Fake delivery or fake address scam

There have been many instances where a customer has received a delivery, and then disappeared without paying. In most cases, they use fake addresses and use local landmarks as delivery points.

This is also called reshipment, delivery address fraud, or fake address fraud.
Scammers duplicate the exact MFS or bank transfer message and send a screenshot of the proof of payment. 

Why do Scammers do that? 

Products, Money.

Scammers place an order with a cash-on-delivery condition and as a pickup point, they don’t provide any exact location but rather a common landmark like in front of that hotel or masjid or any renowned local point. Once the delivery person gets to the pickup point, the scammer might receive the product and ask the delivery person to wait till he/she returns with the payment but only to disappear after that. They often provide fake transaction screenshots or texts as proof of payment.

Sometimes they resell the product to someone else and earn money. 

Who are the targets of Fake Address Scams? 

MSMEs, e-commerce companies, delivery agencies

Scammers target MSMEs with lower security measures and also newly founded MSMEs as they don’t have that much experience and knowledge of such scams.

How to prevent Fake delivery or fake address scam?

Stay alert and updated always. Follow these steps to prevent the scam-

• Don’t accept only texts or screenshots as proof of payments
• Always check your balances to ensure the transaction
• Check if the billing address and the shipping address are the same 
• Always check the authenticity of the client before engaging with them for any kind of transaction
• For validation, make personal contact with consumers and suppliers
• KYC procedures (Know Your Customer)
• Check the account i.e. FB account if it is real, an old, and regular one, or just a newly opened, or fake one

How to recover from  Fake delivery or fake address Scam?

Recovery might not be easy but yet the victim should follow these steps to prevent future scams and to get possible recovery. 

• Inform the law enforcement authority right after the scam took place 
• Gather all the documents related to the scam i.e. the name scammer used, address or the location, number, account name, and details, etc. 
• Whenever you are feeling that you are being scammed, ask people around you -especially those who were there when the scammer met you-  immediately if they knew the person 
• report your agency about the incident immediately
• report to the pickup location’s Thana and file a GD