DoorDash scams are a headache many Dashers have to deal with. There are countless stories of drivers getting scammed for thousands of dollars by unscrupulous thieves. Here’s a news story of a driver who lost $1,000 to a scammer. Here’s another one where a driver lost nearly $2,000. It can be a devastating amount of money for anyone to lose.
Fortunately, if you’re careful and follow the advice in this post, you can make sure you don’t fall for any of these scams.
In this post, we’ll take a look at some of the most common DoorDash scams, how they work, and what you should do so you don’t fall victim to any of these scams.
DoorDash Scams
While there are countless scams possible, most of them work in the same way – the goal of the scammer is to steal your money or get free food. Here are the main scams you should be aware of as a Dasher.
1. The Fake Customer Service Rep Scam
This is the most common scam that Dashers fall for and can be the most devastating financially. In this scam, the scammer places a small order at a nearby restaurant. The order will typically be for something like a soda or a cookie at McDonald’s or a similar fast-food restaurant.
After the Dasher accepts the order, the scammer then calls the Dasher and pretends to be a DoorDash customer service representative. Because the scammer placed the order themselves, they know your name and the order details, which they then use to convince you that they work for DoorDash. For example, they’ll call and say, is this [your name]? Then they’ll say, I’m calling about your current order for [customer name].
Typically, the scammer will tell you that there’s an issue with your account or with the order and that you’ll need to cancel the order and secure your account. They’ll then ask you to provide your login details and read back any two-factor authentication codes that are sent to you. By doing this, the scammer can gain access to your DoorDash account (since you’ve now given them your login details). The scammer then changes the bank account you have on file to their own, then cashes out your earnings. If you have a sizeable balance built up, you can lose a lot of money.
Fortunately, DoorDash has taken steps to reduce the impact of this scam. The most important thing they’ve done is made it so that there’s a waiting period between when you change your bank account and when you can cash out your earnings. This waiting period effectively stops most scammers from immediately stealing your money, although they can still get your money if you don’t notice the change.
The most important thing you can do to avoid falling victim to this scam is to never give your account information to anyone claiming to be a DoorDash representative. DoorDash has made it clear they will never ask for your login information. If you do receive a call like this, your best bet is to immediately hang up and then contact DoorDash support. DoorDash will likely pay you for the order and will ban the scammer’s DoorDash account.
2. The Customer Says You Didn’t Deliver Their Food
The second most common DoorDash scam is where the customer makes a false claim that they didn’t receive their order.
Customers do this for one reason – they want to get free food. By claiming they didn’t receive their order, DoorDash will likely refund them or give them a credit. In turn, this scam hurts Dashers, who can get terminated over these false claims. Restaurants are also hurt by this scam because DoorDash may do a chargeback on the restaurant to cover the cost of the meal.
Unfortunately, this is something you will likely have to deal with at some point if you regularly deliver with DoorDash. The best way to avoid issues with this scam is to have a good delivery record on DoorDash. I have thousands of successful deliveries under my belt and a high customer rating, so a claim by a customer that I simply didn’t deliver their order doesn’t hold as much weight since it seems out of character for my account.
Another thing you can do to avoid getting hurt by this scam is to document your deliveries. Some Dashers wear body cams or GoPro cameras while they are Dashing. This gives video evidence you can use to support yourself in case a customer makes a false claim that you didn’t deliver their food. I document my deliveries with my GoPro, which I use to publish videos on my YouTube channel, so that helps me to always have video evidence to back myself up if a customer claims I didn’t deliver their food.
If you have a feeling a customer might try to lie about a delivery, taking photos of the food at the delivery location can also be helpful. If I have a bad feeling about a delivery, I’ll always snap a photo of the food at the address, then text it to the customer with information about where I placed the order. This lets the customer know I documented the delivery – making it less likely they’ll try to claim I didn’t deliver their order – and gives me photographic evidence that I delivered the food.
One good thing is that most customers today request contactless delivery. This is good for Dashers because it sends photo evidence to both DoorDash and the customer showing the food was delivered. The burden of any lost food then falls on the customer because they opted for contactless delivery.
