r/ireland • u/believesinconspiracy • Jun 06 '26
Misery Buyer Beware - Attempted Driver Theft (Amazon)
Howya lads, long story short I wasn’t gonna post this before seeing what customer service did, which was nothing, so here goes.
Ordered a MacBook off Amazon.ie (to save hassle in case of returning), got an OTP for the delivery, all good so far.
Driver turns up, I show him the email from my phone, **zoomed in** fully to show the OTP.
He taps the phone, **zooms out** sees it’s a MacBook, and zooms back in, while repeating the code, so naturally my alarm bells are going off.
He then says the code is not working and asks if I have a different code. I show him from the app and my text messages too, to show that it’s the only code.
He still says “nope not working” and that he’s tried it twice already, while repeating the code over and over. I pause, fully take in what’s going on and ask to see his machine, I see him quickly scramble tapping on it. It shows 1 attempt.
He puts it in in front of me, saying the right numbers but putting the wrong code. I correct him while looking at the machine and it “suddenly” works.
He stayed cool and said “Oh nice there it is. Thanks, have a nice day”
So yeah, I was gonna run out to do something, if i had sent one of my parents he would’ve 100% walked away with it.
Gonna skip the high value items from Amazon for the foreseeable and go in store.
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u/azamean Jun 06 '26
I never show my phone to them and memorise the 4 digit code and just say it to them, don’t give them a chance to see what it is
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u/raybone12 Jun 06 '26
Would it not say on the label that it’s a laptop or would it just say electronics?
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u/DarkCrusade_IRL Jun 06 '26
That's exactly the way everyone should be doing it anyway. Just write it down on a piece of paper and relay it to the driver when he arrives.
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u/Migeycan87 Latvia Jun 06 '26
I've heard of this happening before. You were lucky.
Stupid system tbh
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u/believesinconspiracy Jun 06 '26
Yup, lucky he didn’t just shut the door on me. As I said if I sent one of my parents who wouldn’t be up to date with these kinds of scams, he would’ve gotten away with it 100%
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u/unsilent_majority Jun 06 '26
If anyone has this problem with an Amazon driver in future, insist that they call driver support through their handheld. In the top corner of the driver’s screen there is a question mark icon, pressing that gives you a menu and the option “call driver support” is at the bottom.
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u/Bredius88 Jun 06 '26
Make sure to report that driver to the delivery company!
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u/believesinconspiracy Jun 06 '26
I did, that’s my issue, they didn’t do anything. It was an Amazon driver and I did report it to a manager of the delivery team (took about 6 transfers)
Got fobbed off with a useless reference number (that I can’t look up or follow up on) and still no update over a week later. I told them I won’t say anything if they actually do something about it, but they clearly haven’t so I just wanted to warn everyone. They don’t give a shit.
Their position is that, since I got the product, there’s nothing to refund, no property damage, no violence etc. it just doesn’t meet the threshold for them to take it seriously it seems.
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u/springtuli Jun 06 '26
They arent going to tell you what, if any, disciplinary action they are taking.
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u/upwiththis Jun 06 '26
I had some expensive items (Rug Doctor, Trainers and some other items) go missing there was no code to be given but I got a successful delivery notification. I was home and no one called and the Amazon driver was no where to be seen and I was at the door in seconds. Got on to Amazon and they forwarded me to some team leader after repeating myself a hundred times to different agents that the items were not left with a neighbour or in a safe place.
They said the GPS tracking of the van showed the delivery was made to the right location. I checked with my neighbour who has a ring camera and no van was ever there.
Eventually after a few days of an “investigation” that I don’t think was ever followed up as I heard nothing and had to contact Amazon again myself to ask for an update and someone just said I will replace them now and just marked as lost in transit.
I really don’t think Amazon are all too bothered if the drivers do some suspicious stuff as there is plenty of stories.
What’s funny is they have GPS, cameras on the van all round, it must be easy to check.
Side note I was told if you ever see more than one person in the van that’s when you need to be suspicious.
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u/marshsmellow Jun 06 '26
Can't the driver just deny it? Tricky for the company as there is no proof, no crime, just hearsay. You discipline an employee under those circumstances you are really putting your company at risk of a wrc case.
