One homeowner says a simple address mistake has turned into a bizarre and growing problem — because the person who used to live in their house never updated his Amazon account.
Two years after moving in, packages are still being delivered.
And recently, the situation escalated from an occasional nuisance to something much bigger.
A Problem That Started Slowly
The homeowner explained that they closed on the house about two years ago.
Not long after moving in, a few Amazon packages began arriving addressed to the previous owner.
At first it wasn’t a big deal.
A box would show up every month or two, and the homeowner would simply write “Return to Sender” and leave it for the mail carrier.
But the deliveries never stopped.
Amazon Says Only the Account Owner Can Fix It
Trying to solve the issue, the homeowner contacted Amazon customer support.
According to them, Amazon said the same thing every time: the account holder would need to mark the package as lost or update the delivery address before they could process a return.
Even requests to remove the homeowner’s address from the account were denied.
Without access to the account itself, there was nothing customer service could do.
And since the previous owner never left a forwarding address, the homeowners had no way to contact him.
Community Mailboxes Made It Harder
The homeowner also clarified that they live in Canada, where many neighborhoods use community mailboxes instead of individual home mail slots.
When packages arrive through Canada Post, returning them can be simple.
But many Amazon deliveries come from other carriers like UPS or FedEx.
Those drivers simply leave the packages on the doorstep — often while no one is home.
By the time the homeowner gets back, the boxes are already sitting there.
Then the Deliveries Suddenly Exploded
For most of the past two years, the deliveries were occasional.
But recently the situation changed dramatically.
Over the last three weeks alone, the homeowner says more than 100 packages have been delivered.
One day they came home to find 32 boxes piled on their doorstep.
A few days later, another ten appeared.
And the deliveries haven’t slowed down.
Trying to Stop the Packages
The homeowner has taken several steps to stop the situation.
If someone is home when the delivery arrives, they tell the driver the recipient no longer lives there and the package is taken back.
They also put up a sign explaining that the previous owner doesn’t live at the address anymore.
Unfortunately, heavy rain and snow often blow the sign away before drivers see it.
They’ve also contacted their real estate agent in hopes of reaching the previous owner through the original sale paperwork.
Why the Situation Feels So Strange
What confuses the homeowner most is the scale of the problem.
Who orders hundreds of packages and never realizes they’re missing?
Some commenters suggested it might be a case of account misuse or fraud, where someone else is placing orders through the account.
Others speculated the previous owner might have moved overseas and simply forgotten to update the address.
Either way, the packages keep coming.
The Homeowner’s Main Concern
The homeowner says they don’t really care about the boxes themselves.
Their main concern is whether they could face legal trouble if they eventually open, discard, or donate the items.
After researching local laws and online discussions, they believe they aren’t responsible for the packages as long as they didn’t sign for them or arrange delivery.
Still, they wanted reassurance before deciding what to do next.
How Reddit Reacted
Many commenters were stunned that the homeowner had stored the boxes for so long.
Some suggested contacting Amazon one more time and documenting the situation.
Others joked that after two years, the packages had basically turned into “free Amazon.”
A few people also pointed out that similar situations can happen during online scams, where products are shipped to random addresses as part of fake review schemes.
Waiting to See What Happens
For now, the homeowner says they’re still trying to reach the previous owner through the real estate agent.
But if the mystery continues — and the packages keep arriving — they may soon have to decide what to do with an entire basement full of unexpected deliveries.
More from Cultivated Comfort:
- 7 Vintage Home Items From the ’60s That Are Collectors’ Dream Finds
- 7 Vintage Home Goods That Became Collectors’ Gold
- 7 Fast-Food Chains That Changed for the Worse
- 7 Frozen Dinners That Were Better Back in the Day
As a mom of three busy boys, I know how chaotic life can get — but I’ve learned that it’s possible to create a beautiful, cozy home even with kids running around. That’s why I started Cultivated Comfort — to share practical tips, simple systems, and a little encouragement for parents like me who want to make their home feel warm, inviting, and effortlessly stylish. Whether it’s managing toy chaos, streamlining everyday routines, or finding little moments of calm, I’m here to help you simplify your space and create a sense of comfort.
But home is just part of the story. I’m also passionate about seeing the world and creating beautiful meals to share with the people I love. Through Cultivated Comfort, I share my journey of balancing motherhood with building a home that feels rich and peaceful — and finding joy in exploring new places and flavors along the way.
