The State Criminal Police Office in Berlin repeatedly addresses citizens with the warning “Help your neighbors, but not the scammers”. The reason for the warning is a scam by scammers that asks you to pay at the end.
Everyone knows the situation: all year round, but especially in the run-up to Christmas, postmen try to deliver goods that have been ordered. However, they do not always meet the recipient themselves. Therefore, everyone has certainly received a package for their neighbor at some point. However, the assumption should be well considered, as a scam proves.
Delivery of packets to strangers
If you know the neighbor personally, he will appreciate your willingness to help and be grateful that you accepted his package on his behalf. But scammers also like to take advantage of this supposed friendliness. You proceed as follows:
- The fraudsters label unused mailboxes with the respective order name. In one case (see below) even the identities of real neighbors are misused.
- The criminals order on the Internet under someone else’s or stolen names and give a delivery address they do not live at.
- Now you come into play as a neighbor and accept the packages for the recipient.
- The fraudsters now “fish” the delivery card out of the mailbox.
- Most of the time, young men will ring at your door to “pick you up” and demand that the package be handed over. The arguments are very imaginative. The police report various excuses. For example, you are “a relative of the person collecting you”, “the customer is currently on vacation”, “just moved in”.
Also interesting: Beware of fake package notifications!
Recommended by TECHBOOK
Do not accept packages for people you do not know! And only hand over the parcels to strangers after showing an official photo ID. Make a note of the most important data (address, ID number, time and appearance of the person picking you up) so that you can later prove that you passed it on.
Six pairs of shoes in the neighbor’s name
Two examples from readers who contacted TECHBOOK show what the scammers do. Bernd S. from Berlin received six high-quality branded shoes from Boss. The goods were ordered with a value of around 500 euros on account. Since S. was not at home at the time of delivery, the neighbor accepted the package. Before the scammers could strike, however, Bernd S. emptied his mailbox. So he was able to intercept the delivery notification before the scammers could get hold of it. He picked up the unknown goods from the neighbor and thus averted greater damage. The inquiry at the retailer revealed that an e-mail address was even created in his name at the Web.de mail service. He sent the shoes back and the company took no further action.
Fraud victim Florian D. got off less lightly. He didn’t notice the fraud until a letter from a collection agency landed in his mailbox. Apparently, a delivery was picked up from a neighbor in his name – but not by D. personally. The associated invoice was also not paid, which is why the online retailer turned on the debt collection company. Florian D. reported the case to the police.
You as a neighbor could be liable for the loss
Biggest problem with the scam: The online shop has received your signature from the parcel service as confirmation of receipt. For any civil claims, you are the last known and traceable recipient of the package. The online retailer may be able to claim the damage against you.
According to the Berlin LKA, there has been an increase in this scam in recent years. The recommendation of the police: “Remain suspicious despite all neighborhood help and friendliness, pay attention to additional names attached to house mailboxes or empty apartments and inform the police or your property management if there are any abnormalities.”