If your package says delivered but isn't there

A delivered scan doesn't settle what happened. The package could be with a household member, in a parcel locker or mailroom, at another door, or recorded as delivered by mistake. Theft is one possibility, not a conclusion.

You don't need to wait a fixed 48 hours before checking. Start promptly because delivery records, photos, and security footage may not remain available for long.

Start with the delivery record

Work through these checks before accusing anyone or describing the loss as proven theft:

• [ ] Check the porch, side door, garage, yard, parcel locker, mailroom, and any location named in the delivery instructions.
• [ ] Ask household members, neighbors, building staff, coworkers, or anyone else who might have accepted it.
• [ ] Confirm that the delivery address on the order is correct.
• [ ] Review the carrier's tracking page for the delivery time, location, signature, photo, and driver notes.
• [ ] Save screenshots of the tracking page, order details, and delivery evidence.
• [ ] Download doorbell, security, apartment, or business-camera footage before it is overwritten.
• [ ] Keep a dated record of calls, messages, claims, and responses.

The tracking result often points to the next step:

Describe only what you know. A useful report says, "The package was marked delivered but wasn't received, and theft is suspected." Don't invent a missing package, change footage, or accuse a neighbor publicly.

Preserve evidence in one place

Create a folder for the incident. Save:

• the order confirmation, invoice, and proof of payment;
• the tracking number and screenshots showing the delivery status;
• the delivery photo, signature record, GPS information, and driver notes, if available;
• the promised delivery date and actual delivery timestamp;
• photographs of the usual delivery area;
• the full camera recording in its original format and a separate clip showing the relevant time;
• the item's description, value, serial number, and identifying features;
• messages with the seller, marketplace, carrier, building manager, or police;
• the police report number, if you file one.

Keep the original video unchanged. If you send a short clip, retain the full recording in case more context is needed. Avoid posting tracking numbers, home addresses, faces, or other personal information online.

Ask the seller or marketplace for a refund or replacement

Start with the seller or marketplace through the order page. Say that the tracking status shows delivery but you didn't receive the item. Include the order number, delivery date, and checks you have already made.

A carrier scan doesn't automatically guarantee a refund, but it also doesn't prevent you from asking the seller to investigate. The result may depend on the seller's policy, marketplace rules, delivery evidence, item, and account history.

For a third-party marketplace order, message the seller and the marketplace through the platform. Keep the conversation there so there is a written record. Don't send money or personal information to someone who contacts you outside the platform and claims to be arranging a replacement.

Refund or replacement request template

Subject: Order marked delivered but not received

Hello,

Order number: [Order number]
Tracking number: [Tracking number]
Delivery date and time shown: [Date and time]
Item: [Product and quantity]

The tracking page shows the order as delivered, but it was not received by me or anyone in my household. I checked the delivery area, asked nearby residents or building staff, and reviewed the available delivery information.

Please investigate and let me know whether you can issue a refund or send the same item again. I can provide photographs, delivery records, or a police report number if needed.

Thank you,
[Name]

If the first response is a denial, send any new evidence, such as a delivery photo showing the wrong address or a police report number. Ask for the reason in writing and the specific policy used.

A payment provider may have a separate dispute process for goods not received. Credit-card, debit-card, prepaid-card, and payment-app procedures are different, so ask the provider what process applies and follow its instructions and deadlines. Don't assume that a chargeback or payment dispute is available.

Report suspected theft to police

A police report isn't required for every retailer refund, and it doesn't guarantee reimbursement. It can still document the incident for a seller, carrier, marketplace, insurer, or payment provider.

Use your local police department's non-emergency number or online reporting portal when available. Call 911 for a crime in progress, an immediate threat, or another emergency.

Give the reporting agency:

1. Your name and address.
2. The date and approximate time the package was marked delivered and when you noticed it was missing.
3. The carrier, tracking number, and delivery location.
4. A description and value of the item.
5. Any suspect description, vehicle information, or direction of travel.
6. Camera footage, photographs, and witness information.
7. The seller's or carrier's case number, if you have one.

Ask for the report number and whether additional evidence can be uploaded later. The report records your account of what happened; it doesn't decide whether the seller, carrier, or insurer must pay.

Package theft police report template

Subject: Package marked delivered but not received

Name: [Your name]
Address: [Delivery address]
Date and time shown as delivered: [Date and time]
Date and time discovered missing: [Date and time]
Carrier: [USPS, UPS, FedEx, Amazon, or other]
Tracking or order number: [Number]
Seller: [Seller or marketplace]
Item and value: [Description and amount]
Delivery details: [Photo, signature, location, or driver note]
Evidence available: [Video, photographs, witnesses, messages]
Description of events: [Brief factual timeline]

If the package contained checks, payment cards, identity documents, medication, or personal information, contact the relevant bank, card issuer, agency, healthcare provider, or seller promptly. The missing merchandise and any exposed personal information may require separate steps.

