Porch pirates disguised as Amazon drivers stealing credit cards in Arizona neighborhoods

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) -- Porch pirates who appear as Amazon drivers were caught on camera stealing new credit cards from Valley homes. Arizona’s Family has confirmed two cases with strangely similar circumstances. Two different FedEx drivers were dropping off new credit cards in two different Valley homes. In both situations, men who appear to be Amazon employees with a package in hand use sleight of hand not to drop off, but to pick up those packaged credit cards.

“He came over, acted like he was delivering it and put our package from FedEx underneath his and walked away from both,” said Shelly Dinsmore.

Dinsmore couldn’t believe what her New River home Ring doorbell video captured and was surprised to find out the same thing happened to a woman in Phoenix. What’s also jaw-dropping is that they were both receiving Capital One credit cards after their old ones were hit with fraud.

Before it was even in their possession, the new cards were already linked to their Amazon accounts. “I don’t know if it was Amazon or our credit card, but it synced right away with our Amazon,” said Dinsmore. “I don’t know if someone is in cahoots with someone or what like, ‘oh, they got a new credit card, let’s get their information.’”

Adam Coughran has more than 20 years of law enforcement experience in Southern California and is a security expert and consultant. “I would almost never discount a coincidence but never put it out of the equation either,” said Coughran. He thinks thieves are trailing FedEx trucks, using a mole at Capital One of Amazon to get personal information, or hacking email addresses to find out when those cards are delivered.

“They’re monitoring your email, so when you get the notice your card is going to arrive today, well, now they know your card with the email on the parcel is on its way,” said Coughran.

Dinsmore and the other woman in Phoenix have reported the crime to the police. Luckily, they turned off the new cards before any charges got on them. They hope the crooks get caught. “We work hard for what we have, we don’t think it’s right for them to come to steal everything,” said Dinsmore.

After seeing our story, an Amazon spokesperson said on Friday that the company is now looking into the stolen packages and doing a review to find out if the thieves are employed by Amazon or a 3rd party contractor.

Arizona’s Family also reached out to Capital One and have not heard back.

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