Should I call the police? Do you know of such a scam?

[bobman]

I used to have a job tracking people down its actually not very hard to find addresses names and numbers I used to do it very quickly. Also if you have ever bought from bestbuy and got an extended warranty or got a mail in rebate then would have all this info on file and companies get hacked all the time along with there employees stealing information. A scam I have seen before with the same marking as this is an employee (or someone else never know) got your info and either has your card number or someone elses and is ordering stuff to your house typically it ill be cheap stuff so they go unnoticed by law enforcement. Then try to intercept the package to sell at local flea markets. Why do you think then have brand new stuff for cheap.

If I was you I would first notify law enforcement then call the credit bureaus and put a freeze on your credit. This will stop any credit cards and anything from being issued in your name (just remember to unfreeze it if you plan to get a credit card or use you credit later. Most states will do it for free.

 

[NeuroticAquatics]

I doubt the police will find anything, as a $24 DVR is nothing to them. Hopefully though. I agree with all of the ideas about changing passwords. Hopefully nothing bigger happens.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

They don't care about the DVR at all, as it isn't a stolen goods issue, per se. They are the scams and fraud department.

 

[Squishie89]

Reminds me of when a couple months ago my sister took a cab and used her bank card to pay. What was odd was the driver did not put the card through the cab's machine, but like the little square on a cell phone I believe. He gave her a receipt and although odd, seemed okay. Luckily a couple days later she was checking her bank account and noticed some charges made at Home Depot. Called the bank and the police. Police were able to look at video footage to see 2 people (not my sister or the cab driver) buying gift cards with my sister's information.
I know your credit/bank cards weren't scammed or anything, but can never be too careful.

 

[Justiful]

The following is the ultra paranoid possibilities. Not something to worry about for most people. 99% of the time it was a simple mistake.

Corporate physical security issues like this come up, I read a lot of security blogs. They send an electronics item, flash drive, ext to an employee in the hopes of stealing information. A DVD player could be more, it could be a recording device. Depending on the value of your home I could see something like this being a good way to bypass security systems. They can also use a code grabber installed into an electronic item to gather garage car and entry door codes that use wireless signals and forward them on. 99% of consumer level garage doors or RFID key systems are not encrypted for typical consumer grade products.

If you got a wireless recording device into the home, then tripped the alarm system, you could get the security access code given to the security company over the phone. This is actually a pretty common way to get access to higher dollar value homes with monitored security systems. Never accept unsolicited items, and make sure your security code is based on date and time.

If you have a security clearance and receive unsolicited electronic items in the mail your are supposed to report them.


---- On a side note, US law exists for this kind of circumstance. In case you are wondering about your personal liability in such instances.

These rules are codified in Title 39, United States Code, Section 3009 Pertains to unsolicited, unordered merchandise. You have three options by law you may enact

1. If you have not opened the package, you may mark it "Return to Sender," and the Postal Service will return it with no additional postage charged to you.

2. If you open the package and don't like what you find, you may throw it away.

3. If you open the package and like what you find, you may keep it for free. In this instance, "finders-keepers" applies unconditionally.

You are not legally liable for payment and the items are legally yours by law to do with as you please. So if you really want a 25 dollar dvd player that may or may not have malware and a recording device by all means keep it. If not throw it away. You are under no legal obligation to return it, or pay for it either way.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

The item came directly from Best Buy. They already told me to keep it, but that was after I said I wasn't going to go through any effort to get it back to them. The value of everyone's home in California is 1/2 a mil, I don't know if that would be considered "of value" where it's kind of the average for here. This is a gated community and all the homes are pretty much the same, so I don't know why they would pick the only one in here with a security system. The system is wired. I bought it because of my neighbors are trashy people. Every neighborhood has "that family" and I was lucky enough to be living across the street from them. We have had zero issues in the last year, however. They've actually cleaned up their act some.

What kind of security clearance are you talking about? Hubby works with Aerospace Technology and Defense...... he has clearance. I'm throwing the darn thing out. LOL!

 

[Justiful]

The item came directly from Best Buy. They already told me to keep it, but that was after I said I wasn't going to go through any effort to get it back to them. The value of everyone's home in California is 1/2 a mil, I don't know if that would be considered "of value" where it's kind of the average for here. This is a gated community and all the homes are pretty much the same, so I don't know why they would pick the only one in here with a security system. The system is wired. I bought it because of my neighbors are trashy people. Every neighborhood has "that family" and I was lucky enough to be living across the street from them. We have had zero issues in the last year, however. They've actually cleaned up their act some.

What kind of security clearance are you talking about? Hubby works with Aerospace Technology and Defense...... he has clearance. I'm throwing the darn thing out. LOL!

Like I said at the start of the post ultra paranoid possibilities. Your husband would know if it was something he needed to file a SCR (Suspicious Contact Report). Pretty much anything you can not explain away as innocent is reportable. So while this is likely a case of mistaken identity it can not be explained away because the package had your name, address, and phone number. Since you do not know how they obtained that information or how this mistake could have occurred it is not easily explained away. The advice for people with high clearance is usually, if in doubt, report.

If your husband is high enough clearance he would have a FCIS contact he can ask if the incident is reportable. In general anything out of the ordinary or that makes you paranoid. There is no downside to asking the FCIS about it. The more information they have the better able they are to assess threats. For instance a threat could be assessed if another employee makes a similar report.

If your husband doesn't know what a SCR is, or who a FCIS is likely he doesn't have clearance high enough to need to report.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

KK, I will ask the man. He does failure analysis on space parts. I don't know much beyond that, except we watch take offs and he says "my part is on that".

I am known for being "that" person that the unlikely happens to.

Maybe I'll give the DVR to the neighbor I don't like.