Various scams perpetrated by "ghost delivery drivers"

With the boom in online shopping, customers and delivery drivers have become very familiar with each other. However, behind this convenience lies a worrying reality: scams involving impersonating delivery drivers are becoming increasingly sophisticated.

One of the most common scams is forced delivery. Scammers often use urgent language, creating a sense of urgency so that the victim doesn't have time to check the goods. People end up paying for a worthless item or, worse, receiving nothing at all despite having transferred the money. This tactic preys on impatience, making victims easily fall into the trap.

Message from the fraudulent delivery driver to Ms. PN. Photo: PHUONG LAN

Another "trick" is to request a bank transfer before delivery. Mr. P.D.L, residing in Binh Duc ward, recounted: "I ordered a security camera online, and a few days later the shipper called and asked me to transfer 50,000 VND in advance for insurance fees. I found it strange because there was no such fee before, so I refused. Afterwards, I checked the order again and saw that it was still in the 'pending' status. Clearly, it was a scam."

In particular, the scam is even more sophisticated when fraudsters impersonate delivery drivers, announcing that the goods have been delivered and requesting the buyer to transfer money. The story of Ms. NPN, residing in An Chau commune, is a typical example. “Last week, the delivery driver called to deliver my order. I carefully checked the order details and asked them to send it to an acquaintance at home. Still unsure, I checked the order information again and confirmed that it was the product I ordered, so I carelessly transferred the money to the driver without contacting my acquaintance to confirm beforehand.”

Immediately after transferring the money, Ms. PN received a strange message claiming to be from "DBV Insurance Group" with extremely detailed and professional content: "Dear valued customer, We are pleased to inform you that your cargo insurance contract registration has been recorded. Contract code: DBV-CT/AG045/HH, insurance period: From August 11, 2025 to August 11, 2028. Periodic premium: 4 million VND/month; total renewal fee for 3 years is 144 million VND. During transportation (including delivery and receipt - for shippers), compensation for damage is up to 110% of the value of each order. The contract will be officially activated within 24 hours from the time of the transaction. Please double-check all registered information to ensure your insurance benefits. For any questions, please contact our consultants for prompt assistance."

Before Ms. PN could understand what was happening, a strange phone number called, claiming to be an insurance consultant, asking about the contract she had just "activated." Ms. PN insisted that she had only transferred money to purchase goods and had not registered for insurance. The caller then said, "Then contact the shipper to request cancellation of that insurance package." Ms. PN called the shipper back but couldn't reach them. Immediately afterward, the consultant called again, suggesting that if she wanted to cancel, she would have to provide a photo and her citizen identification number so they could process the cancellation.

After a few minutes of calming down, Ms. PN realized this was a scam. When she said she would report it to the police, the person on the other end hung up and never contacted her again. Ms. PN recounted: “Just because of a moment of carelessness, I almost fell into the scammers' trap. They knew I had transferred the money and used that information to create a new scam scenario. If I had gone along with them, I probably would have lost not just a few hundred thousand dong, but all the money in my bank account.”

When faced with such situations, the most important thing is for everyone to remain calm. Before accepting the delivery, always carefully check the order information such as the order number and product name. Also, do not transfer money before receiving the goods unless you completely trust the seller. When the shipper asks for payment, refuse outright. If possible, inspect the goods before paying. If the shipper refuses to allow inspection, the buyer has the right to refuse to accept the goods.

Scams perpetrated by fake delivery drivers not only cause financial losses but also create confusion for consumers. To protect ourselves, we need to be more vigilant, understand and be aware of these fraudulent tactics. Always check carefully, adhere to the "pay upon delivery" principle, and report any suspicious cases immediately so that authorities can take timely action.

PHUONG LAN

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/muon-kieu-lua-dao-cua-shipper-ma--a427077.html