So what happens if a customer lies and says you didn’t deliver their order? When a customer makes a false claim like this, DoorDash will send you a contract violation notice in the Dasher app saying that the customer claims they didn’t receive their order. You’ll be able to provide a response to DoorDash in the app explaining your side of the story. Be thorough with what you did and provide any evidence to support yourself. For the most part, DoorDash won’t deactivate you unless this becomes a recurring issue (in other words, one claim that you didn’t deliver an order isn’t going to get you deactivated).
One thing I don’t recommend doing is confronting the customer. There are a lot of viral videos out there of Dashers confronting customers who made these false claims. While it can be satisfying to yell at a customer for lying about a delivery, it’s always going to end up worse for you. If the customer complains to DoorDash about you confronting them, you’re likely going to get deactivated. My advice is don’t ever confront customers. Just explain to DoorDash what happened and provide all the evidence you can to support yourself.
Unfortunately, DoorDash rarely does anything to help you, even after you provide all the supporting information to them. Whenever I’ve submitted information to support myself, I’ve always received a canned response essentially ignoring everything I said. That being said, unless this happens a lot, DoorDash likely won’t do anything to you.
However, some people have been able to get their contract violations removed by documenting their delivery. For example, this person on Reddit was able to get a contract violation removed by submitting a photo they took of the order with the house number in the photo. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, it’s very satisfying.
3. The Customer Picks Up The Food Before The Driver Gets There
The final DoorDash scam you should be aware of is when a customer places an order on DoorDash, then goes to the restaurant and picks up the food before you get there. Since they know the name that is on their order, they’ll ask for the order as if they are the Dasher picking up the food. When you arrive, the food won’t be there anymore and the customer gets to cancel the order and get a free meal.
Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do to avoid this scam. All you can do is contact DoorDash support and let them know that the food was already picked up. You should get a half-payout when this happens, so you’ll at least get something for your time. It’s not ideal, but that’s the best way to handle this scam.
Final Thoughts
These are the main DoorDash scams you should be aware of when you are working as a Dasher. Follow the tips in this post and you shouldn’t have any issues with these DoorDash scams.
If you’ve encountered other DoorDash scams that are worth mentioning, please feel free to leave them in the comments below.
sound-of-text says
Great post! I’ve had a few issues with DoorDash drivers canceling on me last minute, and I wasn’t sure if it was a scam. Thanks for breaking down the different types of DoorDash scams and providing practical tips on how to avoid them. I’ll definitely be more cautious when using the platform from now on.
Dianna Johns Eary says
February 25th 2024 I was scammed I had an order and I received a call and on caller ID was doordash. He told me my order is fraudulent and he will cancel it. He also stated doordash offering me $150 if I did 15 dashes that day by midnight. He said he needed to verify last 4 digits of my card # and CVV # verify my Email too. I fell fir it. I’m so mad. He took $70.99 out my account. I called doordash and had to call 4 times before I got help. I am so upset 😡 I’m suppose to wait 2-4 weeks while they investigate.
Ken Wayt says
DOORDASH CUSTOMER SERVICE IS A SCAM, ITSELF!! I had items missing from an order on the 6th of February. The dasher basically grabbed the hot items out of the warming rack, but not the cold items out of the cooler. I immediately called the number provided and they said they I’d be refunded 65% or the transaction would be removed in 10-12 business days. I received an email confirming what they said. I called back on the 23th and was told they would re-request a refund (was emailed the same form letter confirmation as the 6th but with a different representative) with Little Caesars and I should call the location to find out the status. The Little Caeser’s manager was shocked like a deer in headlights when I mentioned the 65% refund and agreed with me that Doordash was in error, not the restaurant. So I called Doordash back on the 24th and this time they said Little Caesars has my payment information, so they have to process the refund and they’d connect me to Little Caesars support. The person they connected me to couldn’t help me at all, didn’t offer any solutions or anything, but they did say I should get a refund in 10-12 days. Now this was supposed to be Little Caesars support yet I was sent a 3rd email stating the same Doordash refund confirmation form letter as the previous 2, but this one was signed by the person whom I spoke to supposedly from Little Caesars support…..
