Dell delivery scam

[snopes]

Comment: Please let fellow readers be aware of this scam. I
am enclosing the post I sent to several of my Yahoo groups informing
people of this scam:

know this is true, because it happened to my neighbor 2 weeks ago.....

When Rodney came home from work, there was a large sticker on his door
from DHL saying they had packages to deliver to him. All he had to do was
sign on the sticker and the following day the driver would leave the
packages. Thinking one of his kids were surprising him, (they are always
sending something to him), he went ahead and signed for the packages.

When he got home from work the next day, there were 3 packages at his
door. All marked DELL. Before he touched them, he called each of his 3
children and asked if any of them had bought him a computer, they all said
no. So he opened the invoice that was attached to the box. OH BOY. It
had his correct mailing address. It also said he was being billed for it.
He wrote a rather nasty note to Dell informing them he did not order this
computer and put everything back into the packing list envelope.

He took the packages to FedX to send them back to Dell. (They are cheaper
then DHL, USPS, etc). As soon as he carried them in, the clerk said, "OH
NO, NOT ANOTHER ONE." Clerk got on the phone immediately to Dell and Dell
said they would be pay for the return postage. The Clerk told Rodney they
are getting at least one of these each week.

Here is the scam: People that are living alone, working during the day,
are being targeted to receive these computers. Someone places the order
using the victims SOCIAL SECURITY number (since these computers are on a
pay as you use monthly program, no CC is required). After the DHL driver
drops off the boxes someone is watching nearby and picks them up off your
property. Anymore, it is pretty easy to get someone's SS number,
especially here in Michigan. Since everyone is unemployed and signed up
at the various agencies, their SS number is on just about every computer
in the State.

So beware.

[Kev]

I'm not aware of any "pay as you use monthly program" through Dell. Dell does have financing options which offer monthly payments. The application requires both a driver's license number and a social security number.

Also, if you were stealing someone's identity to buy something, why would you have to ship it to that person's house? Even if you had to provide a correct address for billing because it was being verified, such as with a credit card, you can still ship to a different address.

[Singing in the Drizzle]

Originally Posted by Kev

Also, if you were stealing someone's identity to buy something, why would you have to ship it to that person's house? Even if you had to provide a correct address for billing because it was being verified, such as with a credit card, you can still ship to a different address.

I had a couple of credit card number stolen from the credit card companies. The person that used them sent everything to my house. I do not know why they would sent the stuff to me if they are the one buying it, but they did.

[snopes]

Originally Posted by Singing in the Drizzle

I had a couple of credit card number stolen from the credit card companies. The person that used them sent everything to my house. I do not know why they would sent the stuff to me if they are the one buying it, but they did.

Not every merchant will ship to an address that's different than the card's billing address. Plus, crooks don't exactly want stolen merchandise shipped to addresses that can be traced to them.

[me, no really]

Originally Posted by snopes

Plus, crooks don't exactly want stolen merchandise shipped to addresses that can be traced to them.

I suspect this is the major reason. I knew someone once who was caught because she ordered a whole bunch of things using stolen card numbers and got them delivered to her house. If you get them delivered to a different address you run the risk of not being there to claim the parcel, but you don't run as much risk of getting caught.

me

[Troberg]

Perhaps he got the same lying bastard salesmen I've talked to whenever I have had the displeasure of dealing with Dell. They are willing to tell any lie to get their commission.

[Jaime Vargas]

Originally Posted by snopes

Not every merchant will ship to an address that's different than the card's billing address. Plus, crooks don't exactly want stolen merchandise shipped to addresses that can be traced to them.

And how do they get the merchandise then, they break into your house? That's just being a bastard.

[snopes]

Originally Posted by Jaime Vargas

And how do they get the merchandise then, they break into your house?

No, the packages are left outside the house, and the crooks come and pick them up. You might be surprised at the variety of merchandise that vendors will ship without requiring a recipient signature.

[Jaime Vargas]

Originally Posted by snopes

No, the packages are left outside the house, and the crooks come and pick them up. You might be surprised at the variety of merchandise that vendors will ship without requiring a recipient signature.

Ah, thanks. That would never work here - around here, if you're not at home the package goes back to the post office (if by mail) or to the courier's warehouse and it's your responsibility to either go pick it up or call them to make an appointment.

Besides, I live in a flat, but even if I lived in a house, if somebody left a package outside, you can bet I'd be calling to the courier to complain and maybe even fill a formal complaint at the regional goverment's Consumer Support office. To me, the minor inconvenience of having to pick the package up surely beats the MAJOR risk of having my goods stolen.

Different cultures, as always!

[snopes]

Originally Posted by Jaime Vargas

That would never work here - around here, if you're not at home the package goes back to the post office (if by mail) or to the courier's warehouse and it's your responsibility to either go pick it up or call them to make an appointment.

