The contents are always the same: Charging cables for smartphones and the corresponding power plugs. So far, she has received six parcels, three of which she was able to successfully reject. "The first package arrived on 29 April," says the young woman. She now has a total of 38 cables and 38 power plugs. Strikingly, all but one of the parcels came via Amazon Spain. "I contacted Amazon Spain and Amazon Germany," says the woman from Pennenfeld, "but both only wrote that it was an incorrect delivery, and I could keep the packages." Payment for the goods was not requested for any of the parcels, nor were there any unauthorised charges levied.

In an email from German customer service obtained by GA, a staff member asked for photos of the shipping labels and consignment numbers so she could trace the shipments. " This would be of immense help to find a solution for you here," it said. According to the woman, the parcels all came from one and the same trader. The parcel that Amazon Germany delivered had a retailer's address in Potsdam.

But what is it with the free cables? In the past few years, we have often read about customers receiving unwanted parcels from Amazon. This can be due to identity theft or so-called "brushing". This is a fraud machine whose disadvantages are not immediately obvious to the parcel recipient. The aim is to manipulate purchase ratings - especially those of "verified purchases". Reviews of verified purchases are usually much more credible than normal reviews and could persuade potential customers to buy.

In order to manipulate ratings, Amazon merchants who use the so-called Marketplace, or people commissioned by them, usually send very cheap goods to the subsequent victims. What is necessary for this is that a corresponding profile with the name is also created. The data records may have been bought for this purpose or may have already been in the possession of the perpetrators because the customers have already bought something from the trader. If the sent item was then accepted, the fraudsters can write themselves a good review in the name of the customer.

After a GA enquiry, the Bonn police filed an ex officio report in the case, and the 32-year-old then filed a criminal complaint herself on Wednesday morning. As police spokesperson Simon Rott explained to the GA, comparable cases are not currently known. Although it could be that these have not been recorded under Brushing.

"It is conceivable that this is a case of so-called brushing, i.e. fake orders by online traders who use them to boost their sales figures. However, identity theft is also conceivable," says Iwona Husemann from the NRW consumer advice centre about the Bonn case. She advises those affected to refuse to accept the parcels, if possible.

"In addition, it makes sense to contact the marketplace - in this case Amazon - in order to stop the shipment of further unordered goods," says the speaker of the consumer rights group. Like the police, she advises that if you suspect fraudulent intent, file a criminal complaint. Brushing is not common, the expert further explained. She added that since the woman had not ordered the goods, she was not obliged to keep, store or return them. "Invoices that may follow also do not have to be paid," Husemann said.

In the case of the woman from Pennenfeld, it seems that a trader did indeed misuse her address. After a GA enquiry, the company investigated the unwanted parcels. "We work hard to create a trustworthy shopping experience by protecting customers, retail partners and Amazon from fraud and abuse, and we follow up on every tip from customers who have received an unsolicited package, as it violates our policies," an Amazon spokesperson said. "In such a case, selling partners will be blocked, payments will be withheld, and we will take appropriate legal action."

The 32-year-old was told in writing by Amazon's complaints management team that the "investigation is complete". The necessary steps had been taken against the seller. She could keep the items or donate them, "depending on what she preferred". After she checked the data in her Amazon account again, she noticed that she had ordered a charging cable from a retailer in November 2022. This retailer is based in Shanghai and seems to be the sender of at least some of the parcels she has received in the past few days.

Original text: Maximilian Mühlens

Translation: Jean Lennox