Weirdness.....

[P.I. Stazzer-Newt]

Today A parcel arrived from Amazon - with my name and address -

I have absolutely no idea who might have sent it - does anybody know how to backtrack an amazon parcel so as to find the sender?

[David G]

Today A parcel arrived from Amazon - with my name and address -

I have absolutely no idea who might have sent it - does anybody know how to backtrack an amazon parcel so as to find the sender?

You afraid it's a bomb? anthrax? an early xmas fruitcake?

[Jim Bow]

From the Amazon app:
Report Unsolicited Package or Brushing Scams

Third-party sellers are prohibited from sending unsolicited packages to customers. If you receive a package that you did not order and is not a gift, please report it immediately.
When a customer receives a packageaddressed to them that they didn't order, it may be a result of a scam sometimes called "brushing". "Brushing" scams occur when bad actors send packages to publicly available names and addresses.
If you receive a package, or item, that you didn't order, check with friends and family or contact Customer Service to confirm it's not a gift to you. If you receive a package addressed to someone else, contact Customer Service.
If you confirm that the package addressed to you, wasn't ordered by you or anyone you know, report the package online by going to the Report Unwanted Package form. Amazon investigates reports of "brushing" and takes action on bad actors that violate our policies, including suspending or removing selling privileges, withholding payments, and working with law enforcement.

[Osborne Russell]

How does the scam work?

[LeeG]

Same thing happened to a friend. Turns out a relative bought a nice carpet for themselves but somehow clicked on the wrong shipping address. It may not be a scam.

[Jim Mahan]

How does the scam work?

The following stuff is from the US Postal Service Inspection Service website.

See the link: http://uspis.gov/news/scam-article/brushing-scam

What could be better than opening the mailbox or the front door and finding an unexpected package? We all love surprises and gifts, but when these seemingly harmless free items come from a company or retailer, they may come with a higher cost than you realize. Oftentimes, this kind of unsolicited merchandise is part of a larger brushing scam, which is illegal in the U.S. and many other countries.

This is how it works.
A person receives packages or parcels containing various sorts of items which were not ordered or requested by the recipient. While the package may be addressed to the recipient, there is not a return address, or the return address could be that of a retailer. The sender of the item(s) is usually an international, third-party seller who has found the recipient’s address online. The intention is to give the impression that the recipient is a verified buyer who has written positive online reviews of the merchandise, meaning: they write a fake review in your name. These fake reviews help to fraudulently boost or inflate the products’ ratings and sales numbers, which they hope results in an increase of actual sales in the long-run. Since the merchandise is usually cheap and low-cost to ship, the scammers perceive this as a profitable pay-off.

This is why it’s bad.
While it may appear to be a victimless crime—you did after all get some free stuff—the reality is that your personal information may be compromised. Often scammers obtain personal information through nefarious means and with ill-intentions, and use it for a number of scams and other illicit activities in the future.
Your fake review may prompt people to purchase worthless stuff.
In other instances, bad actors are using a person’s address and account information to receive merchandise then steal it from the home before the resident is able to intercept it.

This is what to do.
Follow the tips below to keep your personal information safe and be aware of what to do in the event you receive unsolicited merchandise.

Don’t pay for the merchandise

Do not be swindled or talked into paying for it. Return to sender

If marked with a return address, and it is UNOPENED, you may mark it “RETURN TO SENDER” and USPS will return it at no charge to you.

Throw it away

If you opened it, and do not wish to keep it, you may simply dispose of it in the garbage, as long as it is safe to do so.

Keep it

If you opened it and you like it, you may keep it. By law, you may keep unsolicited merchandise and are under no obligation to pay for it.

Change your account passwords

Your personal information may have been compromised.

Closely monitor

Closely monitor your credit reports and credit card bills.

Notify authorities

If the merchandise is organic (i.e., seeds, food, plants) or an unknown liquid or substance, notify the proper authorities and follow their instructions.

Suspicious contents

If you are wary of the contents inside an unsolicited package, please follow the instructions on our SUSPICIOUS MAIL page.

Notify the retailer

If unsolicited merchandise arrives from Amazon, eBay, or another third-party seller, go to that company’s website and file a fraud report. Ask the company to remove any fake reviews under your name.

Of course, all of the above is for US customers, but I'm sure the scam works wherever Amazon and others deliver.

[P.I. Stazzer-Newt]

Got the explanation - it's a present - confirmed by phone call from sender...

[Jim Mahan]

[The Q]

UK law..
If it's stuff you didn't order but they have deliberately sent to YOU, that's unsolicited goods and becomes yours at no cost.
If they have sent it to your address but for someone else, that's their error you can't keep it if they request it back, THEY PAY return costs.
If they have sent the wrong thing to you, that's their error they must pay to return the wrong Item and send the correct (or give you the wrong Item and send the correct).
If a delivery company delivers to the wrong name and address you can't keep it, but should contact the shop it was bought from or the Delivery company to collect at no cost to you (if it's just for a neighbour it might be easier just to give it to them.)