Introduction
This is still a sore subject, but I’ve mostly gotten over it. Here’s the story – I bought about $2,800 (charged amount, not face value) of 3rd party gift cards from Sam’s in early November 2017. I had it shipped to my USPS PO Box, which I’ve had no problems with. The package arrived and since it didn’t fit in my small box, the postal worker put it in the bin underneath and left the key in my box. I didn’t pick it up for a week, and when I went in, the postal employee told me that a thief had broken into the bins underneath and my package was stolen. I know the employee from my MO days, so he didn’t steal it or anything; it was actually stolen.
Calling Sam’s
I called Sam’s to tell them what happened. They told me I needed to file a police report and email it to them. So I did that and a week later, they told me to pound sand since the package showed delivered. This shocked me because I couldn’t see how they couldn’t just invalidate the gift cards and send me new ones.
AMEX to the rescue?
I figure my next recourse was to file a chargeback. A month later they sent me what Sam’s sent them; basically proof that the tracking was delivered to the address.
PO claim
It had been 3 months now and I was going to file a PO claim, but the employee told me another customer who lost an item tried to file a claim and USPS told them to pound sand and that the person sending the item should have bought insurance. Their argument is that you aren’t protected from stolen items at the physical location. If you don’t get your package, then that’s why you buy insurance. Since my item was delivered by Fedex, I couldn’t make a claim with them either since my package was delivered.
Conclusion
I considered claiming it on my home owner’s insurance, but my insurance agent sorta shot down the idea. At this point, I guess I could call Sam’s back up and escalate, but I feel I’ve been beaten down enough on this issue and ready to move on. What is the lesson learned? I’m not really sure. I imagine if the package was dropped off in front of my house and stolen, then I’m shit up a creek too, right? If anyone has ideas, I’m all ears.
What a bummer and it’s shocking that nobody is able to help fix this for you! And especially shocked that Amex isn’t stepping up since my experience has always been positive with them. But one thing I’m confused about — why did you have such a valuable shipment sent to a PO box instead of a home/work address?
I would likely keep doing research, and then decide which party you want to take to small claims court. I know it seems daunting, but 4 figures is about the realm of when I’ll consider taking someone. You represent yourself. You tell the truth to a judge. You do your homework. And often times, you can win!
(I recognize you might value 5-10 hours of time at more than 1k, per my example. But I like the idea of holding people/companies responsible, and I think the courts are fun. Go for it!)
Afaik small claims court can’t enforce the decision on the loser. We won a small claims case against a fraudulent general contractor a couple years ago and he still hasn’t paid back $10k yet…
I’m about to bring Ebay to small claims court for disabling my buying privileges for “abusing Daily Deals” (which I haven’t).
Certainly true, but you’ll generally have a lot more success with businesses paying out (ie Sam’s or USPS) than you will with individuals (such as a one-man-shop general contractor). Just my experience, and good luck with Ebay!
Couldn’t you get a lien placed in their property or a garnishment issued?
Also , each state has a consumer protection office. https://www.usa.gov/state-consumer
Also the business where the mailbox is located would have liability insurance,( for when you sue them ) and most likely theft insurance.
Question is – do I use USPS or the building owner? My guess is USPS is liable since they are renting it out and I’m not suing USPS.
I would try a complaint to https://www.consumerfinance.gov/
When Sam’s sent the cards, were they sent activated or deactivated? When I bought 3 $10 GCs from Sam’s, they came deactivated and (like others) it took me weeks and many calls to get them activated. It strikes me as a little foolish for Sam’s to send pre-activated GCs in that high of an amount, especially when their $30 GCs to me came deactivated.
Sam’s sends 3rd party cards activated; Sam’s GCs unactivated
Oh I just thought of another idea. Look for a local person selling the type and amount gift cards on nearby Craigslist, buy one and see if Sam’s can match it against the cards shipped. Then call the police if they do. Just an idea that works on other stolen stuff.
I’m not going to try to hold a sting operation.
Sounds bad. I’d escalate with Sam’s and just keep sending them hard snail mail letters over and over. They have to handle each of these and maybe they will do something eventually. I’d also keep your police reports, etc. and file with your homeowners insurance. I know your agent doesn’t like the idea but I’d call the claims people at your insurance carrier direct and discuss it at least. In addition keep the paperwork so you can take a possible tax deduction on your taxes for either your home or your home office deduction but I’m not a tax attorney so I offer the disclaimer to at least research this with your accountant or tax filer.
This won’t help now. But would it be better to have a box at an independent like the UPS store or Mail Boxes Etc.? They should have to have some type of liability insurance to cover theft. Just a thought?
I have one of those too. I asked them about insurance and he asked me, “Why? You planning on robbing us?” He said he’d check on it and get abck to me, but I never followed abck up.
Having dealt with Sam’s Club online when they sent out unactivated gift cards (which took 2 months to straighten out and 7-8 calls) I don’t know how far you’ll get with them. Every time I asked for a manger they pretty much brushed it over. I am assuming that is who you would have to deal with too.
Sucks that they wouldn’t void them gift cards…seems like something they could do fairly easily. And the fact the post office won’t do anything is pathetic.
My guess is the cards were spent by whoever stole them since a whole week had transpired. A merchant will only cancel the numbers if this hasn’t yet happened.
The PO claim might be more trouble than it’s worth, yeah, depending on how much your time is worth. i wonder, is it standard practice to leave packages in the bin, and leave the key in the box (as described?). If not, I would definitely argue with USPS that this is a deviation from standard practice, and therefore the local PO is negligent, and USPS should be on the hook for it. I hesitate to recommend this but if your attempt to engage USPS doesn’t go anywhere, you *could* contact your US Representative with a complaint. That will at least get you a formal response from USPS. Good luck.
That’s pretty standard practice. If it doesn’t fit in the box, they’ll put it in a bigger box and give you a key to that box, or they’ll hold it in the back and put a slip in your box to pick it up from the counter. It really sucks that Sam’s and USPS don’t have any recourse for this though, especially that Sam’s can’t deactivate them. 🙁
Fair enough. I wonder if any of this is covered by an agreement from when you sign up for the box.
That’s actually their rule. They MUST leave it in the bin underneath. And doesn’t look like there’s any kind of insurance from theft when I signed up for the box.
OK. I wonder if the card you used to purchase the gift cards with has an insurance policy that covers lost or stolen items? It probably excludes gift cards though, but who knows?
Pretty sure it would exclude ‘cash equivalents’ aka GCs. This was AMEX btw.
Yeah, exactly. Here’s the language re: the gold cards, at least: “Certain purchases are not covered which includes but is not limited to: travelers checks, tickets of any kind, negotiable instruments (including, but not limited to, gift certificates, gift cards and gift checks), cash or its equivalent”
Damn, that sucks. The sad thing is I can picture each of these parties responding in exactly the fashion you described
I’m really sorry this happened to you. Your post is an important reminder that we take enormous risks. The worst loss I had set me way back. About 1.5 years ago, I made a $5k deposit of MOs at an ATM which was credited, then reversed a month later. I didn’t keep any proof and my endless claims with the CU/NCUA/WM got me nowhere.
Sorry to hear that. What was the basis for the reversal? Did you consider bringing a claim against the CU in small claims court or anything like that?
They claimed “empty envelope.” There’s zero chance that it was empty…
Yeah that’s ridiculous. Did they say why it took them a month to reverse it? If it was a matter of an empty envelope they should’ve been able to notify you the next business day…Odds are you still would’ve had MO stubs and receipts and been able to track things down much more effectively.
I’m assuming you had thrown all that stuff out already since you thought the deposit had been properly processed?