Unclaimed Freight in Canada: What It Is and How to Avoid Scams
Unclaimed freight, also called undelivered or abandoned freight, is a shipment a carrier could not deliver and nobody came back for. This page explains what it is, how it ends up for sale, how to avoid the scams that use the name, and what AmazeDeals sells instead. We do not sell unclaimed freight or undelivered mail. Our stock is customer returns.
What is unclaimed freight?
Freight becomes unclaimed when a carrier cannot complete a delivery and the shipper does not take it back. Common reasons:
- the receiver refuses the shipment or cannot be found at the address;
- the business it was going to has closed;
- nobody pays the freight or storage charges;
- the paperwork or label is wrong and the shipper cannot be reached.
Carriers normally try to reach the shipper and the receiver first. Their shipping terms usually let them dispose of freight that stays unclaimed after a holding period, and that can include selling it, often in bulk to salvage buyers or at auction.
Unclaimed freight vs undelivered mail vs customer returns
| What it is | Who sells it | |
|---|---|---|
| Unclaimed freight | Commercial shipments (often on pallets) a freight carrier could not deliver | Carriers, salvage buyers and auction houses |
| Undelivered mail | Parcels and letters in the postal system that could not be delivered or returned | Handled under Canada Post rules; see our page on unclaimed packages in Canada |
| Customer returns | Items shoppers bought and sent back to the retailer | Retailers sell them in bulk; this is what AmazeDeals sells |
Watch out for "unclaimed package" scams
Ads that offer someone's lost parcels or "unclaimed Amazon packages" for a few dollars are a common scam. Many ship nothing, or sign you up for a subscription you did not want. Real unclaimed freight is sold in bulk, not as single cheap parcels with your name on them. If an offer sounds like that, do not pay, and report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. Our unclaimed packages page has more detail.
If you buy unclaimed freight anywhere, check this first
- Ask for a list of what is in the lot. Unclaimed freight often has no manifest at all. Know what that means for your risk.
- Expect anything. A pallet of undelivered commercial freight can be one product, or mixed goods, or damaged stock.
- Get the full cost including buyer fees, tax and moving it from wherever it sits.
- Pay only the business named on the invoice, and never change payment details because of an email.
What AmazeDeals sells instead
We are based in Kitchener, Ontario, and we sell customer returns, sold as-is: many items are new or like-new, some are open-box, and some may be used, damaged, incomplete or not working.
Truckloads and pallets
Full loads of 23 to 26 pallets, each with an item-by-item manifest you can read before you ask for a price. See the loads available now β
Weekly auction
Single items and small lots. You set the price: register, bid, and pick up in Kitchener or have it delivered. See current auctions β
Mystery boxes and lots
Mystery boxes from $69 and category lots of clothing and beauty products, packed at our warehouse.
Questions about unclaimed freight
Does AmazeDeals sell unclaimed or undelivered freight?
No. We sell customer returns: truckloads with manifests, weekly auction lots, category lots and mystery boxes.
Can I buy someone's lost package?
Not legitimately as a single parcel. Offers like that are usually scams. See our page on unclaimed packages in Canada.
Is unclaimed freight new?
Sometimes, because it never reached the buyer, but it can also be damaged in handling, incomplete or simply the wrong item. Check what you are buying.
Where are you?
Unit 1, 5 Forwell Road, Kitchener, Ontario. Phone (519) 504-6955.