Dame Joan falls victim to Amazon avalanche

During a stellar career, she has picked up a golden globe and any number of bouquets, been made a Dame and dazzled on red carpets around the world.

But none of it has prepared Joan Collins for the bombardment she’s just been subjected to while in residence in London’s Belgravia.

‘got home to find 40 parcels from Amazon that we didn’t order,’ Dame Joan ( below) squeals in horror, before wondering whether she and her husband, film producer Percy gibson, have been the victims of a practical joke or what she witheringly describes as a ‘lame scam’.

gibson, 55, her fifth husband, suspects the latter. ‘it happened the week after my computer came back from repair,’ he tells me. Shortly afterwards, packages began stacking up on the couple’s doorstep at a manic rate. ‘ i kept getting calls from Amazon drivers saying: “i can’t deliver your package — where do you want me to leave it?”’

The timing couldn’t have been worse, coming ‘right in the middle of a shoot,’ adds gibson, who’s been dismayed by what he describes as the ‘casual attitude’ displayed by Amazon. ‘i don’t think Amazon could have cared less. The packages are still here unopened. i’ve called them to say: “Do you want your stuff?” i’m talking to them right now.’ gibson believes that he and Joan have been victims of ‘ brushing’. ‘Somebody starts sending you lots of packages f r om f ake Amazon accounts,’ he explains. ‘They get the sales up, that way, for a particular product, and that enables people to write fake reviews.’ The couple do have one consolation: the family fortune has not been denuded. Though they were concerned the scammers might have used gibson’s American Express card, Amex has reassured him they would take care of it and recompense him if necessary. nevertheless, gibson issues a heartfelt warning to others. ‘Don’t put your credit card down on your Amazon account. And, if you drop your computer off for repair, make sure you wipe everything before you give it to them.’ Amazon assures me that it is l ooking ‘further into’ Joan and Percy’s packages.

THE late theatre, film and opera director sir Peter hall would be proud that two of his daughters have circumvented the pandemic by producing a shakespeare play over Zoom. Vicky cristina Barcelona actress rebecca hall and her halfsister Jenny are streaming a reading of the tempest over the internet next month and charging £10 a ticket. the production stars Geraldine James and is directed by Jenny, sir Peter’s daughter from his nine-year union with Gigi star Leslie caron.