Wh What t should h ld I d do with packages I didn’t ask for?

QI’ve received two unsolicited packages from China, and one from Brunei, containing two pairs of very small gloves, a keyring, and a small cycle light. I’ve not ordered these and having checked my Paypal, bank and credit-card accounts, find I haven’t been charged. Do I have to return the items, or contact the seller? Is this a scam?

Gary Marshall

AWe’ve actually no idea if this is a scam or bizarre business tactic, but after some research we’ve found that many puzzled people have received unexpected goods from China. We think Gary has been targeted by ‘inertia selling’, which is the practice of sending goods to customers in the hope of making a sale. It seems that shoppers who have bought items online from China have been targeted in particular. Amazon customers sometimes buy items from China without realising it. To check a company’s location on Amazon, click its name thenn read the Detailed Seller Informationon in the right-hand column.

Under the Consumerum umer Contract Regulationsions ns Gary doesn’t have to contact the seller or return the items, so can do what he wantsants ts with them. This is made clear in the wording of the law, which is that customers can “use, deal with, or dispose of the goods as if they were an unconditional gift”. If the company has requested a paym payment, that would be a criminal off offence under the Unfair Tr Trading Regulations (unless it’sit a genuine error). The co company can’t demand that Gary return the go goods. An Anyone who receives unso unsolicitedso goods should keepep checking their bank and d Papaypal accounts just to m make sure that scam scammersam haven’t stolen en any money.