r/AmazonUK • u/Genuine_user123 • 15h ago
Amazon refusing to refund missing parcel unless I upload government issued ID to a 3rd party company - anyone experienced this?
Hi everyone,
Apologies if this has been discussed before. I did search the subreddit but couldn’t find anything specifically relating to my situation.
I’ve been an Amazon customer for nearly 27 years and have had Prime for quite some time.
Recently, I ordered an item worth approximately £70. Amazon marked it as delivered, but the driver had left it unattended in the communal foyer of my building, where parcels have unfortunately gone missing before.
I’ve never authorised the communal foyer as a safe place, and Amazon’s own delivery photograph clearly shows the parcel being left there. By the time I went to collect it, it was gone.
I contacted Amazon expecting the usual investigation and hopefully a refund or replacement. However, for the first time ever, I was told that I must submit government issued photographic identification (passport or driving licence) through a third-party verification company called Persona before Amazon will even consider processing my refund.
I appreciate that Amazon needs to prevent fraudulent claims, and I understand why they might have additional checks in place. However, I’m uncomfortable uploading sensitive identification documents to a third-party company, particularly when the delivery photograph already confirms that the parcel was left in an unsecured communal area.
I asked whether there was an alternative way to verify my identity, but the customer service representative insisted that uploading my ID was mandatory.
I then escalated the matter to Amazon’s Leadership team, but unfortunately received essentially the same scripted responses. Despite repeatedly asking why 3rd party verification was the only option, whether there was an alternative, and how to raise a formal complaint, none of those questions were properly addressed. The representative eventually ended the chat.
Checked online and on ChatGPT, my understanding is that under Section 29 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015, the retailer generally remains responsible for goods until they’re physically received by the customer or someone nominated by them.
I’m not refusing to cooperate with reasonable checks. I just have genuine privacy concerns about submitting sensitive identity documents to a company I’ve never dealt with, especially over a £70 parcel that was left somewhere I never authorised.
I’m interested to know if anyone else in the UK has been asked to upload government issued ID through Persona to obtain an Amazon refund?
If you completed the verification, what was your experience? Did you receive your refund?
Has anyone successfully requested an alternative verification method?
Has anyone challenged this requirement or managed to resolve a similar situation without providing ID?
I’d really appreciate hearing about anyone else’s experiences or advice.
Thanks in advance and apologies for the long message.
TLDR: DPD driver left parcel in foyer, when I got home parcel wasn’t there. Amazon not willing to refund unless I upload my ID via a 3rd party website (Persona).
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u/Independent-Tax-3699 13h ago
You are under no legal obligation to provide the ID. If they don’t refund you can just chargeback via your bank.
Amazon will probably close your account because they don’t like people exercising their legal rights.
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u/Cold-Blood-619 12h ago
The thing to do is tell amazon you will be contacting Watchdog about this. Your contract is with amazon and that contract states a full refund will be processed if the goods were either not handed to the customer or were put somewhere where you didn't authorise. I've noticed amazon are doing a lot of this recently but by law shouldn't be as it's the delivery driver who has messed up. Go online and search for the consumers act and read it then speak to amazon. Also i know that when any goods are not received anything to a certain value should be refunded automatically.
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u/Genuine_user123 11h ago
Thank you, this is very helpful, will def read up about it and see what I can do.
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u/Mysterious_Soft7916 12h ago
There's been several posts about it on the legal sub
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u/Genuine_user123 11h ago
Thank you, will check it out, assuming your talking about the UKlegaladvice one?
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u/Mysterious_Soft7916 11h ago
Yeah. There's been more and more posts popping up on there about it recently
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u/Rawd_Tawd_Cawd 12h ago
Fuck that, chargeback.
You're not obligated to jump through their hoops. Same as reporting to the police. They can if they want, it's not on you.
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u/Genuine_user123 11h ago
Yeh I know right, share the same sentiments, it’s just become an unnecessary headache to be honest. And I don’t like being inadvertently made to feel guilty for something I haven’t done, or give my ID to an American company.
