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Clever Delivery Scam Tripping Up Amazon Tracking System

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SAN FRANCISCO (CBSMiami) -- Amazon has become a retail leader delivering goods on a global level that uses a sophisticated tracking system to keep customers updated at a moment's notice.

But a new scam has customers asking where their order is, even though Amazon's records show it already arrived.

"This is the camera that I bought," said Dave Polanco, showing off the seller's webpage of the item he thought he would be receiving.

After all, he did pay for it. It was sold by a third-party merchant. The delivery confirmation for his order, however, arrived before the delivery.

"I did not get it, so I thought that was strange," said Polanco.

His Amazon account only said his package had been delivered to Pleasanton, California, which is where he lives. So he called FedEx to investigate.

"They said 'No, this was never addressed to your address.' It was delivered to a corporate address," he said.

According to Amazon, it was "handed directly to a receptionist" and someone named "E. Eda" signed for it.

"That's definitely not me," said Polanco.

And he's not alone.

Other Amazon buyers are now complaining of what they call a new scam, where third-party sellers allegedly send your package, in some cases without the product, to another address in the same city, where someone else signs for it, creating a delivery record that prompts Amazon to deny your claim.

"All Amazon, at the current time, seems to check for is that the package was delivered and signed for in that same city and state," Polanco claimed.

With their "A-to-Z Guarantee," customers are always protected. But like the others, Polanco's claim was denied three times, despite the FedEx records, and after which, Amazon said it may not reply to further emails.

Amazon finally agreed to refund Polanco's money after the media reached out, saying the company "does not tolerate fraud" and "as fraudsters get smarter, so do we."

Amazon wouldn't comment on Polanco's case -- nor say if it confirms a delivery address before denying a claim.

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