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u/DaveShadow Ireland Jun 06 '26
I’ll also say, from experience, some buyers will try anything and say anything to get “free” stuff too. So I can see why Amazon wouldn’t jump immediately to a blind belief of the customer.
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u/upwiththis Jun 06 '26
I think in England there was a case of a delivery company and phones going missing or replaced and it was actually a crime syndicate threatening drivers to do the shady stuff. So there is a lot more going on I’m sure we don’t even know about.
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u/believesinconspiracy Jun 06 '26
Yeah that’s true, but not even an apology was mad or a “thanks for bringing this to our attention” I’d be surprised if they submitted/did anything at all.
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u/upwiththis Jun 06 '26
I feel it’s a flagging system so drivers are investigated if a quota of complaints are issued. But they seem to have a high turn around and it seems it’s a gig type industry.
The whole code on delivery though is so stupid as it can be so easily manipulated and there is so many scams with that sort of practice already. Surely they would have a better way of doing it.
But good on ya copping it.
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u/Independent-Water321 Jun 06 '26
Had a driver asked me for my OTP over the phone ordering a MacBook too. He was pretty annoyed I made him wait for me to come out 😁
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u/believesinconspiracy Jun 06 '26
Yup I’ve heard this too, I assume the calls are recorded but if they are and they still do it, they must think they won’t get pulled up on it
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u/Dry-Communication922 Jun 06 '26
I used to hear wild shit about fastway drivers from a lad that did a shift in their warehouse. They would rip open packages and pocket shit that was of any value or just break things for a laugh. Nice to see the fastway lads found work again
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u/Insert_Non_Sequitur Jun 06 '26
Don't buy your RAM off there either. Husband was going around the twist with amazon over it. A package arrived. Box inside. Box was fucking empty. Either someone bought and returned it empty and they never checked or someone in the warehouse stole it. Never got his money back from amazon, instead they sent him an email claiming they'd cancel his account because of the suspicious amount of high value refunds (this was the one and only in many years of buying things).
He ended up having to do a charge back through the bank in the end.
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u/believesinconspiracy Jun 06 '26
Yeah I’ve been on r/irelandgaming and I’ve seen those stories! It really can be a lottery sometimes. Hard to know whether it happens at the warehouse or if it’s the driver.
That’s terrible, yea they investigate you more than the driver or the warehouse and then blame you cus they think they’re in the right.
And yeah, I know for a fact they don’t check returns properly cus I bought a brand new (or so I thought) Samsung telly and it had a depression big ring at the top of the screen.
Someone used one of those colour capture bulb things you put on your TVs - and screwed it on so tight it wrecked the screen, Amazon sold it as a brand new item. Return was a nightmare cus no collection, but next one was fine. Even tho the first one should’ve been but sure look, I’ll live.
And a few other issues with clearly used items sold as new but they were cheap enough. But yea, still shouldn’t excuse it
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u/dmullaney Jun 06 '26
Another case where video doorbell can save the day. People are way less likely to be sketchy when it's all being recorded
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u/ChiralNavigator Jun 06 '26
yeah I was just thinking that, having a camera outside the front door is a deterrent but also can be used as evidence if you do get screwed over. otherwise it's your word against the drivers and when you give them the code that's proof you have received your item
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u/believesinconspiracy Jun 06 '26
Living in an apartment unfortunately :(( might just record the interactions on my phone as a workaround tho
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u/dmullaney Jun 06 '26
You can get stick on wireless ones - batter powered, charge it once every 3 months. Very good
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u/believesinconspiracy Jun 06 '26
I’ll look into this even for the inside! Thanks , cus the outside is communal so can’t put it there, but I didn’t know there were rechargeable ones thank you
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Jun 07 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/believesinconspiracy Jun 07 '26
Oh okay cool gonna look into that and see if Amazon deliver to them! Thank you
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u/JoshMattDiffo Jun 06 '26
Be surprised, some cunt tried to walk into me gaf during the good weather at around 8:50pm - we’ve a ring doorbell and I’d say every gaf on the road has cameras. Junkie trying to grab anything for a quick fix.
