Delivery rider in Singapore gets used by loan shark to harass others
Earlier this week, a delivery rider in Singapore shared about his experience with a loan shark.
However, instead of being the victim, he was used by the loan shark to harass people.
Rafael, 38, told MS News that the incident transpired on Monday (11 May) when he received what seemed like a typical cash-on-delivery order for pork rib bak kut teh.
He was then asked to WhatsApp a specific number upon reaching the destination.
Muslim household receives order of pork rib dish
It was an evening order, as the time listed on the receipt was 8.28pm.
Rafael said he started to suspect something amiss when he arrived and discovered that the bak kut teh had been ordered by a Muslim household.
Nonetheless, the delivery rider phoned the number and was promptly asked to turn it into a video call.
The caller, however, refused to show his own face.
Courtesy of Rafael
Rafael was then asked to knock on the door and was greeted by a Malay man.
The caller subsequently sent a photo of an Indian man and asked Rafael to show the Malay man the photo.
The Malay man clarified that he did not know this person and that he was living alone at the home for two years.
Unhappy with the news, the caller began yelling at the Malay man and made threats to burn down his home.
He instructed Rafael to ensure the man kept the photo of the Indian man and the phone number.
Filing a report and getting his refund
Unfortunately for Rafael, this was a cash-on-delivery order.
He did not receive any money for the job, and was stuck holding onto the food.
In his Reddit post, he indicated that this meant he had just lost S$15.
Courtesy of Rafael
“That’s the equivalent of three deliveries for me,” he added.
Rafael told MS News that he filed a police report after his shift ended.
He then made an appeal to foodpanda by submitting the report, along with screenshots from the order.
Fortunately, he received his refund yesterday (12 May) afternoon.
Loan shark allegedly looking for previous home owner’s son
Meanwhile, Rafael also added that the Malay man had reached out to him with extra details on the Indian man’s whereabouts.
He is allegedly the previous home owner’s son, but the family had moved elsewhere.
Courtesy of Rafael
According to the Malay man, this was not the first time he has received similar threats meant for someone else, with the previous one occurring in March.
In response to queries from MS News, foodpanda said it “takes misuse of its platform for unlawful activity seriously”.
“Upon being alerted to the case, we promptly reviewed the order and reached out directly to the delivery partner to provide support, and issued a full refund to them to cover the order cost,” said a foodpanda spokesperson.
They added that these kinds of incidents are “extremely rare”, but they have put measures in place to deter them from occurring.
They also ensure their riders are well-informed by disseminating advisories from the Singapore Police Force.
Riders are advised to contact rider support immediately if they encounter a suspicious situation.
“We will continue strengthening our processes to ensure a safe and pleasant experience for our delivery partners, customers and merchants,” they added.
Also read: Man suspected of loanshark harassment activities in Telok Blangah arrested within 3 hours
Man suspected of loanshark harassment activities in Telok Blangah arrested within 3 hours
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image courtesy of Rafael.
