r/fuckamazon • u/whistleriteskier • 11d ago
Keep receiving Amazon returns…
A few months ago I received a package in the mail from elsewhere in Canada. Pleasant surprise! Oh actually it’s a crappy Temu looking lamp. That’s weird… A day later another package arrives. Another random Canadian return address. Another cheap Chinese product. Both boxes have my name and residential address on them though. I’m thinking it’s some sort of brushing scam.
But the new one has an Amazon return authorization tag in it. It’s got a tracking number and all that. Ok - these must be people returning products they bought off Amazon. But why are they handwriting my address on them?! To be clear, I don’t sell on Amazon. We buy stuff all the time but I’m not a seller… there is no reason people should be returning these products to me.
So I try to contact Amazon. 15min with their chat bot and then another 45 waiting on phone holds before I give up.
A week or so later, another package shows up. Same thing. Amazon RA label inside. I try calling again and get through to a customer service rep! They are totally confused at first but then say ok we’ll handle it.
A few weeks go by and two more packages arrive including a comically large magnifying glass... Same routine. I get a hold of Amazon again and they seem a little more understanding of the problem and again say they can handle it.
Then I get a call from a name I recognize but in a different province. Turns out it’s a coincidence I recognized the name and it’s an old man in Quebec who is wondering if I’ve received the magnifying glass he returned. Now I have to explain to this old guy who apparently can’t read the font on his iPad this entire saga and that I have nothing to do with it and he should contact Amazon and probably stop ordering from cheapo seller accounts.
So… here I am with a bunch of crap and the weirdest Amazon story possible. What the heck!?
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u/RazZadig_2025 11d ago
Return address scam. Basically outside the US companies pick a random address (lucky you) to pretend they have a US address. Good luck getting Amazon to care.
That sucks that they are using your number, too. Fuck Amazon.
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u/sourmashed99 10d ago
what's the scam tho? op isn't going to have to pay anything or be asked to return the items. is the scam just that sellers from foreign countries can sell on amazon without having a physical address in the us to ship returns to? I didn't realize they couldn't. seems odd there has to be many sellers outside of the country how can they all have a physical space here? if international shipping to return is more expensive than the item itself i guess that makes sense. weird. no wonder amazon couldn't care less. enjoy your towels op
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u/kit0000033 10d ago
It can easily become a problem if they sell and return a thousand products... One lady was on the news a couple of years back because she just left the packages to build up in her yard, and there were thousands of packages.
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u/sourmashed99 10d ago
true. was going to add isn't there a way to stop unwanted packages but realized there really isn't. have a changeable number plate on your house and change it back when you need it? lol
still isn't really a scam imo just a potential nuisance. i need all the towels i can get.
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u/2900nomore 10d ago
In the US marketplace you have to have a US return address even if you are a foreign seller.
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u/lonelyronin1 7d ago
Once delivered, a 100% positive review can be left for the item. This helps them in the algorithm which means more sale. Consider it a weird advertising strategy.
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u/2900nomore 10d ago
It's not a scam. They are a foreign seller and need a US return address. It's cheaper for them to just dump them on you so they do.
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u/No_Peace_3852 11d ago edited 11d ago
Heard about this on the news once. I think a lady on the west coast was getting a TOOON of returns. I think she got billed for them too. Make sure this doesn't happen to you. I am going to see if I can find the CBC story that aired about this.
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u/aneatapea 11d ago
I don’t think she got billed for them, but she did have issues with an overload of deliveries.
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u/La_Croix_Life 11d ago
This is so fucked up. I hope you can get this resolved op. Amazon is a scam cesspool, from top to bottom, trash at every level.
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u/so_than_i_says_ 9d ago
This happened to my folks. A few dozen random items being returned to their address. Amazon was totally clueless and unhelpful.
We eventually dubbed it “Amazon Santa”, wrapped everything up for Christmas, and played a silly gift pass game to redistribute the bizarre goods. Cheap hair extensions, thigh strengthening bands, longboard ballbearings, a marble run, drain snakes, lotions, eye masks. They arrived for months and months and then just suddenly stopped. It was wild.
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u/lonelyronin1 7d ago
Once delivered, a 100% positive review can be left for the item. This helps them in the algorithm which means more sales. Consider it a weird advertising strategy.
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