DTI urges online payment to avoid fake food delivery bookings

Food delivery workers continue to provide service despite the community quarantine declared by the Philippine government during the COVID-19 coronavirus lockdown in Manila on March 20, 2020. (Photo by Maria TAN / AFP)

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on Thursday encouraged the use of online payment to avoid fake food delivery bookings.

“Well, dito ho ay actually amin hong in-eencourage ang online payment para talagang maiwasan itong mga fake bookings, ibig sabihin mabayaran na ang itong mga binibili,” DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez said during the Laging Handa briefing.

(We encourage the use of online payment to avoid fake bookings, which means the products were already paid.)

Under the scheme, bogus customers will book an order, usually through a cash-on-delivery mode, and have it delivered to a different address. In the end, the delivery men, who shouldered the payment for the items in the understanding that he will be reimbursed, usually end up paying for these purchases.

At the same time, Lopez also stressed the importance of the registration of the sim cards to trace the fake buyers. Such a measure has already been filed before the Senate.

“Pangalawa isa ring panukala natin ififinofollow up ko nga rin ito eh ‘yung registration nung mga cellphone cards, ‘yung mga anong tinatawag dito, yung sim card para talaga may traceability kung sino ho ‘yung may intention o ‘yung mga naglilinlang o nanloloko dito ho sa mga online transaction na ito,” he said.

(Second, we proposed the registration of cellphone cards, the sim cards to have traceability who will have the intention to deceive people on the online transaction.)

Earlier, Deputy Speaker Bernadette Herrera urged the National Bureau of Investigation to probe recent reports of food delivery riders falling victims to fake bookings.

“Resulta ito ng hindi sila nate-trace maaaring pwedeng naano ‘yan, nagpaprank call o nanloloko sila so nakakagulo sila. At unfortunately, naaapektuhan ‘yung mga maliliit na negosyo rito so kawawa naman ho,” Lopez said.

(This was because they were not being traced, some of them were doing prank calls. And unfortunately, it affects the small businesses.)

Earlier, the Senate trade committee vowed to fast-track a “timely and “relevant” bill filed by Sen. Lito Lapid that seeks to protect food and grocery delivery riders from fraudulent orders.

The committee tackled Senate Bill No. 1677 which seeks to set up a mandatory reimbursement scheme for unjust cancellation of orders. – Liezelle Soriano Roy, Trainee

EDV