What to Do If You Have a Lost or Stolen Package

Amazon is known for its fast Prime shipping and basically no-questions-asked philosophy. If their tracking shows an Amazon package was delivered, but you can’t find it, you should be able to get a refund pretty quickly and easily.

After 36 hours have passed since the stolen Amazon package's expected delivery date, you should contact Amazon. If packages are late, they’ll usually credit your account for the inconvenience. The company handles all the details with third-party sellers (if not their own services), so you won’t need to get involved.

FedEx makes it easy to file lost package claims. If you ordered or shipped something from the US through them, you can file a FedEx stolen package claim online.

FedEx is also pretty speedy. It normally takes just five to seven business days to resolve a claim.

As the sender, recipient, or third-party, you’ll have 60 calendar days to file a claim for damaged or missing contents and up to nine months to file lost item reports. Just make sure you keep all packaging or evidence because FedEx might ask to see it.

UPS has different policies for lost or stolen packages depending on whether your package was shipped in the US or internationally.

Domestic shipping: if you order something domestically and it's missing, you can’t file a missing package claim until 24 hours after it was supposed to be delivered.

International shipping: Claims for internationally purchased products are trickier. For these, you won’t be able to file a claim, and it could be difficult to get a refund or replacement.

All claims: Once you file a missing package claim, UPS will investigate. It’s difficult to find out if a package was lost or stolen. Regardless, all missing packages—for whatever reason—are handled this way. If you ordered the product, you should get in contact with the seller, since UPS will issue the refund to them.

USPS stolen packages and missing mail can be more challenging than packages lost by other carriers because it’s trickier to file a claim with USPS.

While its protocol for refunding damaged packages is clear, its process for stolen mail is not. If your package was shipped and delivered by USPS, but it’s missing, you’ll need to file a claim regardless.

• Have the tracking number ready.
• Be ready to show proof of insurance.
• Find proof of the value of the item, if possible.

If your package was stolen and there’s evidence, take photos and submit those too.

If your USPS lost package was insured, you should be able to get a refund directly from USPS. If your USPS package was stolen, you should be able to go through the seller to receive a replacement or refund.

If you have a security system with a doorbell camera like Vivint's, or an outdoor security camera, use it to your benefit.

Watch the footage if an expected package is nowhere to be found. You can check if the carrier dropped off the package or if someone walked away with it.

Report it to your local police department if you spot a theft. Or, if you can prove no one ever showed up at your door, the carrier (if you’re the shipper) or shipper (if you’re the recipient) will be forced to refund you.

Get proof of delivery or theft by installing a camera on your porch. There's a great variety of smart doorbells and home security cameras these days. Some send instant alerts through apps, and others simply record footage. 

Porch pirates like to skulk in the shadows. Add a motion-activated light to your porch to send thieves scurrying away.

You can even find motion light and security camera combos. That way, you have a blinding deterrent and a way to catch the culprits in action.