FTC Warns About Scammers Going After Delivery Drivers, Restaurants

Tyler Cross
Published on: July 27, 2023

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released a report detailing a scam targeting delivery drivers and restaurants while posing as customer support. Specifically, scammers are impersonating employees from food delivery apps like DoorDash and Uber Eats in order to obtain personal and financial information from the victim.

This social engineering scam comes in multiple varieties and while the exact information they target varies with each scenario, the end goal is always to find a way to make money off of you.   The FTC report highlights two scenarios that they observed taking place.

The first situation resembles standard social engineering scams; scammers call drivers and restaurants, explaining that they’re getting free equipment but in order to get it, they first need to verify personal information like their name, phone number, and even social security number. Once scammers have these, they can access things like your bank easily.

The second situation is trickier, as the scammer pretends to need a driver’s or restaurant’s email and email verification code because a customer needs a refund or has a problem with the order. Since having problems with orders is frequent, employees may have difficulty recognizing the scam.

Here’s how the FTC suggests you stay safe from these scams.

Never share an email verification code from someone who contacted you first. These allow scammers to pretend to be you and access your accounts, stealing information and money.

Don’t give any information to anyone who calls, texts, or emails you out of the blue. If you believe it’s legitimate, you should contact the business directly, making sure you’ve found their phone number through an official app or website, not the one the potential scammer contacted you with.

It’s also important that you report it if you see any of these scams, using the official ReportFraud.ftc.gov. link.

• SEO Powered Content & PR Distribution. Get Amplified Today.
• PlatoData.Network Vertical Generative Ai. Empower Yourself. Access Here.
• PlatoAiStream. Web3 Intelligence. Knowledge Amplified. Access Here.
• PlatoESG. Automotive / EVs, Carbon, CleanTech, Energy, Environment, Solar, Waste Management. Access Here.
• BlockOffsets. Modernizing Environmental Offset Ownership. Access Here.
• Source: https://www.safetydetectives.com/news/ftc-warns-about-scammers-going-after-delivery-drivers-restaurants/