How to recoup money from lost FedEx package containing debit card?
July 14, 2010 6:54 PM   Subscribe

What can I do as a customer if FedEx lost my package, which contained a prepaid debit card?

(Asking on behalf of a roommate - we live in Brooklyn)
My roommate's sister is visiting from Jordan, but forgot to bring her credit card. A family friend sent her a prepaid debit card using FedEx. The sister was given a tracking number and saw that the package made it to New Jersey. But it was never delivered and now FedEx is saying they lost it.

My google-fu has revealed many instances involving FedEx and misplaced parcels. However my query is specific to deliveries involving items of fiscal value. She had about $5000 on the debit card, and we suspect it was stolen.

She is going to call the bank in Jordan to cancel the card, but in case the card was indeed stolen and used, she obviously can't get the money back.

tl;dr
A FedEx package containing a $5000 prepaid debit card was lost by FedEx. We are going to call the bank in Jordan to cancel it ASAP. In the meantime, if it was stolen and used, what course of action can we take against FedEx?
posted by hellomina to Travel & Transportation (5 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
Best answer: Did you notify them that you were shipping a prepaid debit card, and\or purchase insurance? Without that, you're probably out of luck. Even if you did, you're imited to $1,000 according to item 10 F on page 112 of this document.
posted by sanko at 7:04 PM on July 14, 2010


Is it possible that the card was confiscated somewhere in the customs process?

Large sum of essentially cash + Middle Eastern origin ?= ohnoes, terrorism!
posted by charmcityblues at 7:06 PM on July 14, 2010


There's a whole separate category of fuck up for customs issues, so if it's not red-flagged for that, that probably isn't the problem. The FedEx folks told her it was lost?

(BTW, I think Jordan is our friend, so less likely to be "ohnoes, terrorism!". But anything can get stuck in customs, from anywhere, for a number of dumb reasons.)
posted by Sara C. at 7:14 PM on July 14, 2010


Your best bet is to get the bank to replace it. Not sure of the rules on banking in Jordan and pre-paid cards, but with an ordinary debit or credit card drawn on a US bank they would replace it and then send your friend affidavits to sign on any purchases that were made, whereupon they would chargeback on the merchants who accepted the card without proper ID.

This would still involve some delays, but the claims process with Fedex is going to be far more difficult, and it is highly unlikely they will pay you $5,000 for a credit card unless whoever shipped it was very careful with the insurance.
posted by randomkeystrike at 7:21 PM on July 14, 2010


Response by poster: Thank you all for your responses! From what I know:
- No insurance was purchased.
- I don't think FedEx knew the package contained a debit card. The friend used a Jordanian delivery service called Amarex, which then used FedEx to deliver to the US, so detailed communication between the two entities was unlikely.
- FedEx did tell her it was lost, and that they were looking into it.

I agree that the claims process will probably be a major hassle (snaps for sanko for ferreting out that document). I'm going to cross my fingers and hope the bank will be cooperative.
posted by hellomina at 8:44 PM on July 14, 2010


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