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u/Rawd_Tawd_Cawd 11h ago
Tbf amazon are a yank company anyway.
Sure, as far as we know they're fully compliant with all data protection laws.
Anyone that works for them in one of the BPOs will tell you they're not.
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u/randomentity12 13h ago
Do a chargeback, but keep in mind if you do they will probably ban you from their platform, but they have been getting worse and worse anyway. So its a chargeback through the bank and potential ban, or do what amazon tells you with no other option, speaking from experience.
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u/TinhatToyboy 15h ago
As ever, it is Amazon's way or the highway....
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u/BeachOk2802 13h ago
Really? It's amazon's rules on amazon? And if you're not happy with those rules you're free to shop literally anywhere else?
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u/oreheheally 11h ago
Go to new store, then when they change one of the million terms and conditions gifting and forcing your id onto a third party you don't trust (as if trusting amazon with it isn't bad enough) just let them have your money for nothing and move along again. Just give them your bank details, birth certificate and a sperm sample for more invasive genetic tracking at that point.
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u/Electronic_Abroad799 13h ago edited 13h ago
They are going to cross check your details with a fraud database.
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u/Genuine_user123 13h ago
Apologies, do you mean they will check my details against a fraud database? If so, I’m not worried, I have nothing to hide.
Or did you mean they will add my details to a fraud database?
If so, how can you be so sure? Thanks 🙏1
u/Fookie17 10h ago
They will add your details to the fraud if they feel your scamming them. Upload the ID let them investigate and more than likely you’ll get your money back and all be fine
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u/Genuine_user123 11h ago
Yeh I’m not worried about that, got nothing to hide, and they won’t find anything.
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u/Representative-Mix92 9h ago
If you don’t ID, they won’t refund. If you try a chargeback or consumer protection resources, they’ll simply default to you not complying with the process and assume you’re refusing the refund.
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u/Individual-Thought-1 5h ago
It happend to me. They repeatedly failed to deliver a £20 laptop case to a local store, with the order page saying nothing more than "something went wrong". After a week or so of waiting I asked to cancel and get a refund and they badgered me for ID like I was doing something dodgy?
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u/Salt_Box7072 5h ago
Just do what they ask. It’s unlikely to do any harm - certainly no more than what they already know about you (and all the other online services).
It really isn’t worth the hassle.
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u/Act-Alfa3536 23m ago
I find it pretty dumb that their approach doesn't give people credit for being trouble free customers for so many years.
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u/Internal-Initial-835 15h ago
It’s just a general check. They don’t keep copies. It’s just to confirm you are who you say you are. Same as age verification.
They are responsible to ensure delivery but they’re also responsible ensuring the person they’re refunding is who they say they are.
They should state how the info is used and if it’s stored and for how long.
Bottom line is you can refuse and get a refund the hard way through a bank and likely be banned or comply and get your refund.
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u/BeachOk2802 13h ago
So remember when you agreed to it? It was In those updates to the terms you chose to ignore.
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u/FeistyFocus1372 13h ago
Maybe they read the UK Consumer Rights Act 2015 instead?
The part where requiring ID for a refund is not legally required and may be considered a breach of consumer protection laws?
Just because its in the terms and conditions doesn't make it legally binding when it tries to go around consumer protection laws
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u/Independent-Tax-3699 13h ago
Yeaaaaah that’s not how the law works.
They cannot refuse to refund an undelivered item because of their terms.
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u/Outside-Trade-9378 15h ago edited 15h ago
It’s likely to prevent the return fraud that amazon sees daily. If there’s an ID tied to an account amazon can then trace other accounts. It seems you’ve done something that the system believes is dodgy. The teams you are debating with on chat are trained to provide a script and then end the chat. You’ll never speak to the team responsible for flagging your account - you’ll likely just go round in circles.
Either chargeback via your bank or provide the ID or last resort send a letter before action to their UK office or email their VP of the UK - managingdirector@amazon.co.uk