Customer in Jurong East allegedly misinforms food delivery rider that order paid via credit card when it's cash on delivery

This was apparently not the first time she has done this.

Belmont Lay | June 14, 2021, 05:31 PM

A food delivery personnel has called out a customer in Singapore for pretending an order has already been paid for via credit card when, in fact, it was a cash on delivery purchase.

This ruse left one food delivery rider more than S$26 out of pocket.

Customer called out

The post was put up on June 14 on the Complaint Singapore Facebook group with some details about the customer redacted.

However, it still revealed the customer's user name on the food ordering app, as well as the Jurong East block number the food was sent to.

The food delivery rider said it was to serve as a warning to other riders who encounter this person's orders in the future.

Not the first time

According to the post, the food delivery personnel even claimed this was not the first time this particular customer has pulled off this trick.

Attached to the post were at least two screen shots showing two separate orders -- one from i.Tea and another from Eighteen Chefs -- delivered to the customer's address previously.

How the ruse works

How the customer cheats the rider is unsophisticated.

The customer would place an order for food on the app using the cash payment option, which is a cash on delivery method for those without a credit card or for customers who prefer not to log their credit card details with an app.

This would require the food delivery personnel to deliver the food and accept cash payment upon completion of the task.

But this customer included in the order an instruction for the food delivery personnel to leave the food at the gate, to make it appear as if no one will be at home to receive it.

The customer will then inform the delivery rider that there is a problem with the app platform and no cash payment will be made on the spot as the food has been paid for via credit card.

The food delivery personnel would assume the customer is right, and leave, as it is the norm for most orders to be paid for in advance using a credit card.

This is despite the app clearly indicating to the food delivery personnel that a final total cash amount needs to be collected from the customer.

By right, the cash that the rider accepts on hand would offset the credit balance in the rider's earnings account.

Appeal to spread message so customer's family made aware of cheating

The food delivery rider appealed in his post for the customer's family to intervene if they encounter the post on social media.

He wrote: "I really hope her family will see this post, especially her father."

He also advised the customer to stop engaging in such behaviour as the next rider might be the one to report the matter to the police.

He added: "If you are looking at this post, I advise you to stop all this nonsense. The next time you do so, rider will immediately call the police outside your doorstep."

"You know better than anyone else that this is not the very first time you did it. Two different address. I'm sure you buy for your friend or your boyfriend by cheating rider money."

Responses: Food ordering platforms should reject cash on delivery orders

Responses to the post were mostly to express indignation on behalf of the food delivery personnel.

Others were of the view that food delivery platforms should cease the cash on delivery option as it has been unhelpful, such as when it was used multiple times in the past to harass unintended recipients.

These individuals are usually debtors who are pressured to repay loans from unlicensed money lenders.

Multiple orders sent to a unit would also disrupt the earnings of food delivery personnel who waste time making the trip and cannot leave, and are also stuck with food orders that go unpaid.

Top photo via Google Maps & here