, they didn't pay for it so they've lost little.

I don't think it'd be a fake review scam with a £500 drone.