Scam Watch Pilipinas warns public of ‘fake rider’ scam using Lalamove

Scam Watch Pilipinas has warned the public about a “fake rider” scam after co-founder Art Samaniego nearly became a victim during a Facebook Marketplace transaction involving Lalamove.

Samaniego, who is also Founder and CEO of TechWatchPH, said the transaction initially appeared legitimate. After ordering an item from a seller in a trusted Facebook group, he was contacted by a rider supposedly booked through the app.

The rider claimed he wanted to “protect” the buyer and suggested a verification step that involved asking for the seller’s GCash number. He later said he was already with the seller and provided a GCash number.

Samaniego said the number did not match the seller’s details. When he verified directly, the seller confirmed that no rider had arrived at the pickup location.

Further checks showed that the person whose identity was being used as the rider was no longer connected with Lalamove and had no knowledge of the transaction.

Scam Watch Pilipinas said the incident reflects a “fake rider” scam where fraudsters use legitimate delivery platforms to contact buyers and introduce fake payment or verification steps.

“This scam works because it sounds helpful and urgent. The moment details do not match, stop and verify,” Samaniego said.

The group said the common red flags include riders asking for money or unusual verification, mismatched payment details, and sellers who cannot confirm the rider’s presence.

Scam Watch Pilipinas advised the public to stop transactions immediately if details do not align, verify directly with sellers, and avoid sending money based on instructions from riders.

It also urged the public to adopt #KontraScamAttitude and report incidents to the 1326 national anti-scam hotline.