Instacart Scam (List Of Scams & How To Avoid Them)

As a food delivery service, Instacart’s popularity has led to a number of scams that target its users. Consumers can become victims to such scams, which may include but are not limited to: fraud, identity theft, fraud related to insurance claims, and refund or donation scams.

If you are interested in finding out how often Instacart shoppers get scammed and what types of scams shoppers and customers experience, then keep on reading. In order to find out if you could be scammed on Instacart, here are some things that you should know.

Can You Get Scammed on Instacart In 2022?

Instacart has reported that most shoppers and customers are in good faith, and the vast majority are in good faith. However, a small percentage of shoppers and customers are doing it out of good faith, but with a hidden agenda.

We are going over some of the most common Instacart scams and how to avoid them (or deal with them after the fact), whether you can trust the Instacart company, and even whether it’s safe overall, so keep reading!

What Are Common Scams on Instacart?

Shopping online can be a bit daunting when done for the first time. Shoppers want to find out what’s available and they want to get it as quickly as possible.

1. Tip Baiting

[Amazon] changed its tip policy a couple of days ago so that customers (and customers only) can change the tip they leave their shoppers (24 hours later).

We’re trying to be like Amazon… but, unlike Amazon, we’re not just trying to get you to buy more stuff, but are also trying to show you how much of an idiot you are.

If a customer’s order is placed after the first 20 customers in a batch, the buyer may give no tip as an additional bonus for the fast service.

But then, on the way home, with all their groceries and everything, they must also pay their tip.

But it makes it really hard to do these things.

People who are ordering food from home delivered by Instacart could be targeted for tips.

The scammers who are using this technique will make contact through a legitimate website or app in a manner that tricks a user into installing malware or handing over their personal information.

If you are the customer of someone with a big tip, remember to calculate everything on a price per hour basis.

There is no guarantee that you will keep your tip if their delivery person doesn’t do something. If you do give them a tip, you certainly want them to keep it.

If you get a tip, make sure that you acknowledge it with a text or e-mail thank you. It will make the next shoppers’ claim seem less believable and can prevent them from trying to repeat the same trick.

2. Instacart Shopper Theft

While the majority of shoppers are there to provide great service and earn great tips, some see the lack of physical oversight as an opportunity to take advantage of their customers.

“They” here are not referring to “fearful” thieves, but instead refers to “the group of robbers”, since the term “theft” is being used in the plural.

People on “Reddit” are asking shoppers to stop shopping at Nordstrom Rack and reminding them that they have received “free” items.

I know. I am going to use that quote against her.

Instacart has made it clear that they’ll refund or reschedule orders, but it’s one thing to do so when you’ve received nothing but good feedback about the experience.

Although, according to [the company’s] website, it has no record of any arrests, legal troubles, or bankruptcies for any of its customers.

If a customer makes a mistake and messes up their order, customers should never feel embarrassed or ashamed.

4. Order Not Delivered

The Instacart app is fairly forgiving when it comes to missing items; customers rarely have to speak to a representative.

This has led some people to make sure that a fake order shows up as delivered, so they can get a free item.

While Instacart is quick to refund the cost of the delivery, they are not as quick to refund the cost of the item.

The delivery person would not accept the cash and would not allow himself to be paid in anything other than Euros.

The app itself was also full of glitches. The delivery button would sometimes not work for no reason, and sometimes a delivery would get cancelled, despite confirmation. They would not respond to text messages until they finally got back to me.

If they want to avoid this, shoppers should make sure to take a photo of the item when it arrives and send it along with the receipt.

If people are going to write checks with their name on it and then forget to pay when the time comes, a photographer can also provide photographic proof.

I will gladly pay for a cup of coffee once in a while and the idea of an independent contractor being penalized for not meeting certain goals is appalling.

5. Breaking and Entering Into Shoppers’ Accounts

When a user created a video where they were using Shopper’s app to buy things, it lead to many people posting a screenshot of the order process in their video. The creators of Shopper told people to not give out their information on the internet.

This is how scammers are operating now. Shopper shoppers should NOT give their phone numbers out because scammers can get your address and other information.

Is Instacart a Legitimate Company?

There have been some fraudulent orders on the site, but Instacart receives high marks from the BBB as a legitimate business.

After shipping a package to a customer with Instacart, if there was an issue with the order, they were always willing to work with you and get the right thing to you as soon as possible.

Can Instacart Shoppers Steal?

This may seem like a silly thing, but you’re probably going to get screwed over when paying for your stuff.

If you’re missing an item, don’t automatically think the buyer stole it.

Also, it makes you feel so good when you buy food with your own money.

Is It Safe to Use Instacart?

First, it is important to know what happens when you place your order on Instacart.

If you’re a customer, consider using a credit card with strong consumer fraud protections. It’s easier to dispute a charge if Instacart accidentally makes a mistake and disagrees with your claim.

Always remember don’t give out personal information to anyone that you don’t know.

If they asked you if you’re part of a group, they may be using that to target your account, you never know!

To know more, you can also read our post on how to delete Instacart app, Instacart app complaint, and Instacart app greeting message.

Conclusion

While it is hard to prevent fraudulent activity from taking place on Instacart, scammers still find ways to bypass the rules and regulations.

It’s important to be vigilant and aware of scams. These are people on the other side of the app that are unknown.