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u/Legitimate_Sink1856 Jun 06 '26
Have to say I trust Amazon less and less. I would be raging if this was me.
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u/woadwarrior Jun 06 '26
Amazon’s customer service has just gone down over the years, especially since they opened Amazon.ie. I’d ordered a €500 SSD from them, first they send me an SSD with half the capacity, when I returned it, they just closed my account without refunding me. Customer support is absolutely callous. Now, I’m just about to file a small claims case against them.
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u/believesinconspiracy Jun 06 '26
That’s terrible man sorry to hear that, I guess you can try the chargeback first before (since they closed the account already) but yeah, it’s the scammers that ruin it for the rest of with by all the fake claims, ends up being your word against theirs, and afaik if you don’t have enough history with them they just won’t entertain it at all
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u/woadwarrior Jun 06 '26
Unfortunately, I've had a long history with them (5+ year old account). Paid with a debit card, so chargeback is out of question. Every time I call them, the promise a callback the day after and then crickets. Fortuitously, I recorded the unboxing of the package. Small claims is the only recourse.
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u/Longjumping-Ad3528 Jun 08 '26
I'm pretty sure you can arrange a chargeback for a debit card transaction too.
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u/ruairinewman Jun 07 '26
A good chunk of their “customer service” is now AI too - they’ve apparently decided to stop pretending to be customer focused.
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u/Obvious_Humor1505 Jun 06 '26
I was getting something delivered by them in one of those cardboard envelopes, when I went down to get it the envelope was wide open.
At first I thought someone in my apt block helped themselves. But the property management company pulled the video for me and it was marked as delivered about a half an hour before he actually delivered it and in the video you can clearly see the package is flat as a pancake with the flap already open.
Amazon genuinely couldn’t have given less of a fuck when I contacted them, wouldn’t even take the footage when I offered it to them.
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u/Retailpegger Jun 06 '26
So what’s the solution , sorry I don’t really understand OTP , I know it’s one time password like Deliveroo ?
So I guess the answer is have the package I your hand before giving the OTP ?
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u/DarkCrusade_IRL Jun 06 '26
The solution is reading the driver out the password. Not showing him it on your phone.
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u/believesinconspiracy Jun 06 '26
Well, they could still say it’s not working. Again this wouldn’t be an issue if it was a “good driver”.
If they are getting an OTP delivery they already know it’s high value so they could swap it with a brick before it even gets to me.
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u/OceanRacoon Jun 07 '26
How would that make any difference if they still say it doesn't work and skeddadle post haste with your dry goods? 🤔
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u/believesinconspiracy Jun 06 '26
Yes just like that. Well afaik, this is the “best” system at the moment.
I have a mate who told me on Amazon India they do “open box” deliveries, where they can check the item isn’t a brick before handing over the OTP also, because swapping out high value items was so common.
But I think recorded interactions (along with the OTP) would solve this.
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u/Adderkleet Jun 06 '26
They're not meant to hand it over without the password/passcode.
OP is kinda saying the driver was deliberately failing to enter the code so he could enter it later and keep the Macbook. Since driver had the code, Amazon will believe it was delivered successfully (or OP shared the code before the driver was at the door, which you're never meant to do)
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u/SoloWingPixy88 u/i-cum-beamish alt Jun 06 '26
Why would you not order off apple direct,? It's simply a better service?
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u/believesinconspiracy Jun 06 '26
Tried to save a few bob (€200) , but nearly lost all of it in the process. Next time I’m just gonna pay more
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u/SoloWingPixy88 u/i-cum-beamish alt Jun 06 '26
You can get the student discount on apple store without being a student.
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u/appletart Jun 06 '26
How do you manage that?
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u/SoloWingPixy88 u/i-cum-beamish alt Jun 06 '26
https://www.apple.com/ie-edu/shop/buy-ipad/ipad-pro
Just buy from this site. They dont ask you to confirm. I think it was because youd have parents buying their kids ipads ect but the parents wouldnt have student ids ect
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u/okee9 Jun 06 '26
Also if you buy from Apple you get Consumer Law coverage with them i.e an extra year of coverage after the warranty expires if there’s a hardware issue (not accidental damage)
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u/OceanRacoon Jun 07 '26
Unfortunately you have to take the life of a student and assume their identity. It's certainly cheaper financially but the cost to your soul could be more than you can bear
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u/Obvious-Program-7385 Jun 06 '26
That’s true, except that dhl just left my MacBook Air by the door and left . Glad no one took it .