yeah I’ll never see this refund…
Stephanie Breder says
My husband and I DoorDash. Last night we got an order for Smoothie King. The delivery address was to a gated community (the gate was unmanned) and the customer didn’t leave the code so we called her through the app. The customer didn’t answer but “someone from DoorDash” immediately called us right back and said the customer’s account had been deactivated. That the delivery address is a house that is vacant and for sale, and that we should just complete the order and they’d give us $20 for our time. They wanted our phone number, which was strange since they were ones that called us, and then they wanted our email address. We gave them neither and the guy started getting really irritated and said “I guess you don’t want your extra $20” and hung up on us. Very unnerving…hoping DoorDash isn’t starting to get hacked – how will we know what is a real order?
Ano says
It’s actually very easy to hack your email if you don’t have a 2step verification turned on. They hack your email then they request a forgot password on your account and voila they are in. JUST SO YOU KNOW.
Anonymous says
After reading all these horror stories, and being a victim of the same a scam via DoorDash, I’m wondering if I should even dash anymore? Doordash has no way to safeguard you from the situation, and everyone on this platform has a legitimate reason of fear. My scam was the stolen credit card order and they said that they canceled the order and I would receive have to pay but I needed to verify my email address. I did. The call came from a DoorDash caller ID. So I didn’t think anything of it. But what I am totally confused about is how with just a my email address, could they hack my account? I never gave a password, was never given any codes or anything of that nature and that’s pretty scary. I am certain that it is someone within the Doordash organization. I am still waiting on my pay out that I worked hard for. Then Doordash paid me the monies for the new situation to wear as they balance out by minimum pay, what you should have been paid during the duration of your hours. But somehow they didn’t give me my pay, which was much more. While my account was in the escalation process. So I don’t understand that? If anyone on here would be so kind to tell me how they can get into your account with just your email address, I would really like to know. At this point, I’m thinking no more doordashing for me because there’s no guarantee that they can’t get in your account again especially once it’s been compromised even changing the password does it make sense because they got in with just my email address nothing else!
Tonya pounders says
Dasher acting like money was took from them out of wallet she left her wallet in a bag. So she acting as of someone stole it and says how much then deactivate account
December says
Just happened to me, the day before my daughters 7th birthday. I am a single mom and had to work hard to get money built up in there for her birthday and these low life’s took everything I had saved up for that as well as gas and groceries for the week. Funny how they were able to change my debit card number and they were able to fast pay within a few hours, but yet now I can’t even go DoorDash to try and get $20 if I’m lucky so I can buy my daughter a freaking donut for her birthday instead of out traditional breakfast and pedicures….. but I can’t because I had to change my debit card back to MY debit card and I HAVE TO WAIT 7 DAYS TO VERIFY MY ACCOUNT!! WTF? And DoorDash is doing NOTHING about it but sending me emails asking for more personal information! This has got to be an inside job!!!
