‘Kiss my a**’: PHV driver tells off suspected scam booking, gets warned by Grab

PHV driver rejected suspected scam booking that asked him to buy items from 7-Eleven

A private-hire vehicle (PHV) driver said that he received an official warning from Grab after responding “Kiss my a**” to a suspected scam booking.

Relating the incident to MS News, the 52-year-old driver who declined to be named alleged that he was asked to purchase items from a 7-Eleven outlet in Bugis.

Screenshot courtesy of MS News reader

‘Kiss my a**’: PHV driver tells off suspected scam booking, gets warned by Grab

PHV driver asked to buy items from 7-Eleven, deliver them to hotel

At about 9pm on 10 Dec, the driver accepted a booking from a user account under the name “Lucas patryk”, he said.

Screenshot courtesy of MS News reader

The pick-up point was a 7-Eleven outlet along Arab Street, and the drop-off was Hotel Boss in Jalan Sultan — a distance of merely 460m.

Screenshot courtesy of MS News reader

However, shortly before reaching the pick-up point, he received a call from the user, asking him if he had read his message.

When the driver checked his messages, he found that the user had requested for him to buy two unspecified items “urgently” from the 7-11 outlet and deliver them to the hotel, even offering him an extra S$80 for the task.

Sensing something was amiss, the driver said he wanted to cancel the ride, but the user called again to insist that he purchase the items.

Screenshot courtesy of MS News reader

PHV driver cancels suspected scam booking

Suspecting it was a scam, the driver responded that he would do it and pulled over briefly outside the 7-Eleven.

But instead he messaged the user, telling him:

Kiss my a**, stupid scammer. Don’t waste our time.

He then cancelled the booking.

However, after he reported the suspected scam booking to Grab, he received a warning for making “inappropriate remarks” to a user, he claimed.

Suspected scam booking bore several red flags

Explaining why he suspected it was a scam booking, the driver told MS News that it bore several red flags.

Firstly, the user opted for cash payment.

Also, the user’s request made little sense given that the hotel had its own convenience options nearby.

The driver was not sure what exactly he was asked to buy, as he had cancelled the call. “Likely top-up cards or maybe game cards on credit,” he said.

Considering the user asked for cash payment, the “worst-case scenario” would be that he would buy the items but get ghosted after reaching the hotel, he noted, adding:

It is not worth the risk, it is to bait desperate drivers who need money. We never know.

Similar ‘scam bookings’ previously encountered

The driver also pointed out that the booking was similar to those encountered by other PHV drivers, according to warnings posted in PHV driver community groups on social media.

These alleged scam bookings would typically involve pick-ups from convenience stores and hotels, and requests for errands.

Source: PROFESSIONAL PHV DRIVERS SINGAPORE:Grab, Gojek,Tada n Ryde on Facebook

He recalled that a similar incident took place about a year ago, where a passenger requested for items to be bought from 7-Eleven to a hotel but cancelled the booking when they were challenged.

Source: PROFESSIONAL PHV DRIVERS SINGAPORE:Grab, Gojek,Tada n Ryde · on Facebook

Checks by MS News noted that the usual hotels used for these “scam bookings” are Hotel Boss and Hotel 81 Kovan, with the alleged scammers using similar message formats.

Source: PROFESSIONAL PHV DRIVERS SINGAPORE:Grab, Gojek,Tada n Ryde · on Facebook

PHV driver reports incident, gets warning instead

The driver said he reported the suspicious account and details to Grab in the belief that it would help protect other drivers.

But instead he received a warning from the platform for using “inappropriate remarks” towards a passenger, he added.

Screenshot courtesy of MS News reader

Though he admitted that his remarks were inappropriate, he expressed frustration that disciplinary action was meted out against him despite attempting to alert the company.

He noted that he had previously heard of cases where drivers received poor ratings after refusing unreasonable requests, and this added to his concerns about how such situations are handled.

Professionalism not neccessary towards scammers: Driver

The driver, who is driving part-time, said he had been driving for Grab since 2013, when the platform was launched in Singapore.

While he agreed that PHV drivers need to be professional, especially towards tourists, to boost Singapore’s reputation, but added:

However, towards scammers, I believe that professionalism does not need to be involved… Or else we will be deemed by them as a pushover.

He noted that some drivers might comply out of financial pressure, not realising they could be ghosted after making the purchases.

By highlighting the incident, he hoped other drivers would be more alert to suspicious bookings, which he believed could put them at risk of both monetary loss and platform penalties.

“Imagine how much money these scammers have cheated out of people, especially the seniors,” he said.

In response to queries from MS News, Grab said that the user named “Lucas patryk” has been banned.

Also read: GrabFood Rider Allegedly Scammed Into Paying For Missing Food, User Gets Banned

GrabFood Rider Allegedly Scammed Into Paying For Missing Food, User Gets Banned