Currently, there is an app for practically every need and that has its positive and negative side. In the meantime, looking for the best apps, and relying on the services where they are posted, we look for those that offer us benefits. And it’s hard to believe that 10 years ago they weren’t such an important part of our lives.
Whether it’s food delivery, cleaning services, rides, delivery of any type of product, entertainment, anyway, it’s hard to imagine any kind of service that isn’t done by an application. It is one of the most profitable businesses today. This market is always on the move and developing new products.
Unfortunately, as apps evolve and give more possibilities to the consumer, some new scams using apps are also emerging.
Cases
Yasmin Brunet recently reported on her social networks that she had been the victim of one of these scams. The scam happened when she ordered food through a delivery application and the delivery person charged 7.9 thousand reais on her card, when in fact it should have spent 77 reais.
Unfortunately, this was not an isolated case. In just one year, complaints about this type of fraud grew 186%, according to data released in late June by Procon-SP. In addition, there were 249 complaints against iFood, Rappi and Uber Eats between January and May 2021.
New scam
The so-called “machine blow” can happen in several ways. For example, another delivery person does the job; or a supposed call center contacts you to confirm the story; any excuse to charge a new fee. The curious thing is that the value can appear right on the machine or not at all. And precisely because of the immediacy of the order and the speed of payment, the consumer does not even realize that he was the victim of a scam.
How to protect yourself
As new scams emerge and people learn about them, they soon create ways to protect themselves from being victims. There are a few ways to protect yourself from this little machine hit. Some of them are:
1 – Avoid using the card machine. Whenever possible, pay directly for the app.
2 – Always follow the application screen. This is because there can be no extra fee charged if the payment has already been made correctly.
3 – If you are going to pay on delivery, carefully check the amount on the machine. Also, see if the machine itself is in good condition.
4 – Never pay for a delivery without first seeing the value that is on the machine’s display.
5 – Always type your password in a discreet way.
6 – As soon as you make the payment, confirm with the bank the amount charged for the service.
7 – Always be careful with suspicious calls and sharing personal information.