How to figure out who sent me an Amazon package

November 29, 2021 5:19 PM

I received a package from a mystery sender via Amazon, and I can't say it's a welcome one. It doesn't resemble a holiday gift in any way—it's three brass whistles. Amazon insists it won't tell me the sender's name or location, claiming that to do so would violate some sort of "security policy." I'm concerned someone might be harassing me. Is there anything I can do to discover the sender?

All I have to go on is the tracking number, which unfortunately shows the package was carried by Amazon Logistics, so I can't try talking to, say, UPS. Amazon does seem willing to play a un-fun game of "20 Questions" over the phone and essentially encouraged me to guess the sender, indicating they'd confirm the name if I happened to get it right. They also told me the name seemed like it might be male, and that it didn't share my last name.

So, what can I try next? If you can think of any clever questions I might ask to get them to narrow it down further, I'm willing to try. (Obviously it could be someone totally random or a fake name, in which case, I'd be out of luck.) Also open to any other approaches. Thanks for your help.

posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell to Shopping (11 answers total)

Response by poster: * Or perhaps it's a brushing scam, given the low value of the items.
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 5:22 PM on November 29, 2021 [16 favorites]

I once received a single carpenter pencil from an anonymous source, and searching for hints led me to a bunch of stuff about people sending trial balloon shipments of random cheap things to see if they can successfully steal the package before you get it. I filed a police report through a web form on the off chance that it was part of a broader pattern, though these days I'd think thoughts about whether that might just provide an excuse to harass people for sitting in cars.

If there's an Amazon pickup place in your vicinity, the person there might be easier to talk into giving you the sender's name.
posted by teremala at 5:28 PM on November 29, 2021 [2 favorites]

Assuming it's not one of the scams out there (I've myself gotten random mystery packages of low value things...) maybe keep calling Amazon customer support until you get a rep who cares less about the policy and will tell you the name? Or call them and act ever so grateful for the item and beg and plead to let them know who sent it so you could "send a proper thank you note"? Otherwise I'd start 20 questions with location - you could ask questions like "I'm pretty sure it came from California, can you at least confirm or deny that?"
posted by cgg at 5:53 PM on November 29, 2021

Early in the pandemic, I got an Amazon package, no sender information, with a dozen cans of shaving cream and two big bags of dry cat food. Now, this did not have my name on it, just my address: if yours does have your name, that may rule out the sort of weird error box that I received, but.....these things happen.
posted by thelonius at 6:03 PM on November 29, 2021 [1 favorite]

I think there's an Amazon ratings scam too where sellers set up fake accounts to buy something so they can post verified reviews.
posted by noloveforned at 6:20 PM on November 29, 2021

We filed a complaint with customer service. It is (probably)(maybe) a ratings scam.
posted by kerf at 6:50 PM on November 29, 2021

Best answer: Thanks everyone—mystery solved! I also received a package I did order today. Turns out the shipper somehow consolidated my order with someone else's, since both my package and the one with the whistles had the same tracking number. Whew!
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 7:01 PM on November 29, 2021 [15 favorites]

Glad that worked out.

So... I hear y'all got some ... extra whistles?
posted by SaltySalticid at 7:07 PM on November 29, 2021 [9 favorites]

Things to do with your whistles.
posted by rongorongo at 11:42 PM on November 29, 2021 [3 favorites]

maybe keep calling Amazon customer support until you get a rep who cares less about the policy and will tell you the name?

Please don't encourage people to do things that will - quite rightly - get a customer service rep fired once they are discovered.
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 4:17 AM on November 30, 2021 [8 favorites]

Response by poster: LOL. I sent 'em back. What's funny is that of all of humankind's inventions, a whistle is literally the last one I need. My one and only physical gift is that I can bust out a mean wolf whistle with just my fingers. Extremely useful for hailing cabs!
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 4:46 PM on December 1, 2021 [1 favorite]