Completely off topic

[Fruitandnutcase]

However I bet there is someone in this group who will know the answer.

I got a text this afternoon from my Amazon driver! There was a link that I used and the message - unfortunately I deleted it - was more or less telling me to lock up any dogs and pets and to make sure the place was lit up. Or words to that effect.

Well we’ve not got any pets - unless you count the cat next door who thinks our house and garden is his house and garden and in the dark the garden is so illuminated I could interrogate the driver if he / she stopped for long enough.

I just figured it was one of those odd things but my husband thinks it is really weird because they only send him emails.

As it is almost impossible to make contact with anyone human at Amazon I thought I’d ask on here. Like I say, since I joined in 2012 I have never known a question that couldn’t be answered.

[Obsdian]

I think specific drivers send out these messages by default. I've only had it once.

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to Obsdian]

Thanks for your reply. That’s pretty much what I thought. I bet the poor driver has either been attacked or frightened by a dog or has fallen into a flower bed in the dark. 😊

[Obsdian in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

I laughed about mine as I don't have a dog and yhe delivery was due at noon. Everything you said sounds like the message I had too

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to Obsdian]

Maybe it’s a new thing for winter - think the clocks go back soon and the poor drivers could well be staggering around in the dark trying to avoid scary dogs.

[RedApple in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

I've had several of those text messages over the last few months. One delivery chap told me he really disliked them, but it was something new that was being trialled. Not all delivery drivers are sending them though. I've no idea why some do and some don't.

BTW, if you said your Amazon delivery was a Randox thyroid blood test kit, it wouldn't be off topic! 🤣

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to RedApple]

Oooh thanks for that RA - it’s interesting isn’t it. I suppose if they are having problems with dogs (I was once bitten by a dog while delivering Christmas post!) or they can’t see their way into some gardens it’s a reasonable idea. We have a gate and I always try to remember to leave it open until after they deliver, they have so little time to deliver packages that the last thing they want to have to do is to try and find which end the gate opens from especially in the dark.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

I had a text like this when I was getting a late delivery after dark

My first thought was it was a scam!

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to SlowDragon]

Must say I did wonder about it, it seemed a bit odd and my other half really did think it was some kind of scam. I wonder if it will catch on and all the poor drivers will have to do it. Although they might find it helpful.

[Bertwills]

I’ve had them regularly for some time. I think Amazon have set it up to let people know their delivery is due. I think there has been criticism that disabled & elderly people can’t answer the door quickly enough so it’s giving extra time. I don’t remember a link to click. I would be wary of that.

[wimpyshrog]

It's probably a scam. I have an Amazon account & they certainly do not put anything like that out there. They only contact the account holder and Amazon do not contact by telephone. If you got a call from an Amazon delivery driver it should only be for directions if they get a bit lost.

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to wimpyshrog]

No it was a text on my phone. I was expecting a package but I found the package through the letterbox long before I noticed the text.

From what the others say it isn’t unknown

[KBird01]

I had one of these last week. It wasn't a scam as I was expecting a delivery at the time and my allotted time was after 7 when it would have been dark.

[Zephyrbear]

I live in a rural area ( on the side of a mountain in Wales) and I get these messages all the time and not just from the Amazon drivers. I think they expect us all to have dogs in the countryside ( I do have a spaniel, but they all know him and get on with him) and there are no street lights at all where we are so the motion detector light always comes on anyway. I think it’s probably the delivery firms establishing a legal notice so that, if anything should happen with a dog or stumble over an obstacle in the dark that results in harm to the driver, they could take action against you. You were warned… sort of thing.

[HandS]

I get them just before every delivery and find them very useful.

They are standard wording, there is no link, and you can opt out of them. See screenshot attached.

Copy of txt msg

[RedApple in reply to HandS]

As shown in the screenshot by HandS , you can reply to the text with STOP, to opt out of all further text messages from Amazon delivery people.

[Beads]

I get that message when I’m having stuff delivered to my aunt.

When they deliver to us they just drop the package and run. The Amazon chap caught me halfway down the road with the dogs once, asked if I was from number 8, gave me my parcel there and then. At that time we were the only house in the road with dogs, apparently there’s a note on our ‘file’ saying there’s dogs in the house and not to bother delivering properly! And, yes, they’re noisy blighters!

[helvella]

I had one like that several months ago. Initial reaction: Who is texting me from that number I don't recognise?

If they are going to adopt something like this, at least make sure recipients can recognise them - e.g. all from same number/named source. Not changing potentially every delivery.

[tallulah100]

I would be concerned if you don't order from amazon how did they get your email. They should only have your husbands, if you followed a link, you may have been hacked. Check with family and friends to see if they have had strange emails from your address. That's how hackers do it they get you to follow a link and then they get your account. I hope all is OK.

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to tallulah100]

It was fine thank you, I was the only one of us who had ordered that day otherwise he would have got a text too.

I’m going to find that link and stop those messages. We don’t have dogs and our lights come on automatically although not until someone gets through the gate so I’ll start leaving a permanent light on when I’m due a delivery, make life easier for them.

[FallingInReverse]

One more reply - they do this in the US also. We had a dog once, don’t anymore, and so still get these texts.

I don’t blame them. Some people just don’t control their dogs!

[Bluepoppy]

this message is telling your delivery is coming and to lock up pets ,in case they bite the driver !

[KHSC]

Yes, both my recent deliveries were preceded by a text saying "lock up your pets and switch on an outside light"

[Starmen]

I have had this message too maybe health and safety foe the drivers !