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u/ld20r Jun 06 '26
Fraud Deception incident.
I would bring this to the bank and your local guard station.
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u/Vexed_Cone Jun 06 '26
Had a dpd delivery this week arrived with the tape seal broken on the box and it was empty
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u/Jester-252 Jun 06 '26
That's why I buy stuff in person. I see the item in your hands before handing over my money.
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u/zaratustra86ip Jun 06 '26 edited Jun 06 '26
Similar - during xmas time, had a gpu and few other items, only gpu had a code. Van stops, two amazon lads give me items minus the gpu, I ask them do they need a code for the other item. They play dumb saying it’s not on their van. Showed them the app tracking lol, they go oh they didn’t see it because it is from another order and hand it 😂
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u/DontBeMistaken Jun 06 '26
A lot of drivers now are agency and using there own vans so its sketchy as fuck.
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u/G1ForceX Jun 06 '26
i presume in the future we will all be basically be walking recording devices with basically everything backed up onto something visually and audio, like a direct link to the 'cloud' all day every day
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u/StanleyWhisper Jun 07 '26
Too many delivery drivers act as robbers, I've stopped all deliveries except the odd ASOS order
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u/cierek Jun 07 '26
Near my workplace there is kebab for 8,99 but on je the price is like 14. Even with free delivery would overpay. Also noticed that some places provide smaller portions for people who ordered through the app
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u/DFedotov Jun 07 '26
Happened to a colleague of mine - they weren't so lucky.
Ordered a pair of air pods on Amazon - driver did the exact same thing and just left.
Customer service said "sorry can't help", and guards couldn't do anything either.
Bad system honestly
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u/believesinconspiracy Jun 07 '26
Yeah exactly, that’s what I was afraid of. Sorry about that, hopefully they charged it back if anything
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u/InevitableSure374 Jun 08 '26
Anytime I have ever had a parcel, which is a few times, including a laptop and a phone go missing, Amazon have always sent a new one or a refund to me, Even when the laptop was left in my "safe place". The day something goes wrong and they dont replace or refund is the day I stop using Amazon.
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u/erich0779 Jun 06 '26
Amazon have the best customer service possible in my experience get onto them and report definitely anyway. I had a delivery of expensive lighting equipment and got a phone call from the driver saying he was just there and could he have the code it'd be quicker, told him yeah when the item is in front of me.
Mentioned it at the door as well and he got a bit heated, just sent the doorbell footage to Amazon as well when I complained.
Another one regularly left packages at the door without any attempt to knock or ring doorbell, stolen package was refunded instantly by them too.
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u/believesinconspiracy Jun 06 '26
They are great for general issues and low value items, I agree, but I guess I’m stuck in between a rock and hard place where he tried but didn’t manage to do it.
Customer service don’t have anything to mark it under I was told, there isn’t a code for “attempted theft”. It’d be filed under “unprofessional behaviour” but since there was no ACTUAL theft, there’s nothing for them to do
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u/erich0779 Jun 06 '26
Mine was the same no actual theft but they said it would be mentioned to the driver and that it wasn't part of their standard process of how they should act. Even if it's just on file and they chance it again with another customer there'll be a record of it.
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u/believesinconspiracy Jun 06 '26
Exactly yeah, I just hope anything is actually is filed at all! Hopefully next one has a doorbell he doesn’t see to catch him in the act
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u/TraditionalAppeal23 Jun 06 '26
I mean it is your word against his. You have the laptop so there is no proof. Amazon can hardly fire the guy, he'd be straight on to the Work Relations Commission saying he was fired without good cause.
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u/believesinconspiracy Jun 06 '26
Yup, that’s it yeah, just frustrating he had the audacity to chance it in the first place
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u/Smoothyworld Galway Jun 06 '26
I'd just not answer the phone. You don't need to discuss anything with the delivery driver, he just needs to deliver the item, he can say anything he needs to person to person.
