Item I Didn’t Order Came Via Mail – Is this a Scam?

Everybody loves surprise gifts. But what happens when a package ends up on your doorstep and you think, “An item I didn’t order came via mail?”

Is it a scam? Quite possibly.

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In this article, we’ll explain what to do if an unexpected delivery arrives and how to tell if it’s a scam.

Item I Didn’t Order Came Via Mail – Why?

It is quite likely that an unexpected delivery via the mail is a form of scam. Most commonly, it’s a type of delivery scam known as a “brushing scam,” but it could also be an attempt at merchant return fraud.

However, it could be that you’ve received the delivery for a more innocuous reason. The delivery could be:

A bona-fide gift – A family member or friend may have sent you a gift without informing you, or may have forgotten to add a sender address, so you can tell who it’s from.
A shipping or address error – The package could have been delivered to your address erroneously due to typos in the address or a warehouse error.
A subscription or auto-renewal – The delivery may be part of a subscription that you signed up for previously, or an auto-renewal as part of that subscription.

Check the Sender and Delivery Addresses

The first thing to do with an unexpected delivery is to check if it falls into any of these categories. If there’s a sender address, check if it’s someone you know.

When the delivery is not from friends, family, or a service you subscribed to, verify that the name on the delivery address is yours. If it’s not, contact the delivery company and check whether the delivery is due to shipping or address errors.

Delivery Scams and Shipping Scams

If you can safely rule out the non-scam options listed above, your unexpected delivery is likely a delivery or shipping scam.

Brushing Scam

The most common type of scam associated with unexpected deliveries is called a “brushing scam.”

In essence, a third-party merchant sources your name and address from tax records, public directories, or other public sources. They’ll then send you an item, and use your details to create fake positive reviews for it. The primary aim of the scam is to use these reviews to improve the product’s rating and credibility on platforms like Amazon and eBay.

As scams go, the brushing scam is relatively harmless. There’s no personal identity theft of your ID or social security numbers, and your financial accounts are typically not compromised. However, you can suffer online reputational damage from seemingly posting fake reviews.

Account Hack

More serious than a brushing scam, your account at the service that delivered the package (e.g., Amazon) may have been compromised. A scammer may have purchased the item without your knowledge.

Phishing or Quishing Attempt

The package may also be an attempt to steal your personal information or access your accounts. This commonly happens via QR codes or links included in the package that invite you to fill in a survey or claim free items.

How to Respond

If you’re certain the delivery is not legitimate (or an honest mistake):

Report the incident to the retailer using their fraud reporting system.
Update your password on the retailer’s site.
Never scan QR codes or click links on the package.
Monitor your bank statements and credit reports for unusual activity.
If the package was delivered by USPS and is unopened, you can mark it as “Return to Sender” and return it via USPS free of charge. You are also allowed to keep the item and consider it a “gift” under U.S. law.

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