The postie signed her name… That’s when the trouble began.

We all know the thrill of waiting for a parcel—especially when it’s full of goodies for a new furry family member!

But for one Aussie woman, what should have been a simple delivery from Australia Post turned into a saga that left her fuming, frustrated, and more than a little unsettled.



It all started innocently enough. One Aussie woman, excited about the arrival of her new puppy, went a little overboard (as we all do!) and ordered a selection of adorable leashes and harnesses from a small Queensland business.

With her heart set on spoiling her soon-to-arrive pup, she eagerly awaited the delivery.

But life, as it does, threw a curveball. She and her family had to make a last-minute trip to Bendigo to visit her terminally ill grandmother.

Not wanting to miss her parcel, she took comfort in the Australia Post text message: if no one was home, the package would be safely redirected to the local post office. What could go wrong?


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An Aussie woman’s package containing puppy supplies was allegedly signed for and left at her door by an Australia Post delivery driver while she was away, resulting in it being stolen. Image source: Yujie Wang / Unsplash. Disclaimer: This is a stock image used for illustrative purposes only and does not depict the actual person, item, or event described.



Well, as it turns out—plenty.

Upon returning home, she found no sign of her parcel. Confused, she headed to the post office, only to discover that the delivery driver had signed for the parcel on her behalf and left it at her front door.

You guessed it: the parcel was nowhere to be found. It had been stolen.

Understandably upset, she followed the advice of a helpful post office staff member and lodged a formal complaint online. She hoped this would be the end of her troubles, but things were about to get even stranger.



Just two days after lodging her complaint, there was a knock at her door. To her shock, it was the very same delivery driver—now standing on her doorstep, demanding to know why she’d complained.

She recounted: ‘I told him he’d fraudulently signed on my behalf and his actions had led to my parcel being stolen. He tried looking into my house to probably see if I’d stashed it somewhere. I also asked him why he thought it was appropriate to come to my house and harass me about this and he said his boss told him to.’

Not only was this behaviour highly inappropriate, but it also left her feeling anxious and exposed in her own home.

She admitted, ‘I was fuming, it seemed so inappropriate and I’d been afraid something like this would happen if I complained.’


Source: @Lumpy_Pumpkin_9177 / Reddit.​


After this unsettling encounter, Australia Post admitted fault and the original business, Pablo and Co, kindly sent her a replacement order.

But the saga didn’t end there. Despite Australia Post’s admission of wrongdoing, they refused to reimburse the small business for the lost goods.

To add insult to injury, the replacement parcel was delivered by the same postie, prompting her to file a second complaint.

Australia Post has since confirmed they are investigating the matter, stating: ‘Australia Post takes customer concerns of this nature very seriously. We are currently investigating this matter with the local delivery team and will update the customer in coming days.’



This story raises some important questions about parcel delivery, privacy, and what you can do if things go wrong. Here’s what you need to know:
  • Signature on Delivery: If a parcel requires a signature, only the recipient (or someone at the address) should sign for it. It is not acceptable for a delivery driver to sign on your behalf unless you have given explicit permission (such as through an ‘Authority to Leave’).
  • Authority to Leave: If you’re not home and haven’t given authority to leave, your parcel should be taken to the nearest post office for collection.
  • Lost or Stolen Parcels: If your parcel is lost or stolen due to a delivery error, you are entitled to lodge a complaint and request compensation or a replacement.
  • Privacy and Safety: Delivery staff should never confront or harass customers at their homes regarding complaints. If this happens, report it immediately to Australia Post and, if you feel threatened, to the police.
Read more: No knock, no parcel: Aussie’s note to postie strikes a nerve

Key Takeaways

  • An Aussie woman’s package containing puppy supplies was allegedly signed for and left at her door by an Australia Post delivery driver while she was away, resulting in it being stolen.
  • After lodging an online complaint, the same delivery driver returned to her home to question her about the complaint, leaving her feeling harassed and uncomfortable.
  • Australia Post has admitted fault in an email and the original business has helped the customer by sending a replacement order, but the shop wasn’t reimbursed for the missing parcel.
  • Australia Post stated they are taking the matter seriously and are currently investigating the delivery incident with their local team.