As the OP says:

When Rodney came home from work, there was a large sticker on his door from DHL saying they had packages to deliver to him. All he had to do was sign on the sticker and the following day the driver would leave the packages.

Some couriers will leave packages outside the house when you're not at home if you've signed and left behind a slip authorizing them to do so.

[Jaime Vargas]

Originally Posted by snopes

As the OP says:



Some couriers will leave packages outside the house when you're not at home if you've signed and left behind a slip authorizing them to do so.

Thank you, I had inadvertently skipped that bit. As to why would anybody do such a thing with such a valuable item, I still have no idea. He must really trust his neighbours.

[snopes]

Originally Posted by Jaime Vargas

Thank you, I had inadvertently skipped that bit. As to why would anybody do such a thing with such a valuable item, I still have no idea. He must really trust his neighbours.

He (i.e., the homeowner) didn't do it. As the OP says, the crooks typically target people who live alone and are at work during the day. After the first delivery attempt (which no one is home to receive, because the homeowner is at work), the courier leaves behind a slip which the resident can sign to authorize delivery of the package(s) when no one is home. The crooks take the slip, forge a signature, and leave it outside the house the next day. The courier collects the slip and leaves the packages; the crooks then swoop in and take the packages out of the yard.

[chocolate kisses]

When Rodney came home from work, there was a large sticker on his door
from DHL saying they had packages to deliver to him.

He took the packages to FedX to send them back to Dell. (They are cheaper
then DHL, USPS, etc). As soon as he carried them in, the clerk said, "OH
NO, NOT ANOTHER ONE." Clerk got on the phone immediately to Dell and Dell
said they would be pay for the return postage. The Clerk told Rodney they
are getting at least one of these each week.

Just curious, but would Dell (or any company) readily pay for the return shipping charges, especially Fedex when they evidently have a contract with DHL? I would have called Dell to get a return authorized rather than just packing it up and shipping via Fedex at my own expense.

[James G]

Originally Posted by snopes

He (i.e., the homeowner) didn't do it. As the OP says, the crooks typically target people who live alone and are at work during the day. After the first delivery attempt (which no one is home to receive, because the homeowner is at work), the courier leaves behind a slip which the resident can sign to authorize delivery of the package(s) when no one is home. The crooks take the slip, forge a signature, and leave it outside the house the next day. The courier collects the slip and leaves the packages; the crooks then swoop in and take the packages out of the yard.

DHL leave the slip outside your door? That doesn't sound very secure to me.

Still, I think I universally distrust all delivery companies, it seems none of them have fully adapted themselves for a world where many households have no one who doesn't work full time. Royal Mail/Parcel Force at least allows you to pick up from a post-office, and also has fairly centrally located sorting-offices, but it looses points for leaving a few packages outside my door so that they may get stolen (Twice!). Citylink meanwhile has actually lost one of my packages and has a depot in the middle of nowhere (I had to borrow a friend who can drive). The worst I've ever dealt with is Amtrack, who have a depot miles out of the city, attempt delivery once, and will only hold the item for 24 hours. To top it off their offices are only open until 3pm.

[Kev]

Originally Posted by snopes

Plus, crooks don't exactly want stolen merchandise shipped to addresses that can be traced to them.

Makes sense. I didn't really think of that. I guess I wouldn't be a very good crook.

[lord_feldon]

Originally Posted by James G

DHL leave the slip outside your door? That doesn't sound very secure to me.

Where else would they leave it? They can't get in the door, and they can't put it in a mailbox.

[James G]

Originally Posted by lord_feldon

Where else would they leave it? They can't get in the door, and they can't put it in a mailbox.

Oh, sorry. Yes, I was forgetting that letter-boxes in doors aren't common in the US.

You said they can't slip it in the mail box. I'm assuming that this means mailboxes have some kind of locking system? I know it probably sounds a bit of a silly question, but I always wondered how your mail never got stolen.

[snopes]

Originally Posted by James G

You said they can't slip it in the mail box. I'm assuming that this means mailboxes have some kind of locking system?

No, it's because only the U.S. Postal Service is allowed to insert and remove mail from mailboxes.

[geminilee]

Originally Posted by James G

You said they can't slip it in the mail box. I'm assuming that this means mailboxes have some kind of locking system? I know it probably sounds a bit of a silly question, but I always wondered how your mail never got stolen.

Many (if not most) mailboxes in city areas have locks. A lot of folks in the country just have boxes out by the road, but as snopes said, the delivery guy wouldn't be allowed to put the slip in one.

[Jaime Vargas]

Originally Posted by snopes

No, it's because only the U.S. Postal Service is allowed to insert and remove mail from mailboxes.

Ah! So you don't get paper ads from the local furniture store? Don't these exist, or do they just throw them in your lawn?