Quick answer: A “delivered” scan doesn't prove that you received the package, but it also doesn't prove theft. Check the tracking details, delivery photo, likely drop-off spots, neighbors, and building staff first. Then contact the seller or marketplace in writing and ask for a delivery investigation, refund, or replacement. The carrier may require the shipper to file any compensation claim, and a police report by itself doesn't guarantee reimbursement.

This article is for U.S. orders. Carrier terms, marketplace protections, seller policies, and payment-dispute procedures vary by service, order, account, and jurisdiction.

Before you call it package theft

Use accurate wording until you know what happened. “Marked delivered but not received” describes the problem without making an unsupported accusation.

1. Review the delivery record. Check the tracking time, address, delivery photo, signature record, and any stated location. Make sure the address matches the order.
2. Search the usual drop-off places. Check the porch, side door, garage, mailroom, parcel locker, leasing office, and other entrances. Ask household members before assuming the package is gone.
3. Allow a brief window for a late or incorrect scan. Some deliveries are scanned before the item reaches the intended location. Follow any waiting instructions shown for your order, but don't assume every seller or carrier uses the same 24- or 48-hour rule.
4. Check for a misdelivery. Ask nearby residents or building staff neutrally whether a package was left at the wrong entrance or address. Avoid accusing a neighbor.
5. Notify the seller or marketplace. The seller is often the party that handles the customer remedy and may be the only party allowed to file a carrier claim. Ask what it will do and when you should expect an answer.
6. Ask the carrier to investigate. Request a case number and a review of the delivery scan, location, photo, signature record, or driver notes. If the carrier says the shipper must file a compensation claim, send that response to the seller.
7. Report suspected theft when the facts support it. For clear theft, repeated incidents, or a high-value item, consider a local police report using the non-emergency channel. Keep the report number, but don't present it as proof that a refund is required.
8. Save evidence promptly. Download tracking screenshots, delivery photos, messages, receipts, camera footage, and case numbers before an app or portal removes them.

Evidence to attach

Send enough to identify the order and show what happened. Too much unrelated personal information can create a second problem.

• Order number, tracking number, purchase date, and delivery date
• Tracking-page screenshot
• Delivery photo, signature record, or stated delivery location
• Invoice or receipt showing the item and amount paid
• Photos of the delivery area when they help explain the issue
• Video footage, or a note that footage is available
• Messages with the seller, carrier, building staff, or neighbors
• Police report number, if you filed one
• Proof of the item's value if the claim requires it

Redact full card numbers, passwords, government identification numbers, and unrelated personal information. Keep the original files and send copies.

Package theft dispute email templates

Replace the bracketed information and delete anything that doesn't apply. Send the message from the email address connected to the order, or use the seller's account portal. Keep a copy of what you submit.

1. Refund or replacement request to the seller

Subject: Package marked delivered but not received - Order [Order Number]

Hello [Seller or Merchant Name],

I am contacting you about order [Order Number], shipped under tracking number [Tracking Number]. The tracking page shows the package as delivered on [Date] at approximately [Time] to [Address], but I did not receive it.

I checked [porch, side door, garage, mailroom, parcel locker, and other locations] and asked [neighbors, household members, or building staff] whether it had been received. I also reviewed the delivery photo and available camera footage.

At this point, I am reporting the package as marked delivered but not received. Please open a delivery investigation and tell me whether you can issue a refund or replacement. If the carrier requires the shipper to file the claim, please submit it or explain the next step.

Attached are:
- Tracking screenshot
- Delivery photo or proof of delivery
- Order receipt
- [Police report number or other evidence, if applicable]

Please confirm receipt of this request and provide a case number.

Thank you,

[Your Name]
[Order Email]
[Phone Number]

2. Delivery investigation request to the carrier

Use this to ask USPS, FedEx, or UPS to review the delivery record. If you aren't the shipper or insured claimant, ask for an investigation rather than demanding payment.

Subject: Delivery investigation request - Tracking [Tracking Number]

Hello [USPS, FedEx, or UPS] Customer Service,

Tracking number [Tracking Number] shows the package as delivered on [Date] at approximately [Time] to [Address]. I did not receive it.

I checked the delivery area, other entrances, [mailroom or parcel locker], and with nearby residents or building staff. The package has not been located.

Please review the delivery scan, delivery location, photo, signature record, and driver notes. Please also confirm whether a claim for compensation must be filed by the shipper or account holder. If so, please provide a case or investigation number that I can give to the seller.

