By Haleluya Hadero — The Associated Press
She found the perfect Christmas gift on the internet. He bought it. A notification arrived on her cell phone telling her that the package is at her doorstep. But when you open it, the package is nowhere to be found.
If this has happened to you, you are part of the unfortunate group of buyers who fall victim to package thefts or so-called "portal thieves".
Here's what you need to know about the topic and what to do if it happens to you.
How big is this problem in the U.S.?
It's hard to tell. Most police departments don't record package theft as a separate category, which means national data is lacking.
FBI figures show that burglaries and robberies — a category that includes shoplifting, pickpocketing and package thefts — have declined overall over the past 20 years.
But because both categories are broad and the agency doesn't monitor specific incidents of lost products, it's hard to know whether the problem is getting better or worse.
Some police departments have begun separating parcel theft reports into their own category, showing some troubling signs. In Denver, Colorado, for example, more than 1,260 have been reported this year, up from 750 four years ago.
Various industry surveys show that it's a headache for many online shoppers. A product research firm called The Chamber of Commerce claimed to have asked 1,250 U.S. consumers in October and found that 26% of them had been victims of package theft. The problem encompassed both urban and suburban areas, with only 18 per cent reporting it to the police.
Another report, compiled by Capital One Bank from various sources, indicated that 14% of Americans were victims last year. According to this report, the thefts resulted in losses worth $29.200 billion.
What are companies doing about it?
Retailers and delivery companies are trying to combat the problem in a variety of ways.
UPS and FedEx, for example, allow customers to delay the delivery of packages if they are not home or divert them to other pickup locations, either for free or for a fee.
This year, UPS has also rolled out a feature called DeliveryDefense that uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to assess delivery risks and generate a "trust score" for the addresses merchants have to send packages to.
If the address has a drop, merchants can offer customers in-store delivery or UPS pickup points, which include CVS and Michaels stores, as well as other local businesses. Jim Mayer, a company spokesman, said 350 retailers are using the service, but declined to give examples.
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Retailers like Amazon and Walmart also allow customers to track their orders and prepare for deliveries or pick them up in stores.
Amazon, which has a limited physical footprint compared to Walmart, has lockers where packages can be picked up at third-party locations, as well as at its subsidiary Whole Foods. The company also offers its Prime service members the option to have their drivers drop off the products in safe places, such as their garage.
In addition, retailers and brands are partnering with companies that offer shipping protections and thus choose to take on those expenses or offer it to consumers who want to pay for it.
One of these companies, Extend, said it works with 400 retailers, merchants and brands such as Anne Klein and LensDirect, which sells contact lenses and eyewear. Rohan Shah, the company's founder, says that high-end retailers that focus on retaining customers are opting to pay for warranties. However, most offer them to consumers as an add-on.
What to do if you can't find your package?
Retailers say customers should check the status of their order and confirm if a package has been delivered. If the delivery has been made, they should ask other members of their family or neighbors to see if anyone else has picked it up.
If that doesn't work, it would be best to contact the company from which the item was purchased.
Extend's Shah says retailers often try to determine whether customers are telling the truth and look at data such as the history of package theft reports to determine how they should respond.
Some ask customers to file complaints with the police, something most people don't want to do, whether they lie or not.
"There are these points — what I like to call friction or 'gotchas' — where (retailers) will try to minimize customers filing these claims because they know it's going to cost them," Shah said. "It's a headache for all parties involved."
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Ben Stickle, a professor of criminal justice at Middle Tennessee State University and one of the leading experts on the subject, said retailers are often willing to replace stolen packages, which could be driven by a desire to maintain their brand reputation and customer loyalty.
Amazon encourages its customers to contact customer service if they don't receive their package within 30 days of the expected delivery date. Customers who have ordered items from third-party Amazon sellers should talk to them, the company stipulates on its website. Walmart also asks consumers to contact the company.
Target includes a clause on its website stating that the risk of loss passes to the buyer after the company delivers an order to a carrier. Still, it also says that customers who can't find their shipments can request a replacement or refund online.
If retailers don't help, Consumer Reports says customers should contact the shipping company. If the purchase was made with a credit card, it may also be worth checking the banking company's benefits to see if it includes insurance for lost or stolen items. Homeowner's or renter's insurance might also help, but those policies typically have deductibles of $500 or more.
What does the law say about package theft?
Stealing packages delivered by the U.S. Postal Service is a federal crime. But the punishment for taking what is left behind by private carriers, such as UPS or Amazon, is governed by state laws, which may differ.
Last year, Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., introduced a bill in Congress to extend federal penalties to packages delivered by private companies. But the legislation has not moved forward.
Meanwhile, some states — including Texas, New Jersey and Michigan — have been amending their own laws in recent years to impose harsher penalties on "portal thieves."