Public Advisory on Cash on Delivery (COD) Scams

Published on 19 April 2021

DO NOT pay for the delivery if you are not expecting a COD parcel or have not bought it online

Scammers prey on our lack of vigilance and judgement to get us to part with our hard-earned money. The one characteristic they all rely on is the buyer paying for the merchandise before the receiver opens the package. If the contents of the package are junk, the receiver has fallen prey to a cash-on-delivery (COD) scam.

With the e-commerce surge, this scam is becoming more prevalent. The COD scam lures recipients to pay in cash for parcels that:

1. They did not buy; or

2. Did not match their expected purchases.

Common red flags to look out

1. Unusual website/ Advertisement (weird URL)

2. No address or contact details

3. No order confirmation email

4. No other payment method except COD

5. No review or references

Scammers are getting more complicated

The tactics used by scammers today have evolved and will continue to do so. We should keep ourselves updated on the latest scam tactics and stay vigilant. They either pose as legitimate online sellers on fake, fraudulent, or a scam website and/ or place fake ads on social media.

Majority of these scammers are based overseas. They send their COD parcels via freight forwarders, who then engage Roadbull for the last-mile delivery.

As such, Roadbull has no direct contact with the scammers.

Freight forwarders are the middlemen connecting with foreign sellers and Roadbull. They consolidate shipments from multiple sellers, which could include scammers, before passing them to last-mile service providers like Roadbull.

Roadbull then delivers the parcel to the doorstep and collects cash on behalf of the freight forwarders. The collected cash will be remitted to the freight forwarders, who will then remit the cash to their shippers.

Later, the individual or family member or colleague who receive the parcel on behalf realises that the content is not something that they have ordered, and/ or the parcel content is an item that is of a much lower value.

Why is Roadbull still accepting COD delivery?

It remains an option for some of the consumers who prefer to pay upon their parcel arrives at the door.

Why can't the recipients open the parcels before paying for them?

We are bounded by confidentiality contracts with our partners to safeguard the integrity of all parcel contents.

Why can't Roadbull filter out scam parcels?

We do not open parcels and deliver only to the recipient address specified by our clients and the freight forwarders.

What other precaution we can do?

1. Inform our family members: If we are expecting a parcel that requires COD, let them know what it is and when to expect them.

2. Do Our Homework: Check reviews and only purchase from reliable websites or platforms.

3. If It Sounds Too Good to Be True, Something Is Wrong: If an item is priced way too low, it is unlikely to be authentic. For an example, a Rolex item is unlikely to cost only S$8.

4. Do Not Be Afraid to Say No: Always check on the item description if you are unsure and reject payment for any suspicious delivery.

To help reduce the occurrence

Roadbull maintains close relationships with our freight forwarders and partners to screen shippers before onboarding them, and blacklist identified scammers.

Fighting COD scams is an ongoing battle as most of them originate from foreign jurisdictions. Blacklisting scammers is not a 100% fool-proof solution as these foreign syndicates usually own multiple online stores or use more than one (1) shipping consolidator.

Roadbull also works closely with the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) to develop educational initiatives for members of the public.

There can also be situations whereby legitimate merchants unintentionally ship the wrong parcel for COD delivery. Hence, Roadbull will then assist in escalating the occurrence to the freight forwarders and work out an appropriate recourse.

Roadbull takes COD scams seriously and has been working closely with relevant stakeholders to tackle them. We strongly encourage members of the public to be extra vigilant.

Should recipients and/ or users come across any suspicious parcels or payment requests, kindly reject the delivery, and talk to us directly via https://roadbull.com/Talk-to-us.