Attached are:
- Tracking screenshot
- Proof of delivery or delivery photo
- Order or invoice
- [Additional evidence]

Please advise what information is needed to continue the investigation.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]
[Address]
[Phone Number]
[Email Address]

3. USPS Missing Mail or claim guidance request

A USPS Missing Mail search and a USPS insurance claim serve different purposes. The search asks USPS to look for the item. A claim concerns eligible coverage and supporting documents.

Subject: USPS package marked delivered but not received - [Tracking Number]

Hello USPS,

Tracking number [Tracking Number] shows delivery on [Date] at approximately [Time] to [Address], but the package was not received.

I checked the delivery area and nearby locations and asked [neighbors, household members, or building staff] whether they received it. Please advise whether I should submit a Missing Mail search request and whether this shipment appears eligible for a claim.

I am the recipient. If the sender or mailing account holder must file a compensation claim, please confirm that so I can request the filing from the seller.

Shipment details:
- Mailing date: [Date]
- Service: [Service Name]
- Sender: [Name]
- Recipient: [Name]
- Contents: [Brief description]
- Declared or insured value: $[Amount]

Thank you,

[Your Name]
[Phone Number]
[Email Address]

USPS has separate Missing Mail instructions and domestic claims rules. Its domestic claims page says eligible claims generally must be filed no later than 60 days after the mailing date, subject to the service and coverage rules. USPS also says it usually sends claim decisions within five to 10 days.

4. Amazon or marketplace order request

Marketplaces can require you to contact the seller before using a buyer-protection process. The available options and deadlines depend on the particular order, seller, marketplace, and account.

Subject: Order marked delivered but not received - [Order ID]

Hello [Amazon or Marketplace Support],

Order [Order ID], tracking number [Tracking Number], is marked delivered on [Date] at approximately [Time], but I did not receive it.

I checked [delivery locations] and asked [neighbors, household members, or building staff]. I also reviewed the delivery photo and available camera footage. I contacted the seller on [Date], if applicable, but the issue remains unresolved.

Please review this order for an eligible refund, replacement, delivery investigation, or buyer-protection process. If I must complete another step through the order page or contact the seller for a stated period, please tell me exactly what is required.

Attached are:
- Tracking screenshot
- Delivery photo or proof of delivery
- Order receipt
- Seller messages
- [Police report number or other evidence, if applicable]

Please confirm receipt and provide a case number.

Thank you,

[Your Name]
[Email Used for the Order]

5. Neutral message to a neighbor or building manager

Subject: Possible package mix-up for delivery on [Date]

Hi [Name],

A package for me was marked delivered to [Address] on [Date], but I haven't found it. Would you mind checking whether it was left with you or at your entrance by mistake?

The tracking number is [Tracking Number]. If you don't have it, no problem. Please let me know either way.

Thanks,

[Your Name]

6. Written credit-card billing dispute

Use this route only when the facts support a billing-error or non-delivery dispute. If the package arrived and was later stolen, say so. Ask the issuer whether a purchase-protection benefit or another category applies. Don't describe an authorized purchase as fraud.

Subject: Written billing dispute for [Merchant] - [Amount]

Dear [Card Issuer or Billing Disputes Department],

I am disputing the charge of $[Amount] from [Merchant] dated [Transaction Date], shown on my statement dated [Statement Date]. The merchandise was not received as agreed.

I contacted the merchant on [Dates] and requested [refund, replacement, or investigation]. The merchant [did not respond, denied the request, or provided the following response: ...].

Please treat this as a written billing-error dispute if it qualifies under applicable law and your account procedures. Please investigate the charge and send written confirmation of the result.

Attached are:
- Statement page with the transaction
- Order confirmation
- Tracking record
- Delivery investigation or seller correspondence
- Other supporting evidence

My account information is:
- Name: [Your Name]
- Account number: [Last Four Digits Only]
- Disputed amount: $[Amount]
- Transaction date: [Date]

Sincerely,

[Your Name]
[Billing Address]
[Phone Number]
[Email Address]

The FTC's credit-card dispute guidance says a written billing-error notice should reach the issuer within 60 days after the first statement containing the error was sent. Keep a copy and use the disputes address and submission method listed by the issuer. The issuer generally must acknowledge the complaint within 30 days unless it has already resolved the issue, and it generally must resolve the dispute within 90 days.

That federal process applies to qualifying credit-card billing errors. Debit cards, bank transfers, prepaid cards, and payment apps can have different procedures and deadlines.

Which party should you contact?

The best first contact is usually the seller or marketplace, because it can decide whether to refund or replace the order and may control the carrier claim. The carrier can still help establish what happened.

