CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Reports have surfaced of scammers preying on the confusion of the coronavirus pandemic to drain food delivery drivers’ accounts of their hard-earned money.
For many of those drivers right now, it is their only income. And this scam is leaving them bankrupt.
“I’m delivering to people who are often too scared to go outside right now or go to restaurants themselves or older individuals that don’t have the ability to do this," said one Charlotte Postmates driver, a teen who asked not to be identified.
She's home from college, working for Postmates to make a little money and help the community.
"I’m doing it because I’m home from college for the rest of the semester and I love being able to help out," she said.
She told WCNC Charlotte that when she got to an Elizabeth-area restaurant to pick up an order, am employee said Postmates had called, asking to pass on a message to drivers that they had to verify some information.
“The manager of a store being like hey we were told to have you call this number the Postmates company is doing a universal check up on all their employees I mean of course I’m gonna believe it there’s no reason for me not to," she said.
She called the number. Turns out it wasn’t Postmates, but a scammer.
“They’re like we have to change your password really quick," she said. "They got into my account and had added a debit card and transfer the money that was in my account onto the debit card.”
Her earnings from the week, about $150, were drained.
She said she reported it to the real Postmates, who told her they’re aware of the scam and that they couldn’t refund her money.
“The actual Postmates worker said ever since the coronavirus started up it’s gotten bad, and that this has happened to a lot of workers," she said. "I’m just sitting there like, there should’ve been a mass email sent out to every fleet worker if you knew this was happening. I just can’t imagine what it’s like for individuals who use Postmates as their only job and their sole source of income.”
She’s hoping to warn other drivers to not let their guards down.
"It’s frustrating that there are people out there who take advantage of people trying to help others."
WCNC Charlotte reached out to Postmates for comment but has received no response.