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Amazon Plants Fake Packages In Delivery Trucks As Part of Undercover Ploy To 'Trap' Drivers Stealing (businessinsider.com)
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Business Insider: Amazon uses fake packages to catch delivery drivers who are stealing, according to sources with knowledge of the practice. The company plants the packages -- internally referred to as "dummy" packages -- in the trucks of drivers at random. The dummy packages have fake labels and are often empty.
Here's how the practice works, according to the sources: During deliveries, drivers scan the labels of every package they deliver. When they scan a fake label on a dummy package, an error message will pop up. When this happens, drivers might call their supervisors to address the problem, or keep the package in their truck and return it to an Amazon warehouse at the end of their shift. Drivers, in theory, could also choose to steal the package. The error message means the package isn't detected in Amazon's system. As a result, it could go unnoticed if the package were to go missing. "If you bring the package back, you are innocent. If you don't, you're a thug," said Sid Shah, a former manager for DeliverOL, a courier company that delivers packages for Amazon.
Here's how the practice works, according to the sources: During deliveries, drivers scan the labels of every package they deliver. When they scan a fake label on a dummy package, an error message will pop up. When this happens, drivers might call their supervisors to address the problem, or keep the package in their truck and return it to an Amazon warehouse at the end of their shift. Drivers, in theory, could also choose to steal the package. The error message means the package isn't detected in Amazon's system. As a result, it could go unnoticed if the package were to go missing. "If you bring the package back, you are innocent. If you don't, you're a thug," said Sid Shah, a former manager for DeliverOL, a courier company that delivers packages for Amazon.
I've heard of people not RTFA but not reading the summary is a new one. It clearly states the scanner produces an error (because the package is Not in the system... it's a fake package).
Another reason the scanner produces an error is because Amazon doesn't want drivers to leave a bunch of empty boxes laying around..... they want the box to come back (hence the error generation).
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - historian Evelyn Beatrice Hall
But this is only one way to steal. There are many other ways, such as taking a package to the porch, scanning it, so the GPS-enabled scanner marks it as "delivered", and then taking the package back to the truck. Then, just before returning to the distribution center, stash the sack of stolen boxes in the bushes to pick up later.
The point of the "fake package" ploy is to identify those likely to steal. By publicizing it, they make it less effective at catching dishonest drivers.
Just because the scanner "produces an error" does not mean that it does not also record the number of the scanned package, and who scanned it.
Betcha that package number goes into "the system" as soon as it's scanned, thereby providing evidence that the driver had it in his hands at a particular time.
Violation of federal labor law.
No, it is not a violation of federal labor law.
It may be a violation of state law, depending on your state: Connecticut and Delaware ban hidden cameras.
Video surveillance of employees is generally legal.
Audio surveillance is generally illegal without notification.
Video surveillance is illegal if there is an expectation of privacy, such as in a restroom.
>. Well, now we have a bunch of professions that no longer work full time"
Except it didn't happen. The number of part time employees has been slowly decreasing since ObamaCare passed.
https://tradingeconomics.com/u...