In today’s digital age, ordering food online has become second nature for millions. But a new scam is quietly spreading across the market, catching both customers and platforms off guard. On the surface, it may look like a simple system glitch — but in reality, it’s a cunning trap designed to mislead customers and rob restaurants.
The scam has been operating so discreetly that even major delivery platforms remain unaware. Its growing reach came to light after a video went viral on social media, in which a content creator shared his personal experience.
The Incident That Raised the Alarm
According to the victim, he ordered a pizza through an online platform. About 15–20 minutes later, he received a call claiming that the delivery rider had been in an accident, and that the restaurant would deliver the order directly. Suspicious, he contacted the restaurant, only to be told they never deliver directly to customers.
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When he reached out to Swiggy’s customer care, he was informed the order could not be completed and would be refunded in full — the money was returned almost instantly. He assumed the meal would not arrive. But to his surprise, a short while later, a delivery agent appeared outside his house holding the very same pizza.
The Clever Trap
The delivery agent then told him, “You’ve already got your refund, so here’s a QR code — you can just pay me directly.” Fortunately, the customer called the restaurant before making any payment. The manager advised him not to pay a single rupee, but to keep the pizza.
The scam works like this:
- The order is placed through the platform.
- The scammer — often posing as a delivery agent — falsely reports an issue, gets the order canceled, and triggers an automatic refund to the customer.
- The agent then personally delivers the food and convinces the customer to pay directly via QR code.
- The payment is never recorded on the platform, and the restaurant remains unaware.
- All the money goes straight into the scammer’s pocket.
With no record in the system and both the platform and restaurant left in the dark, customers become easy targets — and restaurants bear the hidden losses. Experts warn that awareness is the best defense against such deceptive tactics.