Amazon must pay $20,000 after B.C. customer reports missing package 

October 22,2025

RED FM News Desk

After investigating a complaint from a B.C. customer whose Amazon order never arrived, Consumer Protection B.C. (CPBC) has ordered the e-commerce giant to pay nearly $20,000 in fines, legal fees, and a $511.25 refund. 

In its October 14 ruling, CPBC found that Amazon violated the B.C. Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act by failing to refund the missing package. 

Amazon claimed the package had been delivered to “someone” at the customer’s home, but CPBC stated that packages must be provided directly to the consumer. “It is not sufficient for an online retailer to simply leave packages at the door or hand them to someone else without the consumer’s consent,” said CPBC spokesperson Louise Hartland. 

The case highlights ongoing questions about responsibility for missing packages. Many Amazon customers report orders stolen by “porch pirates,” usually investigated by police. In this instance, the customer both filed a police report and lodged a complaint with CPBC. 

According to the ruling, the customer ordered a dual-display computer monitor and a portable digital storage unit on August 29, 2024, for a total of $582.75. That day, Amazon sent a text claiming the package had been “handed to resident.” The customer, however, said neither they nor their roommates received it and requested a refund. 

Amazon denied the refund, citing suspicions of “return abuse,” noting the customer had claimed non-delivery on three previous orders in the past year. The company also said it had evidence the package was delivered, though no photographic proof existed. CPBC ruled that the burden of proof rested with Amazon, and the retailer’s claim that anyone at the residence could accept the package was insufficient. 

The regulator ordered Amazon to pay $10,000 in fines, $9,369 in legal fees, and a $511.25 refund. The total order of $582.75 was reduced by $71.48, the portion paid via credit card, in accordance with Canadian regulations for unauthorized transactions. 

Amazon has 30 days to appeal.