A Louisiana State University student said she was “visibly upset and confused” upon discovering flyers posted around her apartment complex accusing her of stealing other residents’ packages.
In a viral video posted to TikTok yesterday, user Ames (@amy_lynn13) says she was walking her dog when she first saw the flyers that featured a photo of her. “This resident has been stealing packages on her daily dog walk,” the flyers read.
@amy_lynn13 #greenscreen ♬ original sound – $
“All I can do is laugh at this point,” Ames captioned her video, which has been viewed 406,900 times as of Wednesday afternoon.
In an interview with the Daily Dot, Ames said an earlier incident in which a package labeled with her name and address was delivered to the wrong place may have started the “porch pirate” rumors.
“They saw me take the package and ran with that,” Ames told the Daily Dot. “I would also like to point out that I’m one of the few African-Americans that live in the complex. I’m not saying race had anything to do with it, but it feels that way.”
Users encouraged Ames to talk to the police or file a lawsuit for defamation, but after talking to friends with legal careers for advice, she ultimately decided against doing so.
“There is a very strong possibility that the police won’t do anything because it’s just an Amazon package,” Ames told the Daily Dot. “I could file a civil suit but I’m a college student and don’t have money for an attorney.”
Her best option is to try privately resolving the issue with the girls who made the flyers, she said, as her apartment is subleased and she does not know who owns the complex.
Other users expressed support for Ames, mocking the creators of the flyers. “That’s the part that kills me,” she responded to one comment. “They thought they ate.”
In a follow-up video, Ames creates her own flyer to dispel the rumor. “NOT A PORCH PIRATE,” her response reads in all caps.
@amy_lynn13 Replying to @ames can’t believe its come to this #porchpirates #storytime ♬ Coconut Mall (From “Mario Kart Wii”) – Arcade Player
