Ridesharing and delivery apps were victims of a big security breach, as previously reported on Ridesharing Forum. That time, apps like DoorDash had many of the customers’ information leaked to unauthorized people and parties.
But this time, it is those apps that are allegedly scamming individuals. Here’s the scoop.
Cryptocurrency scam
Some Grubhub customers alerted authorities after getting a tempting email that generally goes like this: the customer sends $1,000 in Bitcoin to the specified wallet, and gets 10 times that amount back.
If you’re alert and enthusiastic, you won’t fall for this scam. It’s too good to be true, and almost impossible that you’d get something you did not work hard for. Unless your mindset is that, it’s a form of lottery.
Ridesharing media reported that these promo emails were sent to users of Grubhub using a “legitimate” Grubhub subdomain, so those who still have an inkling this is for real would never think twice of sending, since the email address looks completely legit.
The email also has believable subject lines, and the body even includes the recipient’s name, and instructions how to participate in the “Bitcoin promotion,” just like banks personalizing their messages by dropping first names.
Grubhub has been made aware of the email, but as of this time of writing, they have not released details as to what motivated the attackers to start the scam. It’s kinda related to the security breach, except that Grubhub isn’t the victim this time.
Experts reiterate that this is a form of a cryptocurrency scam, or luring people into a get-rich-quick-scheme using cryptocurrency.
Falling for the fraud gets your money into these criminals, and it is hard to there is no way to get your money back if it suddenly hits you that it’s a scam.
People are reminded to be wary of anything they receive from seemingly credible emails, and sending money to people they don’t know. Grubhub won’t do such things.
Compensation from Grubhub
Meanwhile, in other Grubhub news, this is less of a scam. Grubhub has settled a $7.15 million compensation to business owners who were deliberately added to its websites without “their consent.”
For context, this settlement stems from a class action lawsuit alleging that Grubhub and its affiliate brands listed several restaurants – in fact, thousands of them – on their food delivery platforms without a formal contract with the entrepreneurs and without their consent.
Between 2019 and 2024, these businesses were added to the website without a contract. According to the law’s decision, the company is to create a $7.15 million fund, which will be used to pay $50 as base to each restaurant affected, but a formal complaint has to be filed to be listed on the “payroll.” Furthermore, an extra payment shall be delivered on the basis of how long the business was listed without permission, covering lawyers’ fees and case management.
To be eligible for the compensation, businesses must see their name and logo on the Grubhub platform, including affiliates like Seamless, Eat24, Tapingo, OrderUp, LevelUp, AllMenus, MenuPages, and BiteGrabber.
They must also not have signed a contract to appear on those platforms, and the unauthorized listing must have happened from January 1st, 2019 to April 30th, 2024. For more food delivery news, sign up for your account on Ridesharing Forum today.