Anyone know what the scam is here?

stepneg

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Hi All,

My wife has had a couple of deliveries turn up the last few days for subscriptions she didn't order, first was a box of beers and yesterday ground coffee. The companies cannot tell us who ordered them or the payment method used and I am struggling to see what the scam is. The address and email given were both slightly wrong but close enough to my wife's but she has had no payments taken for them.

Anyone else come across this sort of thing or any idea what the actual scam is as I can't believe it's a genuine mistake?

Thanks
 
Why not just refuse the delivery? That way they cannot say you accepted the goods
 
Well the first one I took in, didn't realise it wasn't something she hadn't actually ordered at the time and the coffee was posted through the letterbox.
 
That's what I initially thought but someone would have had to pay for them which is a strange way of trying to get at someone.
Unless it’s free trials or fraudulent payments so the companies come knocking to you for payment when the original bounces or the trial isn’t cancelled.

Are you sure there isn’t another address as per the parcel address? I know when we moved in our last place, a new build, another address that had a very similar address got half our mail and deliveries
 
Unless it’s free trials or fraudulent payments so the companies come knocking to you for payment when the original bounces or the trial isn’t cancelled.

Are you sure there isn’t another address as per the parcel address? I know when we moved in our last place, a new build, another address that had a very similar address got half our mail and deliveries

My wife phoned up and explained we didn't order and they put a hold on the accounts straight away.

We have been here over three years and pretty sure this is the first time we have had stuff turn up we had not ordered.
 
We have been here over three years and pretty sure this is the first time we have had stuff turn up we had not ordered.
As you are the ones receiving them then it’s the other address I’d expect to be new (if that’s what’s happening)
 
Just keep them enjoy them and don't worry about it. If you have not signed for anything there is no proof you ever received anything.
 
The thing is they can't tell us what we already don't know, they don't have access to the payment information. All I can think is that we might receive a Laptop or similar next and then the scammer will attempt to collect it somehow, but then why bother with the subscriptions first as we are just aware of it now?
 
There are scam companies that send you products you didn't order and bill you for them.

That could potentially be what's happening here if the scam company is clever enough to act confused if confronted about it. Are the companies the stuff comes from ones you've heard of before?
 
There are scam companies that send you products you didn't order and bill you for them.

That could potentially be what's happening here if the scam company is clever enough to act confused if confronted about it. Are the companies the stuff comes from ones you've heard of before?

I've never heard of them but them seem legit, Beer 52 and Perky Blenders.
 
Personally would play it with a slightly straighter bat and tell the companies. If they want to collect it then they can do so at your convenience and if they don't want to then enjoy its content.

On the basis it appears to be multiple companies that are sending these things it looks more like the activity of a third party than a dodgy company.
 
Could it be a case of someone is using a stolen card to test that it's working?

Fraudsters would often do a tiny transaction of a few pence or pounds, then a high value purchase. Often this would get flagged by the banks.

By doing a normal price purchase, having it delivered to another address (again might be too risky/raise suspicious to the card holder to use their real address - if they know it), then making another purchase elsewhere for the goods they are trying to steal themselves.

Just a thought.
 
By doing a normal price purchase, having it delivered to another address (again might be too risky/raise suspicious to the card holder to use their real address - if they know it), then making another purchase elsewhere for the goods they are trying to steal themselves.
Guess it depends if the merchants are using address verification system or not for card transactions?

I've not dealt with AVS for a few years now but back then it only worked on the numerical part of the address (ie house number and the numbers in the postcode) so it was possible to pass AVS using a different address - particularly if the website allows free entry of the address rather than forcing use of the Royal Mail PAC files.

I guess one point of interest was the OP says the email address is also "almost the same" as theirs
 
These would be great his and her Christmas presents. Could it be that someone has gifted you these subscriptions? We received a couple of amazon items last week that we didn't order. Turned out my brother in NZ had ordered them for us.
 
It's a strange one. It's possible to have a similar home address or e-mail but to have both would be highly unlikely so I'd check your card and bank statements for any irregularities. Like others have said I would ask them to arrange collection.
 
Good shout from @Sandman above. I never thought of that.
 
I'd be tempted to keep them given that you've opened them and contacted the seller (and as mentioned above - they could be xmas presents given what they are) - but any future ones then I'd say don't open them (especially if you're not expecting anything) and either reject the parcel or post them back..
 

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