For some purchases, Amazon sends a six-figure OTP to you ahead of your delivery, which you must read out to your courier before they hand over your parcel.
These codes are designed to give you peace of mind that high-value purchases will arrive safely, but we've heard from customers who have had items stolen or swapped out.
Here we explain how the OTP system works and offer advice on resolving issues.
What is Amazon's 'one-time password' system?
For some high-value orders, Amazon will send you a OTP to provide to the courier when they deliver your parcel.
The password is a six-digit number sent to your registered email address after your item has been dispatched. You can also find the OTP by selecting 'track' in the 'your orders' section of your Amazon account.
The OTP is valid only until the end of the delivery day – so if there's a mishap with the delivery and it turns up the following day, you should expect to receive a new code.
If you're not available to receive the package, or if you've sent the item as a gift, you can share the OTP with someone and they can receive the package for you.
Read more:'My Amazon driver drove off with my parcel'
Michael ordered an Apple laptop from Amazon and received an OTP in advance of the delivery – but when he handed over the code, the courier told him it was incorrect.
The courier said Michael would have to wait for another code. He said he'd be back later when the new OTP had been sent, before driving off with the parcel.
But when Michael went back to his computer, he received a notification saying the package had in fact been successfully delivered. It was then that he realised the courier had stolen his laptop.
Amazon said it would investigate, but a few days later Michael received an email saying he wasn't eligible for a refund because the password had been given to the courier.
Michael tried to contest Amazon's decision repeatedly but didn't get anywhere.
He did eventually get his money back by making a chargeback claim with his bank – but was frustrated he wasn't offered a refund directly from Amazon.
Read more:'I was told I'm not eligible for a refund or replacement'
Jake had a similar experience when he purchased a top-spec gaming monitor worth more than £600 from Amazon.
He read the OTP to the driver, but was shocked when the driver got back into his van and drove away without handing the parcel over.
Jake rang Amazon to ask for a replacement or refund but spent weeks trying to get it resolved. 'Amazon told me that as I'd given the one-time password in person to the driver I am not eligible to receive a refund or replacement,' he told us.
Eventually Amazon offered Jake a full refund but he described the experience as a nightmare. 'It took me about eight different attempts of speaking to customer services and telling them my problem before I got a refund. A lot of the people I spoke to weren’t any help at all. When I mentioned about the driver they said they would “look into it” – but I highly doubt it,' he said.
Amazon told Which? it has very high standards for the delivery service providers it works with and how they serve customers. It said the vast majority of its orders are fulfilled without a hitch but apologised for instances where deliveries fell short of expectations. It said that both customers had been refunded prior to Which? getting in touch.
Find out more:'I received printer paper instead of a laptop'
Other Amazon customers have handed over OTPs to find that items completely unrelated to their orders are inside the packages.
Sherene was expecting Amazon to deliver an Asus laptop. She gave the driver her password but noticed the parcel that was handed over looked 'crushed at the ends'.
When she looked in the box, she found printer paper instead of the laptop she'd ordered. 'I was so shocked, as you can imagine. I ran to see if I could catch the delivery man but he was gone,' she said.
Sherene rang Amazon's customer service department straight away. 'Their response was that they didn't hold information about the delivery driver or where it was dispatched, but they did fortunately offer me the option of a refund or replacement,' she explained.
But Sherene wants an explanation as well as a refund: 'I did insist that Amazon carry out an investigation, which it stated it would do internally. I'm still very upset and hope there is some accountability and the dishonest parties are caught.
'I would advise any customers who've ordered expensive items online to open them while the delivery driver is present,' Sherene added.
Amazon told us it resolved the incorrect delivery within 11 minutes and said the parcel was delivered the next day.
Read more:What to do if your OTP delivery goes wrong
If you experience a delivery drama after being sent an OTP, here are some tips on what to do to get the issue resolved.
source https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/amazon-one-time-passwords-customers-report-item-thefts-and-parcels-being-switched-ait1r3T6wfnz