Carrier-specific next steps

USPS

A Missing Mail search and an insurance claim are separate processes. The search is for mail or packages that appear lost or delayed; a claim concerns eligible coverage or payment.

• Use the USPS Missing Mail page to request a search for a delayed or apparently lost package.
• If the mailing is insured or otherwise eligible, review the USPS domestic claims page. Eligibility can depend on the mail class, insurance, proof of value, and the circumstances of the loss.
• USPS says eligible domestic claims must be filed no later than 60 days after the mailing date. Service-specific rules and exceptions may apply.
• USPS says claim decisions are usually sent within five to 10 days.
• If a claim is denied or paid only in part, the claims guidance allows an appeal within 30 days of the decision. A second appeal is generally due within 30 days of the appeal denial.
• For suspected theft of U.S. mail, use the U.S. Postal Inspection Service reporting page, along with your local police reporting route when appropriate.

A Missing Mail search doesn't automatically create a refund. An inspection report also isn't the same as an insurance payment decision. The sender, recipient, and insurer may have different roles depending on the mailing service.

UPS

Open the tracking details and look for the delivery photo, location, signature, and notes. Contact UPS through its official support or claims route and ask for a trace or investigation number.

The shipper may need to start the carrier case because it purchased the shipping service or declared the package's value. If UPS directs you back to the sender, give the seller the case information and ask it to pursue the investigation. Keep both the carrier's case number and the seller's response.

FedEx

Review the tracking record and any proof of delivery. Then contact FedEx through its delivery-support or claims route with the tracking number, order address, delivery details, and evidence showing that the package wasn't received.

Ask whether the sender must file the claim. Declared-value coverage, service terms, and claim procedures can affect what FedEx investigates or pays. The seller may handle a carrier claim while separately deciding whether to refund or replace your order.

Amazon orders

In Your Orders, select the affected order and use the available problem-reporting option for a package that wasn't received. State that the order is marked delivered, explain where the carrier says it was left, and request a refund or replacement.

For an order sold by a third-party seller, use Amazon's order messaging system and save the seller's response. Amazon's decision is based on its order and delivery policies. It isn't a police finding or a carrier-insurance decision, and a delivered-but-missing order is not automatically guaranteed a refund.

Check insurance and payment benefits

A theft claim may be covered under a renters or homeowners policy, but coverage, deductibles, limits, and exclusions vary. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners' homeowners and renters guidance recommends discussing coverage with your insurer or agent.

Ask these questions before filing:

• Does the policy cover this type of theft and location?
• Does coverage apply after the carrier marked the package delivered?
• What deductible applies?
• Are there special limits for jewelry, electronics, collectibles, medication, or documents?
• What proof of ownership and value is required?
• Could a claim affect the premium or claim history?
• How would a seller refund, replacement, or carrier payment affect the claim?

The NAIC notes that jewelry, antiques, art, and similar categories may have special limits. Its coverage guide is a starting point; the policy language controls.

Check whether the payment method included a purchase-protection benefit, and read that benefit's terms before relying on it. Tell every provider about any refund, replacement, or carrier payment. Don't accept reimbursement twice for the same loss. If an insurer denies a claim without a clear explanation, ask for the relevant policy provision and contact your state's insurance department about its complaint process.

Situations that need extra care

Apartment, dorm, or office deliveries. Ask management, a concierge, mailroom, or workplace security to preserve camera footage and delivery logs. Confirm whether a locker compartment was assigned. Report the missing package in writing, but don't treat staff or neighbors as suspects without evidence.

Wrong address or misdelivery. Send the delivery photo or other location information to the seller and carrier. Don't enter another person's property or retrieve the package yourself if that could cause a confrontation. Ask the seller to coordinate with the carrier.

High-value items. Report suspected theft promptly, preserve serial numbers and footage, and notify the seller and carrier in writing. Check your insurance terms before discarding packaging, making repairs, or accepting a partial settlement.

Packages containing personal information. Monitor financial accounts and contact the relevant bank, card issuer, government agency, or healthcare provider. A stolen label can expose personal information even when the merchandise has little value.

Reduce the chance of another delivery theft

Choose measures that work for your building and schedule:

• Use a carrier pickup location, parcel locker, staffed receiving desk, or trusted alternate address.
• Request a signature or delivery window when the option is available.
• Give clear instructions for a less visible location, while recognizing that drivers may not always be able to follow them.
• Send packages to work only if your employer permits personal deliveries.
• Use a locked package box that is securely installed and accepted by your carriers.
• Turn on delivery notifications and review delivery photos promptly.
• Use lighting or a camera where permitted, and check how long recordings are retained.
• Ask neighbors to notify you rather than leaving packages visible.
• Avoid leaving a note that reveals when nobody is home.

For the current incident, save the delivery record and footage first, open a written case with the seller, and give the carrier the same factual timeline. Keep every case number and response together, adding a police or insurance report when the evidence and circumstances warrant it.