Karen Holton, a 55-year-old California resident, has been dealing with an unexpected problem since about a year ago. Misdirected Amazon returns began arriving at her house in San Jose, despite her not ordering anything online. The packages kept piling up on her porch and outside her door, creating a huge stack that made it difficult for her to use her door or receive mail.
The deliveries continued despite Holton’s attempts to stop them. She contacted FedEx and UPS, who told her she needed to be at the door to decline delivery in person or register her address as permanently refusing deliveries. However, Amazon repeatedly rejected her complaints, saying she had to drop off the packages herself at an Amazon return location.
In total, Holton estimated that hundreds of packages were sent to her doorstep. She tried to intercept some deliveries but was unable to stop all of them. A large truck recently arrived to collect the remaining packages from her carport and porch.
Amazon has taken steps to address the issue, stating in a statement that they have apologized to Holton and are working with the seller responsible for the misdirected returns. The company is coordinating a permanent resolution to the problem.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/11/us/amazon-packages-returns-california-woman.html