A carrier may limit a compensation claim to the shipper, insured party, or shipping-account holder. That doesn't by itself answer whether the seller should refund or replace the order. The merchant's delivery policy and the marketplace's terms may still determine the customer remedy.

Deadlines to put on your calendar

There isn't one universal “report within 24 hours” rule. Several different deadlines may apply:

• Seller report: Contact the seller as soon as you confirm the package is missing. This is a practical step, not a universal legal deadline.
• USPS claim: USPS says eligible domestic claims generally must be filed no later than 60 days after the mailing date. Service-specific exceptions and coverage requirements apply.
• FedEx or UPS claim: Check the terms for the particular service and shipment. The period can depend on the type of loss, the account, and who is filing.
• Marketplace protection: Follow the deadline and instructions shown for the specific order. A period that applies to one marketplace or order type may not apply to another.
• Credit-card dispute: For a qualifying billing error, the FTC says the issuer must receive the written dispute within 60 days after the first statement showing the error was sent.

Take a screenshot of the applicable policy and save the confirmation after submitting a claim. If you speak with someone by phone, record the date, department, case number, and the substance of the response.

If the seller or carrier says no

Get the reason in writing. A denial based on a delivery photo calls for a different response than one based on a filing deadline.

1. Possible misdelivery: Ask for another delivery-location review and provide any new photo, camera, or building evidence.
2. Carrier requires the shipper: Send the carrier's case number and response to the seller. Ask the seller to open the claim or explain why it won't.
3. Seller doesn't respond: Send one short follow-up with the order number, relevant dates, requested remedy, and a reasonable response deadline.
4. Marketplace seller refuses: Use the platform's buyer-protection or order-escalation process if the order page says you're eligible.
5. Credit-card purchase wasn't delivered as agreed: Ask the issuer for its written billing-dispute procedure and meet the 60-day notice rule when applicable.
6. The package was actually stolen: Consider a police report and check renters, homeowners, shipping, or purchase-protection coverage. Review deductibles and exclusions before filing an insurance claim.

A charge dispute isn't a guaranteed substitute for a merchant claim. An inaccurate description, or a dispute filed after you've already received a refund, can complicate the resolution.

Mistakes that can weaken your request

• Calling the item stolen before checking for a late scan or misdelivery
• Giving different dates, addresses, or tracking numbers in different messages
• Treating a delivery photo as conclusive proof that you received the package
• Assuming a police report guarantees a refund
• Accusing a neighbor publicly or in writing without evidence
• Sending full payment-card details by email
• Waiting until a carrier or card-dispute deadline is close
• Repeatedly filing the same request without keeping the case numbers
• Using “fraud” when you authorized the purchase and the problem is delivery

A strong message is usually simple: state what the tracking says, list where you looked, give the dates you contacted the seller or carrier, attach the relevant evidence, and name the resolution you want.

Reducing the chance of another porch loss

For a valuable or time-sensitive order, consider:

• Carrier hold-for-pickup or a retailer locker
• Delivery to a workplace or trusted alternate address
• A secure parcel box or building package room
• Signature service when the seller or carrier offers it
• Delivery alerts and instructions for a less-visible location
• A doorbell camera or other security camera
• Asking a trusted neighbor to collect deliveries

None of these options removes every risk, and signature service isn't available for every shipment. Choose the option you can actually monitor and use consistently.

Frequently asked questions

Will USPS, FedEx, or UPS refund me directly?

Not necessarily. A carrier may tie the claim to the shipper's account, insurance, or declared-value coverage. Start with the seller and ask whether the seller or recipient must file.

Do I need a police report?

There is no universal requirement for every missing-package request. A seller, carrier, insurer, or marketplace may ask for one, particularly for a high-value item or suspected theft. File one only when the facts support the report.

Should I wait 24 or 48 hours?

A brief check can reveal a late scan or misdelivery, but there is no single waiting period for every seller and carrier. Follow the instructions for your order and report the issue promptly.

Can I dispute the charge on my credit card?

Possibly. If the merchandise wasn't delivered as agreed and the transaction fits the issuer's billing-error process, you may be able to send a written dispute. A package stolen after confirmed delivery isn't automatically a qualifying billing error. Contact the merchant, describe the facts accurately, and follow the FTC's written-notice and timing guidance when applicable.

What should I say if I don't know whether it was stolen?

Say “marked delivered but not received.” Explain where you looked and request a delivery investigation. That wording is factual and leaves room for a late scan or misdelivery.

Start with the seller or marketplace template, attach the tracking evidence, and save the case number. Then check the relevant carrier or credit-card deadline so the next step doesn't get missed.