Have you ever had a parcel go missing, or experienced a delivery gone wrong? How did Australia Post or your courier handle it? Do you think enough is being done to protect customers and small businesses from these kinds of mishaps? We’d love to hear your stories, tips, and advice in the comments below!
 
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The “tip” is to the Regulator!
Investigate Australia Post!?!?
Australia Post employed professionals decades ago to “clean”’its grubby image; no action was taken then, in fact hierarchy continued to reward itself??
😡ANOTHER REGULATOR ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL ….. Feeding from
the public trough whilst enabling corporate and agency failures to impact individuals ???? 😡
 
That Australia Post delivery driver should gave been sacked as should his boss as no way he should have been told to go to her house. So out of order. Who do they think they are, thank goodness they don't act like that here in Perth. I would not have opened my security door but talked to him through it. He would never have got in my house.
 
Anyone of us undertaking online shopping is open to issues with delivery, particularly if a site is unattended. There has been significant media coverage about poor delivery habitts which can involve product damage and then the possibility of theft.
I see this as a twofold problem. Firstly the customer needs to ensure they can provide a safe and secure delivery point and secondly the delivery companies, including Australia Post need to ensure their policies, procedures and practices meet customer expectations and rights..
 
I had to jump several hoops to get a passport for my grandson. Eventually I got there. I went to the supermarket, gone for 45 minutes and the passport got delivered but I wasn't home, so I quickly took the red slip that was left in the letter box and went to the post office. "Its not here yet, the postman is probably doing his deliveries, come back tomorrow" I went back the next day and they didn't have it. "Its gone back to the warehouse, come back tomorrow" Third attempt and it still wasn't there. The nice lady called the warehouse and asked if it was there because it was feared it might have been misplaced. I am a grandmother carer, so as you can imagine it cost me over $7000 court cost just to get the authority to get it in the first place, but to have the post office in fear of losing this passport, I broke down and cried. The nice lady behind the counter called the warehouse again and made sure they had it and made them delivered it to me at home.
 
Only this week I had a notification from Aust Post that a "delivery was coming today". It never arrived but I received text saying "not at home" collect at post office...was home all day. I had to rely on a friend to drive me and off to the post office I go and they informed me it was in my "postal lock box". Never had one of these lock boxes ever. The staff helped me retrieve it...it was only a standard letter, no signature required. So why could that have not been put in my letter box. The staff could not even explain that one.
 
I had some nitwit deliver a parcel to us. We were both home. Both cars clearly in the drive,lovely day,front door open for the fresh air. This driver didn’t even come to the door! I got notification that my parcel had been delivered! Yeah,what??? Called the courier who insisted the parcel had been left in a safe place. After nearly an hour of searching,we finally found it in the trailer in the driveway. I mean,really? Anyone passing could see it. Had we been at the front of the property,we’d have found it,no worries but we were searching for “safe” hiding places. Useless buggers!
 
Australia Post has lost the plot.
It took 3 weeks for my friend's birthday card to arrive just 2 suburbs and a 10-minute drive away.
I posted my brothers card a week ago to the same suburb I live in, still hasn't arrived.o_O
 
I must be one of the rare ones, I shop on line quite a lot and I have never had a problem, if I am not at home I will give ‘authority to leave’ and specify where to leave it, if home they always knock or the postie gets off his bike and rings the door bell, super grateful for this service and obviously very grateful to be one of the few who don’t have a problem with delivery. ❤️
 
I was expecting to see parcels from China as all the tracking msites say tgay have been sent to Bexley processing centre I have tried unsucessfully to find out where that is as i have been waiting at home here since thje 28th of last month No onme can even tell me where the processing centre even is in Bexley not even postal employees Ihave been reinmorsed for most of the parcels but when i tried to reorder the companies will not accept my order again I evedn emailed APOs customer service dept only to be told not their tracking numbers so bad luck
 
I had been waiting weeks for a parcel to arrive from the US and it finally arrived by our postie on Monday. My husband went to the letterbox to get it only to find it had been opened and was empty. The postal company that processed it from the US to here - DAI Post - are useless and offered no help. Took the empty box to A/Post yesteday to start an investigation. Somewhere since arriving in Australia someone has helped themselves to the contents of my parcel. Hubby is also waiting on a parcel from the US and it has come by the same company, DAI Post who he rang yesterday to ask why his parce was still sitting at the airport only to be told it wasn't there, it was missing. They offered no help at all. Now as of yesterday afternoon his parcel has miraculously appeared and gone to Melbourne - we are in Brisbane and it had arrived in Brisbane so why has it gone to Melbourne? Something weird is going on so hubby is on his way to our Post Office to find out. Never ever have we had a problem with Aussie Post but people, beware anything coming via DAI Post - they get really bad ratings and are no help whatsoever,
 
From my experience of having online orders delivered, Australia Post is the most trustworthy.