Anonymous says
So it happened to me as well july3,2023, except the order was at McDonald’s $3, .6 miles I clicked on it cause I was there then my screen my whole phone was frozen I couldn’t do unassign the apt glitched I did everything 2-3 times someone called me from door dash making sure I wasn’t in on this order scam they had to send a link to unfreeze the apt it wouldn’t allow the order to go away or me to unassign it was a glitch…anyway I was suppose to get a $138 from July 3rd he stole green dot bank, but I was told it was escalated on July sixth wait 11 days then he gets in my bank debit card charges subscription to $300 worth a crap I tell my bank they shred the card I get new card upload to door dash wait a week to access fast pay then one week later he changed pay info thehour before processing to his bank green dot bank I saw it in time called door dash and have yet to be given my money it’s been 7 days and the money on this balance was a one time refund that he stole again plus $900 more What took so long for fast pay to work? I could have just got my money but it’s a scam. He knows what he’s doing
Anonymous says
I believe there’s some inside criminal activity going on at DoorDash. I was called from a number with a DoorDash caller ID so I thought it was legit. Representative told me that the dash that I was on was placed with a stolen credit card. He cancelled the order on his end, which makes me believe it’s an inside job. He then tells me that my account is deactivated until they investigate whether or not I was involved with the stolen cc scam. After a series of texts with authorization codes I was able to get back on the platform. He told me that the reset of my account required a waiting period before I would be able to cash out my earnings. After going back and forth with him about my displeasure of how DoorDash is handling this situation that I had nothing to do with, he offers me a bonus promotion. If I could do at least 80 dashes in that week, they would pay me out $800 bonus. Little did I know that all he was trying to do was get my numbers up so he could steal whatever earnings I would have at payout. Keep in mind I can’t access any of the earnings because of the reset took away my instant cash out option for 7 days. So I reach the 80 dashes, Monday rolls around and there is no payout at all, let alone a bonus. I was locked out of my account, my log in information and phone number was changed. It took several calls and e-mails trying to verify myself. Two days later I gain access to my account and had to change my banking information from what the thief was using. Some Varo banking app. Now that I’m back into my own account with my own banking information updated, I’m told that I have to wait 3-5 business days before I can access my earnings which will put me out at least 10 days from when this circus started. It sucks because I don’t want to dash until I get what’s owed to me, nvm the bonus. But not dashing until they pay me what’s owed is costing me potential earnings. Not sure what DoorDash can do about inside theft but it really sucks for the dashers just trying to make ends meet.
Anonymous says
I was scammed to someone called me with caller ID door dash. Told me he was a manager at door dash and said I’m getting rewarded with money .he said there are people stealing bonus money so we have to verify it really you ask me my name dob and phone number also got my debit card number watch out
Anonymous says
This as to be a inside job because they know your a dasher! Door dash should be investigating these scammers.
Anonymous says
Its from someone that has that account or someone who has access to that account.they always call when you just accepted a order that’s why the caller ID says door dash
Anonymous says
As a customer you can call your dasher. It shows up as dasher call. It’s not necessarily an inside job. Any one who places an order can call their dasher and it shows up as a dasher call
Anonimoussss says
FYI Door dash calls no longer say DD. and anyone can register a business name on a phone number CNAM is a caller ID registry that can help you display your business or custom name to clients. It’s a way for scammer to get more “validation” when placing calls. 1. Door dash will only call you to find out where the order is if customer has reporter the order never delivered. 2. call to see if you are on your way to the restaurant. 3 call to see if you can go back to restaurant because either some items where left behind or you have the wrong order and they need you to go back to restaurant. other than that DD will never call you with these type of issues. What I suggest you do if someting is off is hang up and you call DD directly to see what is going on. That actually would be the smartest thing to do.
Anonymous says
Giving me chills!! Same story and same inside job feeling as well.how scary!! Like extra money but dealing with a company with rats idk
Nicandra says
Right this just happened to me tonight and I gave all the information and they said that someone will contact me with in 24 hrs if not and I don’t get a call doordash is gonna most definitely hear me cuz I NEED MINES!!! Im not out here doing this bull for my enjoyment
Penny K says
I totally agree with you, they doing inside job! Must be , I had same experience like yours , they are not helping at all , just keeping sending verification emails . They scammed you and never give you money back.
Olga says
I just got scammed they ordered a cookie and then they call me telling me the order i did was from a stolen card and that they need it to stop that so they send me text’s telling me they change my bank account and transfer my money to an external account , so i had the thought about that and i went to my account and the bank account wasn’t mine it was another person account number so i change it and then from the texts i click on the link and block my dasher direct account so the external transfer was canceled and then I called doordash and they scaled my case since the scammer change my email and everything
M says
Has anyone had any problems with doordash transferring money from their PayPal account? They stole over 300$ in transfer transactions.
Kyle B says
I was scammed by a phone number which read “DOORDASH CUSTOMER SERVICE. I answered and they proceeded to tell me I had a complaint about wearing masks to deliveries. I stupidly believed her and gave her all of my information!!!!!! Luckily I caught it fast and they only spent 10 bucks at McDonalds!!! LOW LIFE SCUM!
