With the influx of online orders being made, porch package pirates are a real threat to your Christmas gift arrivals! Many have heard of the horror stories; a FedEX truck pulls up, leaves a package on your porch, and within minutes – porch package pirates are swooping in to steal your goods. How can we stop this? Is your Identity at stake? The good news is, your identity is fine; the bad news is, we can’t completely stop the porch pirates. However, we can take preventative measures to minimize our packages from being targeted. Here are 5 easy ways to prevent porch package pirates from swindling your loot! 1. USE AMAZON LOCKER TO PREVENT PORCH PACKAGE PIRATESIf you place an order through Amazon, and you know that you won’t be home to receive your package, check for your nearest Amazon Locker. This ensures that your packages are delivered to safe locations. Locate them during the checkout process when adding a new address into your account. For more information or to find an Amazon Locker near you, click here. 2. DELIVER PACKAGES TO YOUR WORKPLACEBecause packages are usually delivered during the day, when one is typically not at home, but at work; consider switch your delivery address to your work address! This ensures that you are present to receive your package, rather than it being left on your porch. 3. INSTALL SECURITY CAMERAS TO PREVENT PORCH PACKAGE PIRATESA visible camera will naturally ward off unwanted company. Although some security systems can be pricey, we’re certain that losing a perfect gift for that special someone so close to holiday seasons is also very costly! Therefore, why not simply skip that whole process and have some at-home security installed? If you’re interested, you can find some good deals on security systems here. If your house is a target, at the very least, you might be able to identify the thieves. 4. ASK A NEIGHBOUR FOR HELPSimilar to switching your home address to your work address, consider asking a friendly neighbour to temporarily foster your packages until you pick it up from them. Otherwise, you can ask a friend that you know will be home to receive your packages for you. 5. USE AMAZON KEY TO PREVENT PORCH PACKAGE PIRATESAmazon Key is an in-home and in-car delivery service. It allows authorized shippers to gain access to the customer’s home, or car trunk during specific times. It combines a smart lock and a security camera which ensures safe delivery. If you’re comfortable with the idea of strangers having access to your home, then this might be an interesting option. A PORCH PACKAGE PIRATE STRIKES: WHAT NOW?If you are a target of the porch package pirates, there are some steps you can take that might help you get a refund or receive a replacement. 1. CONTACT THE SELLERWith big companies like Amazing or eBay, refunds or replacements for items that either failed to arrive or were stolen are easy to ask for and retrieve. Therefore, it is worth contacting them to see if anything can be done. 2. CONTACT THE SHIPPING COMPANYIf contacting the seller does not help you, seek out your shipping company. Typically, big shipping companies will help you track down your packages. And if they can’t, they will help you file an insurance claim for the lost or stolen package, in order to receive a refund. 3. CONTACT YOUR CREDIT CARD COMPANYIf the first two steps are not successful, have a chat with your credit card company. Therefore, depending on the policies and perks attached to your credit card, they might be able to help you receive some kind of compensation. Above all else, remember that the easiest way to go about this whole process is to avoid it altogether. Take the preventative measures in order to ensure the safety of your deliveries. Moreover, take the time to recognize that the holiday seasons are not all about material gifts; and that there are other ways to give! For more ideas on how to give back, here’s another blog post we wrote about Kids Volunteering in Montreal.We wish you all a happy and safe holiday season, and we will be returning in the New Year with a brand-new blog post!
