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Help me unravel this mystery UPS package! (update: unraveled, but lame!)
whuppins
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I got a notice that UPS attempted to deliver a package to me today. It's addressed to my wife, using her old name from a previous marriage, which she hasn't used in at least 5 years. The slip says it's from "ABG - Loss Prevention". It was shipped yesterday via Next Day Air and requires a signature for delivery, both of which are obviously usually reserved for important shipments. The problem is, my wife and I are not expecting any packages and we've never heard of this company. A search on Google turns up nothing helpful about it. The tracking info shows it originated in the Virginia Beach, VA area but otherwise offers no information about the sender.
1.) Can anyone figure out what any of this means?
2.) If you're the recipient of a package from UPS and you have the tracking number, shouldn't you be able to at least find out who sent it to you or what the return address is? If yes, how?
Thanks in advance for any and all help. I wouldn't normally get this suspicious but my wife's ex has been a nuisance in the past. He doesn't know her current name so anything that comes to the house under her old name is automatically red-flagged.
1.) Can anyone figure out what any of this means?
2.) If you're the recipient of a package from UPS and you have the tracking number, shouldn't you be able to at least find out who sent it to you or what the return address is? If yes, how?
Thanks in advance for any and all help. I wouldn't normally get this suspicious but my wife's ex has been a nuisance in the past. He doesn't know her current name so anything that comes to the house under her old name is automatically red-flagged.
whuppins on
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Keep us posted, I'm interested now!
Take it to the police if you're worried.
I'm not worried per se, I'd just like to know more about what "ABG" could mean or what "Loss Prevention" would indicate, or even what the return address was. I have a feeling that if I had this information, I could probably figure out the rest for myself.
If you call UPS they should be able to give you all the information they have about the sender, possibly including their phone number.
Whatever you do, make sure you update the thread to tell us what it was. :P
I called UPS and they're only allowed to disclose the sender's name and state, so no address. In this case, though, they were able to clarify that ABG stood for Avis Budget Group, the company that runs those two rental car brands. We took a vacation to the Virginia Beach area this past February where we rented a car, so it seems like they may be returning an item that we left behind.
Only two problems with this theory: First, we rented from Thrifty, which isn't part of ABG. Second, I still don't know how they could have ended up with my wife's old name for the package. She changed all her IDs, license, etc. immediately after her divorce, and the car was rented in my name anyway.
Still, this is pretty strong evidence that it has to do with that rental. We didn't notice anything missing when we got back home, but who knows, maybe it's something along those lines.
Seems pretty coincidental but I guess it could be plausible
Well, if it's been a long time since she's used that name, and you didn't rent from Avis in February, my assumption would be that it's from longer ago. Does your wife ever recall having rented a car while she was using that name?
At the rate that some companies move, this could easily be an item from years ago.
Or perhaps you rode in someone else's rental car and dropped something that had her old name on it, they found her, and are returning it.
Either way, I'm really interested in what it is. This isn't PA's first thread on strange packages, they are usually very anticlimactic, fingers crossed this time.
Taximes is partially right, loss prevention is usually associated with financial losses due to fraud, shoplifting, embezzlement, and other crimes that hurt a company. They don't typically function as a "lost and found", though, they also don't typically hold onto things for years before returning them (which would be the case if they're using her old last name), and they CERTAINLY don't have any incentive to suddenly overnight you something your lady misplaced.
If it's the right size to be a stack of documents, open it soon, because this could be part of some sort of legal action against involving your wife.
(Hopefully it'll just be a misplaced comb or sock, though!)
(Also, if it's Loss PREVENTION then they're either trying to prevent a loss or supplementing one on behalf of her)
It's a certified letter, and I can't make out who it's from on the slip.
I hate mysterious letters!
Could be a summons?
Guess I better get it soon eh?
How long do they keep stuff at the PO?
Also, rfalias' certified letter is filled with revealing blackmail pictures.
I suppose it can wait huh?
If the PO is open today I'll go get it and reveal its contents later!
"So make a thread about it... oh wait, you already did. Good job champ!" with an appropriate emoticon.
But these unexpected packages really get me excited for some reason.
A few months ago, I got an a FedEx final notice missed delivery sticker saying a package FROM MY EMPLOYER was about to be returned to sender. I didn't get any of the earlier notices, and no one at work knew what this was about... so I took a half sick day to wait for the delivery guy.. this turned into a "i'm-kinda-off-but-i'll-be-checking-my-email" day, since the delivery guy didn't show until around 5PM.
And the package? it was a tiny lapel pin. My company was rebranding, and sending all employees a lapel pin
I'm pretty certain it'll be a total letdown, though. Don't anybody get their hopes up. I'll update (with dramatic pics, even if it's totally lame, which it will be) on Tues.
@rfalias: The only unexpected certified letter I've received was shortly after I moved from an apartment, the previous place sent my deposit check via certified mail.
@Daenris: We had talked about what you said; she did rent a car under that name many years ago but she doesn't remember which company it was from and it was in Gainesville, FL. The fact that this thing is coming from the place we rented from earlier this year seems like more than a coincidence to me. I dunno, maybe the Thrifty operator sold that car to Avis since then?
uh, no you can't. only the shipper is able to change whether or not a package requires a signature (be it in person or indirect(meaning to a neighbor or leaving a signed door tag)). you can always request that UPS contact the shipper regarding that, but it usually takes a day or two to get that confirmation from the shipper. In general, UPS will make three delivery attempts, and then the package will be held at the station for ten business days. they *should* attempt to contact you before the package is returned to sender. if you do go to pick it up, make sure you bring ID. as you or the wife don't have ID with the old name on it, something with your current address should suffice.
No, you can change certain delivery option, like specifying a specific day to deliver it, or redirecting it to another address. I've done it a few times before. Requiring a signature can't be changed, although fairly often you can sign the slip in a specified spot and leave it on the door. They usually accept that for a signature, although if they will accept it it should marked as such on the slip.
So, uh, they may have misplaced your rental car for you. I assume this kind of thing would be handled through Certified Mail, but who knows.
What's in the box?!
Yeah, really man. End the suspense. It has gone on long enough. There must be an answer. Even if that answer is something like toothpaste.
Before they come for us.
But also, extra horrifying if the OP never comes back.
Or the Mongooses! That's a cool team name. The Fighting Mongooses.
xbl - HowYouGetAnts
steam - WeAreAllGeth
I think...he might be dead. ;-;