DPD – Falsche Angabe auf der Webseite?

Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer. Laienmeinung.

I see these possibilities how the entry on the website might have come about:

1. You took the package yourself and signed it yourself.
2. The package messenger has passed the package to a neighbor and one of the two has signed, but since your name has already been tipped, the messenger has left it in the field from laziness or time pressure.
3. Someone has spent your time and captured the package directly on the vehicle.
4. The package messenger has itself signed that he has handed over the package to you, as it has been introduced to Corona for contactless transfer, and then it has been deposited somewhere at a supposed location or thrown onto a balcony. Check the corners around the house, the dog hut and also all garbage cans – some package messengers have strange ideas in this respect.
5. The messenger himself suppressed it (possibly after he photographed it at a location you specified as a proof that he delivered it properly).
6. The messenger duly deposited it at an agreed deposit, and someone else stole it later.
7. The messenger has already prepared the handover at his previous station (i.e. the package marked as “supplied”), but then something came in between, e.g. a tire panel. It may be the next working day.

You already ruled out Case 1.

Cases 2 and 3 would presumably mean that the package messenger is liable, because he has not checked any ID.

Cases 4 to 6 cannot be distinguished from each other only on the basis of the signature (although I also exclude them more because that would not have been a personal handover, i.e. he would probably have noted it differently):

In cases 4 and 6, the liability question indicates whether you have given a deposit permit. If so, you may not get it replaced.

If he’s done in case 5, it’s likely to be noticed that he steals packages. However, you may not be able to prove this yourself, i.e. if you didn’t do anything wrong, you might be stuck in the damage.

Case 7: If the package no longer arrives, this again corresponds to case 5.

I’d call DPD, call the number and ask where the package is. If you don’t like the answer, you can make a complaint and see if it promotes their conversation.