'Not even his shadow appeared': Man regrets pitying fellow delivery rider who disappeared with his cash

A Foodpanda customer was left with no money and no food after a delivery rider took advantage of his kindness.

Stomp contributor Syaf said the incident occurred on Dec 27, at around 2.30am.

He ordered food from Srisun Express, an Indian restaurant in Bishan, via Foodpanda and chose cash-on-delivery as the payment method.

The resident at Block 55 Lorong 5 Toa Payoh recounted: "I waited for more than an hour, but no one delivered my food. I proceeded to cancel the order and placed an order with a McDonald's outlet near my house instead.

"A few minutes later, a delivery man came to my door. He was sending the order that I had cancelled. I told him I did not want the food and that I'd already long cancelled the order and placed an order with McDonald's Braddell.

"The rider pleaded with me and said he earned no profit cycling from Ang Mo Kio to Toa Payoh in the rain. He promised to get my order from McDonald's if I passed him the cash.

"Hence, I took pity on him, gave him the benefit of doubt and passed him $16 cash."

However, the Stomp contributor did not expect to be scammed.

He said that the delivery man never returned, adding: "I waited for over an hour and not even his shadow appeared.

"I then contacted Foodpanda by call and also by chat, but they told me there was nothing they could do. They couldn't compensate my $16 or even give me the rider's phone number."

Syaf shared screenshots of his conversation with Foodpanda's customer service agents, who are seen saying more than once that they were unable to contact the delivery rider.

The agents also told Syaf that they were unable to offer any "further alternatives and solutions".

Syaf said he ended up having to cancel his McDonald's order because he did not have extra money to pay for it after the delivery man took his cash.

He is now appealing for help in locating the delivery man, described to be a Malay man younger than 25 years old.

"He was wearing a long-sleeved Foodpanda shirt and I also believe he has a tattoo on his arm," the Stomp contributor added.

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"There is no excuse for such behaviour from a delivery rider. I know that if the order is cancelled, riders will be compensated accordingly and their wallet money is not deducted. So not only did the rider not lose anything, he also gained my $16 and free food.

"I am also a delivery rider but I do not steal from my customers. There are days when customers pass me $100 notes to break for them because they don't have small change, but I still spend that extra few minutes to go back and pass them the change.

"I seek your kind understanding to please help me find this rider and ask him to give me back my money. I know that $16 might be a small amount to all of you, but what if it was the last of my money?

"I have already lodged a police report regarding this incident. Please be careful when using delivery apps. Do not trust their riders easily when they make sob stories."

This article was first published in Stomp. Permission required for reproduction.