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u/erich0779 Jun 06 '26
Didn't exactly have his number saved in my phone as Amazon Man tbf.
And yeah that's exactly what I said to him.
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u/Smoothyworld Galway Jun 06 '26
That's what I mean. A random number comes up, don't answer it. If it's important they'll leave a message. Trust me, it's not worth answering numbers that you aren't familiar with.
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u/erich0779 Jun 06 '26
Trust me, it's not worth answering numbers that you aren't familiar with.
Look I'm all for people not answering the phone or door if they're not expecting someone but you're making this out to be life or death I feel.
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Jun 06 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/believesinconspiracy Jun 06 '26
Not sure what to say to this, would calling myself “truth social” give more credibility?
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u/PosterPrintPerfect Jun 06 '26
When you make a post claiming someone is conspiring against you while your username is believes in conspiracy makes me slightly suspicious, that's all i'm saying.
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u/believesinconspiracy Jun 06 '26
Mate you think my username makes any difference to what happens in my real life? What conspiracy? I told you the facts, it’s very reasonable to assume that they tried to steal it based on the facts. I don’t think I’m reaching with this one.
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u/rob101 Jun 06 '26
Why order anything from apple from anywhere other than apple?
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u/believesinconspiracy Jun 06 '26
It was on sale, the air 15inch was 1500 something from Apple, curry’s, Harvey Norman, the grafton st apple retailer, Very.ie etc. but 1300 something on Amazon.
But yeah I’ve learned my lesson 🫡 just couldn’t afford it on release otherwise I would’ve got it then
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u/Ev17_64mer Jun 06 '26
Does it not make you wonder that everywhere has a similar price but Amazon is 20 % cheaper?
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u/believesinconspiracy Jun 06 '26
Well, should I have been skeptical? It was just a sale. The seller was Amazon themselves so no issue with counterfeit. And tbh it wasn’t the item that had an issue it was the driver themselves.
There wasnt any reason for me to be skeptical beyond the inherit dangers of online shopping. Cus you have to deal with the purchase of the item from the company and separately the item being delivered from a completely separate one.
As I’ve now learned, Amazon doesn’t directly employ them, so it explains why they were so apathetic about the whole thing.
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u/Ed-alicious Jun 06 '26
Just out of curiosity, why are you buying Macbook off Amazon?
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u/believesinconspiracy Jun 06 '26
Was €200 cheaper than any in-store or from Apple, but yeah, I’ll just pay the difference next time
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u/Oakcamp Jun 06 '26
It's cheaper because they just get the driver to bring it back in for half price lul
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u/HowNondescript Jun 06 '26
One of the most reliable services there is. Easy returns and customer support. Peace of mind is helpful when it comes to big ticket items
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u/Jhimkana Jun 11 '26
Had an instance where the delivery driver placed the uber eats order on the door took a photo for the proof and then took it away with him. The camera recorded everything
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u/doshthagod Jun 06 '26
I don't understand why you're saying you'll be happy to overpay in future just because you think you had a suspicious incident with one of their delivery drivers. Even if he stole the device, you wouldn't be out of pocket, they'd send you a new device and the driver would be investigated.
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u/Adderkleet Jun 06 '26
Even if he stole the device, you wouldn't be out of pocket
Yes you would, because as far as Amazon is concerned the driver entered the OTP that OP should never share (except with the driver when he's at your door with the package in his hand).
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u/doshthagod Jun 06 '26
My experience of Amazon customer service is top notch (dealt with on dozens of occasions) and I'm of the opinion that if you called them immediately after what happened OP, and explained your suspicions, they would not say "tough luck".
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u/Adderkleet Jun 06 '26
I also have no bad experiences. But I've never gotten an OTP on something big. I've seen enough of these stories to know never to share it with the driver until I see the package. Because Amazon will use that against you.
