(SPOT.ph) We couldn't be more thankful for food delivery apps and websites for making our lives a heck of a lot easier, especially with the ongoing pandemic. But with all the good parts also comes the downside that is the prevalence of fake order bookings, placed for delivery to unwitting individuals who would then be obliged to pay for these items, whether or not they actually need them—or at the very least, be inconvenienced by the whole return or refund process. Not only is it cruel to the receivers of these fake orders; it's also cruel to the shoppers and delivery riders who risk their lives as it is going out to pick up items and deliver goods in a global pandemic.
One recent and somewhat unexpected victim of this kind of scam is Vice President Leni Robredo. News recently broke that multiple cash-on-delivery orders amounting to around P100,000 were placed under her name on the website MetroMart. Confused by all the bits of info that went around? We lay it down for you.
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Here's what went down with the fake MetroMart bookings under Leni Robredo's name:
The incident was shared on Twitter on November 22 by Robredo's spokesperson Barry Gutierrez, along with a photo showing one of the orders worth P16,040. "May nagpanggap na si [Vice President] Leni [Robredo] at nag-multiple orders ng abot [P100,000 plus] sa Metromart. Pinadeliver sa [Office of the Vice President] na [cash on delivery]. Hindi na inisip ang mga delivery rider na hinassle at inaksaya ang oras," Gutierrez tweeted. "Ganito na ba talaga sila katakot sa atin? Dedma sa ganitong ka-cheapan. Laban lang!"
MetroMart's Twitter account responded apologizing and stating that they were "extremely saddened" the incident had happened—"most especially for the hardworking riders and personal shoppers that shopped and delivered these grocery orders." With that, the food-delivery service also shared that they had "heightened" their scam preventive measures, and emphasized they do have a return policy that allows for the items to be returned to the stores.
An update tweeted by MetroMart later that day also stated the items were successfully returned, with neither the riders or personal shoppers involved being penalized. MetroMart also posted an official statement on Facebook, requesting the public "not to scam, prank, and waste the time" of their delivery riders and shoppers.
Robredo reposted the statement on her Facebook page, sharing that what worried her was the sake of the delivery riders. "Sobrang abala sa kanila. Baka akala ng scammers 'yong burden nasa amin. Hindi iniisip na kinakawawa nila yung riders saka 'yong mga shoppers nila na nabiktima. Umuulan pa naman kahapon and nabasa sila."
"Thank you to Metromart and the merchants. Napakadali ng pag-ayos ng return ng goods," Robredo continued. "Sana lang sa panahon ng matinding kagipitan, huwag ng mag-isip ng mga panloloko at yung mga maliliit na naman yung mga nabibiktima."
Meanwhile, fellow 2022 candidates senators Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan and Risa Hontiveros we're also at the receiving end of fake food orders.
For more information, check out MetroMart Philippines' Facebook page.
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