Aramex?? Now that’s another story.
 
Nothing missing yet but several times parcels have been left on the doorstep while we were home but the doorbell didn't ring. The doorbell is immediately above the spot where the parcels are placed and I've even put a label under it stating "DOOR BELL" just in case they are so dumb they don't recognise it.
Aus Post really needs to review it's employment, training and staff review procedures.
 
I had been waiting weeks for a parcel to arrive from the US and it finally arrived by our postie on Monday. My husband went to the letterbox to get it only to find it had been opened and was empty. The postal company that processed it from the US to here - DAI Post - are useless and offered no help. Took the empty box to A/Post yesteday to start an investigation. Somewhere since arriving in Australia someone has helped themselves to the contents of my parcel. Hubby is also waiting on a parcel from the US and it has come by the same company, DAI Post who he rang yesterday to ask why his parce was still sitting at the airport only to be told it wasn't there, it was missing. They offered no help at all. Now as of yesterday afternoon his parcel has miraculously appeared and gone to Melbourne - we are in Brisbane and it had arrived in Brisbane so why has it gone to Melbourne? Something weird is going on so hubby is on his way to our Post Office to find out. Never ever have we had a problem with Aussie Post but people, beware anything coming via DAI Post - they get really bad ratings and are no help whatsoever,
I used to see that also from parcels from Daipost and could not like you inderstanmd why as the parcels were coming in to Sydney they just about travlled the country here even had one come back from Perth before it was delivered I switched to My us over in the US They even givbe you your own personla mailbox there although it is a little dearer then most You can even nomonate when and where you want it sent even the freight comoany you want it sent by I chose FGedex newbedr a problem with them and they make sure you are informed even step of tythe way with your parcel ncluding to your front door
 
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Nothing missing yet but several times parcels have been left on the doorstep while we were home but the doorbell didn't ring. The doorbell is immediately above the spot where the parcels are placed and I've even put a label under it stating "DOOR BELL" just in case they are so dumb they don't recognise it.
Aus Post really needs to review it's employment, training and staff review procedures.
That happens to me, all the time. At home watching and waiting for the parcel. And, it's thrown on the doorstep. Several times its been delivered to the wrong address, with a photo, of the house behind mine. Yet, my address is clearly labelled correctly 🙄
 
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do not use IMILE.
 
HAve had numerous problems with drivers throwing parcels over the fence into the garden...Opening the gate and dumping parcel on driveway..Not closing the gate even tho there's a sign to make sure the dogs don't escape.Have a container near front door to put smaller parcels but not always used depending on the driver.
Getting a little better now,but who knows.
Don't have much luck trying to complain to Australia Post.
 
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I doubt that this is the only time he's done this
 
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I recently was expecting a parcel. Both myself and one of my sons were here the front door open but no postie came. We can see through the flyscreen door. I then got an email from Auspost to say the parcel gad been delivered and I promptly checked the mail box.. no it had not so back to auspost to say so delivery they then said they would investigate and sent a photo of where he had left the parcel. Huh it was on a chair with striped webbing. No we do not have any chairs like that and no verandah to have one . I let Auspost know. My son was leaving and said as he drove along our street he would see if there was a possibility of it being left at another address. No but later in the afternoon my neighbour across the raod had come home from Uni and found it on there front porch, he checked it and discovered it was for us and came over. Now the parcel was clearly marked 32 and it was delivered to 33. I do wonder if these people not only can they speak our language but also not read. No apologies from Auspost.
 
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do not use IMILE.
Who are they Jest, I’m not familiar with them. Fortunately, most of my stuff comes in with Australia Post and our delivery ladies are brilliant. I had a lot of problems with Couriers Please last year, while in Perth. They simply didn’t read the address properly, after a very terse call to their office, they managed to find me on the third attempt!
 

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