Amazon is using tamper-proof packaging along with thermal labels to combat package tampering during delivery, where packages are heated, opened, and resealed. The official instructions require recipients to verify the package number and check for pink lines or "opened" labels on the seal.

In addition to anti-counterfeiting codes, the security seals have thermal ink dots. The official guidelines state: the four thermal dots should be white; if any turn pink, the package must be refused. User tests show that softening the adhesive with hot air and then peeling off the tape is a common tampering method, and heating will result in indelible pink spots.

This design targets the scenario where "the adhesive is softened by hot air, the box is opened, the goods are swapped, the tape is reapplied, and the appearance is nearly indistinguishable." Pink serves as a refusal signal for recipients, not as an internal code for warehouses.

The public customer service page outlines the inspection steps: the package number must match the order, the safety number on the bag must be clear, the central line of the seal should not be pink except at the edges, and the blue seal must not show "opened." Any anomaly can lead to immediate refusal of the package.

This solution is first rolled out for high-value, easily swapped categories like pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, and is used in conjunction with security seals that have three-dimensional, non-reproducible patterns. The thermal dots, cutting marks, and package numbers serve as three layers of signals, not just relying on a single tape.

In market mechanics, the ones paying are the platforms and sellers looking to reduce losses from missing items and swap fraud, while what is sold is trust in packaging that can be inspected on the spot. The issue is driven by fraud in last-mile delivery, shifting funds from after-sales compensation to packaging materials and refusal processes; benefiting are the certainty of receipt for high-ticket items, while under pressure are the last-mile processes relying on hot air to open boxes for exchanges, and potential disputes arising from false refusals triggered by excessive heat.

Source: Public Information