Kim Villalobos says
I was Just scammed for more than 400 dollars i see now on my account tjat a couple weeks ago now iam seeing someone order something for 7 cenas from a store called harrys its in NY i never got a call from no one ever and the other day i reloaded 300 dollars on my account and it was gone in minutes all from NY they even got a lyft ride i have 25 unauthorized transctions and door dash doesnt seem to be doing anything i think its door dash support thats taking my money
Jami says
I just had a delivery that was supposed to be McDonald’s for a Coke and immediately got a call from the customer asking me to go to a local pharmacy and pick up a prescription and take it to the post office and mail it to them. They offered to Cash App me $100 for my time. I told them no and unassigned the delivery. It seemed incredibly shady and potentially illegal.
David A Walker says
I actually got caught in this scam. I never knew about this . I did not read the whole text that informed not to give out the code. I realized I was scammed after I got a email that said I made a transfer to an external account. So I was able to stop the transfer right after the email.
Anonymous says
This just happened to me tonight. I feel so ashamed. Lucky I saw my bank info was changed and went strait to my phone to call Door Dash. Very sad that people do this. Told me the card that was used to place the order was Red Flagged as stolen. I was so gullible!!!
Liz says
Just happened to me tonight. Locked me out of my dasher account immediately. Now waiting for DoorDash to tell me what to do next I can’t get in to verify anything I don’t know if I have to set up a whole new account or what.
RG says
I had an Uber Rep call me that an order from before was cancelled and we can proceed with the refund process. Can you read the code I sent you. I saw the code 1234 and gave him 4321. He said that’s not it. Oh I’m sorry I gave you the wrong code, he said no problem. I gave him 3412. He said that’s not it either. I said oh sorry I thought that was it. He got mad and told me to go suck a d*ck. lol scum, eat my a**
Andrew says
Just happened to me tonight. Someone ordered only apple slices from McDonald’s. I immediately got a call from someone saying they are from DoorDash support. ( caller ID said “DoorDash”) He sounded American which was weird. Then proceeded to ask for my phone number. Then send me a link “dasherassistantnow.com” and told me to click on it. I said nah and he started telling me to suck this etc. Contacted DoorDash support and they told me it was a real order and did nothing about the person behind the scam. But then the order got canceled. This job sucks
Amanda says
Thanks for posting! I just had someone try to run the “representative from DoorDash” scam on me a few minutes ago. They ordered a single cookie from McDonald’s and I got a phone call saying the customer was cancelling the order and that I would receive compensation on the app for my time, but I had to verify my phone number first. He sent me a text and asked me to follow the link. I was trying to stall him a bunch because it felt fishy. I put my info in to the link he sent as I was frantically trying to Google DoorDash scams in your article came up. I hung up on him, sent a message to a representative through the App and then changed my password immediately. Thank you.
Financial Panther says
Glad my post was able to help you! That was a classic fake DoorDash rep scam right there.
Jamal says
This just happened to me. Some one called and stole my whole profile and money. I need help and can’t get it from DoorDash
Aaliyah Atkins says
Im doing DD with my mom and right after she accepted an order sge got a call from someone saying they’re from DD abd trying to confirm that were picking up the order and dropping it off. i told her i think its a scam after i looked it up. she doesn’t believe me tho.
Financial Panther says
It was probably a scam. Did they ask her for personal information (i.e. passwords, etc).
Kat says
Can anyone give me the legit email for Dash support? Also, have you been in contact with support through the app’s chat but later on they can’t pull up those particular messages? (New IOS user) Customer changed addresses and I have to send screenshots just to get that extra pay. Kevin, if you ever have a moment to chat I’d love to pick your brain about the technology and scams that I’ve been experiencing with UberEats that are so incredibly bizarre. Personal vendetta status! Thanks!
Bob says
Anyone who has delivered for DD for more than a week should know that if you actually get a call from DD then it is not really. If the person speaks clear English then definitely a scam. The dumbest thing I’ve heard is people being called and told they are getting a bonus. I don’t think you even have to deliver for DD to know this is a scam. They will not pay any more than they have to and often screw you on payment.