Staying vigilant is key to avoid being a victim
Bangkok, Thailand – 10 October 2022: Ninja Van Thailand, Southeast Asia’s leading logistics provider, warns online shoppers to watch out for Cash-On-Delivery (COD) scammers. Customers are urged to conduct a thorough check before paying and accepting COD parcels to prevent being victimized by these scammers.
With the surge in e-commerce, it is easy to be complacent when it comes to receiving parcels, especially COD parcels. Being one of the preferred payment methods by consumers, COD scammers are now leeching on this negligence to lure consumers into paying for parcels that they did not buy or do not match their expected purchases. These scammers either pose as legitimate online sellers on fake websites or place fake advertisements on social media. Random parcels may also be sent to addresses from which no orders have been placed.
Logistics companies have no way of knowing such scams are taking place as they have no direct contact with the scammers, the majority of whom are based overseas. These COD parcels are sent via freight forwarders who will consolidate these parcels from various overseas shippers, including the ones from unscrupulous scammers. Freight forwarders will then hand over these consolidated parcels to the logistics companies engaged to deliver them to the doorsteps of victims. Upon delivery, cash is collected on behalf of the freight forwarders. The collected cash is then remitted to the freight forwarders who will then transfer the cash to the scammers. By then, it is too late as ‘victims’ will realise that the items delivered are not what they have ordered, and/or random items that are of a much lower value.
“Ninja Van Thailand takes COD scams seriously. To help reduce such scams, we maintain close relationships with our freight forwarding partners to ensure that the delivery of cross-border parcels is both efficient and legitimate. This includes screening shippers and doing background checks before onboarding them, and blacklisting identified scammers. We are also working closely with relevant stakeholders to educate consumers on COD scams through cross-sharing of resources like flyers and social media content. Online shoppers are also encouraged to stay vigilant and take extra caution to better protect themselves,” Mr. Pierce Ng, Chief Operating Officer of Ninja Van Thailand said.
Here are some simple precautions that consumers can take:
- Inform your family – If you are expecting a parcel that requires COD, let your family members know what it is and when to expect them.
- Don’t be afraid to say no – Always check on the item description if you are unclear, and reject payment of any suspicious parcel.
- Do your homework – Check reviews and only buy from reputable sites.
- If it sounds too good to be true, something is wrong – If the Rolex is $5, it is definitely NOT a Rolex.
Should consumers come across any suspicious parcels or payment requests, please reject the delivery, and report to Ninja Van Thailand directly via Call Center at 1469, Ninja Van Thailand Facebook Fanpage or live chat.