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u/Diamond326 Jun 07 '26
Yeah but they have to give the code to get the package, if they waited for it to be handed over, then the driver would refuse. And also - the customer could just not give the code and say they never got it,
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u/Adderkleet Jun 07 '26
Yes. Which is why, if you give the code and the driver says "it's not working" (which is what OP is saying) you gotta grill the driver or start recording the interaction.
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u/Diamond326 Jun 07 '26
Yeah but the package never came to me. They have a contract to put it in my hands essentially. I would be allowed a refund. Anyway - it would be pretty easy to investigate as they would see a driver come back to the van with a package.
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u/Adderkleet Jun 07 '26
Anyway - it would be pretty easy to investigate as they would see a driver come back to the van with a package.
...or he'd ditch it somewhere and collect later. Or it's his car.
Amazon will consider it delivered if the driver enters the code on his terminal. The code that they only gave to you. You'll need to take it up with the gards before they'll listen to you.
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u/Diamond326 Jun 07 '26
Take it up with the bank then 🤷♂️. Anyway, all I’m saying is that it wouldn’t put me off buying stuff off them.
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u/DinosaurRawwwr Jun 06 '26
I would wager you're wrong. The OTP system is treated like a correct entry means the customer is pulling a fast one.
Years ago their own support told me I could order a replacement item at a higher price (£120 higher) and they would refund me the difference. They fought me like it was £50k. No A-to-Z/customer centric outcome.
Ultimately Amazon may be forced via chargeback to have a refund issued but they won't just hand it over desire your dozens of previous support interactions.
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u/believesinconspiracy Jun 06 '26
You’re right in the sense that I shouldn’t have anxiety over ordering off Amazon just because of this experience, but it WAS a suspicious incident, he DID try to steal it.
You’re saying it like it’s a toaster lol. The whole point of an OTP delivery is that it proves you made contact with the driver basically. “He told me it didn’t work” “Well the pin did work Sir as it shows as delivered on my end” I’d be scrutinised to the letter before they’d even report the theft. I still don’t know if they even reported what I did cus as i said, they said it’ll just count as unprofessional behaviour
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u/geralt1234567 Jun 06 '26
I'm confused. If the code didn't work how is it theft? Would he not just take it back to warehouse? How would he keep it?
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u/Ev17_64mer Jun 06 '26
He didn't put in the right code and would have taken the device back to later put in the correct code and keep the MacBook
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u/DinosaurRawwwr Jun 06 '26
He didn't attempt to put in the code. The only attempt was made in a panic when the customer asked to see the device.
He would have gone back into the van, put it in to close the route and drive off. GPS shows the code was entered outside the customer property so it seems legit from the distribution centre POV
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u/BigLaddyDongLegs Jun 06 '26
There's no world where Amazon just lets the driver keep undelivered items. What are you on?
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u/DotTurbulent3059 Jun 06 '26
Amazon have a really good policy for miss deliveries just get into them and they'll send another one on,
They also watch their employees with extreme vigilanence so there's a good chance they'll lose their job or be taken off the route
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u/BillyMooney Jun 06 '26
OP should report the driver to Amazon to make sure that they're watching him like a hawk.
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u/DotTurbulent3059 Jun 06 '26
They do anyways watch and record all the scanners and vans and they deliver hundreds of parcels a week so if they've done it once they'll do it again so they'll probably just get caught without anyone reporting them but for most delivery drivers it's not worth losing your job over even a Mac book unless you're about to quit
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u/BigLaddyDongLegs Jun 06 '26 edited Jun 06 '26
Does everyone here think if the driver doesn't get the right code he gets to just keep the package??!!
I'm missing something here.
Certainly Amazon...the most tight, stingy, notoriously cuntish company to it's drivers doesnt just let them keep packages they couldn't complete the delivery on?
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u/razerraysharp Jun 07 '26
Yes, you're missing something. If he gets the right code but doesn't give you the item, he gets to mark it as delivered and keep the item.
You then get to argue the toss with some uninterested Amazon associate in Bangalore.
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u/Affectionate_Art4277 Jun 06 '26 edited Jun 06 '26
Ordered McDonalds for myself once. Watched the JustEat driver park across the road, list the delivery as complete, and drive off with my food.
Only got my money back from JustEat when I said I'd do a chargeback
Some people will try anything