Food Delivery Rider's Video Sheds Light on Suspected Loanshark Harassment Using Fake Cash-on-delivery Orders

A viral TikTok video by @klins_05 has highlighted how food delivery riders can become unintended victims of suspected loanshark harassment through fake cash-on-delivery (COD) orders.

The Foodpanda rider said he was delivering a COD order worth about $50 to a condominium in West Coast Vale on July 6, only to discover that no one at the unit had placed the order.

While trying to resolve the issue, two more riders arrived with separate COD orders worth about $50 and $65 for the same address.

The intended recipient could not be contacted, with the registered phone number reportedly from Malaysia.

Believing it was a loanshark harassment case, the rider warned the other delivery workers not to hand over the food.

He also criticised the current COD system, saying riders lose time and potential earnings while waiting for customer support to cancel such orders.

He told STOMP this was the third time he had encountered a similar incident, estimating he lost about $20 in earnings due to the delay.

The video also sparked discussion online, with many netizens calling for cash-on-delivery (COD) orders to be removed altogether, arguing that the payment option leaves riders vulnerable to scams and harassment.

Several delivery riders shared that they had encountered similar fake orders in the past, while others said they now avoid or reject COD orders whenever possible to minimise the risk of being caught in such incidents.

The incident is not an isolated one. Similar cases have been reported over the years, with delivery riders unknowingly sent to addresses targeted by alleged loansharks through fake COD food orders.

In 2021, multiple Foodpanda riders were dispatched to HDB flats in separate suspected harassment cases, prompting calls for tighter controls on COD orders.

Although cash-on-delivery remains available on selected food delivery platforms in Singapore, food is typically prepared before payment is collected, leaving merchants and riders exposed if orders turn out to be fraudulent.

There are currently no official Singapore statistics on how common fraudulent COD food orders are or the losses incurred by riders and businesses.

The latest incident nevertheless highlights how alleged loanshark syndicates can exploit legitimate delivery services to harass targeted households while shifting the inconvenience and financial burden onto innocent riders, merchants and other service workers.