Delivery Drivers Are Targets of Sophisticated Scams

By Heloise Vyas

ABC Gold Coast

Topic: Scams and Fraud

On July 7, 2026, at 7:16 am

Andrew Rhodes was a target of scam attempts through the DoorDash driver app.

In short:

Delivery drivers are being cheated out of their money through a complex phishing scam.

The union for gig workers has seen this problem increase in the past year, which hurts an already weak economy.

What's next?

As people take on side jobs due to financial pressures, advocates want awareness of the scam and better job protection.

Andrew Rhodes is a 26-year-old who knows not to give personal info to unknown callers.

However, after a long workday, he was not alert enough to spot the scam.

The Gold Coast man was new to doing DoorDash deliveries when he fell for a phishing scam through the app.

The NSW government has introduced laws to protect workers from algorithms that might harm them.

Andrew got a call after leaving for a pickup, with an automated message saying it was from DoorDash.

The scammer, pretending to be support staff, said the order was canceled due to suspected customer fraud.

They told Andrew to confirm his identity to get paid for the distance he traveled.

"It's like they have a script. They're very confident in what they say," Andrew said.

The next day, Andrew found $200 missing from his DoorDash wallet after being redirected to another bank account.

Have you or a delivery worker you know been affected by this scam? Contact Vyas.Heloise@abc.net.au

"Because they already had some of my details, they didn't need to contact me again," Andrew said.

One worker lost $21,000

This is part of a sophisticated phishing scam targeting delivery drivers across the country.

The Transport Workers Union has seen complaints rise in the past six months and has helped recover over $50,000 in stolen funds.

Emily McMillan says the phishing scams are getting more frequent and complex.

"The problem is that workers can't easily contact the platform to resolve the issue or check the scammer's identity," she said.

Ms. McMillan said scammed drivers often face difficulties logging issues due to DoorDash and Uber's limited staff.

"So, they're being punished for being the victim. It's a double issue," she said.

"It's great that we can help drivers, but it's not enough that they need our help," she said.

'In-built vulnerability'

The scam follows a pattern: a scammer places an order, a worker accepts, they're called about a cancellation, and then tricked into giving personal details.

A DoorDash scam reported to the union in May saw a driver locked out of their account.

The TWU said these orders are typically placed from locations that are hard to reach by road.

Drivers often don't realize the pickup location has been changed to a remote area.

Ms. McMillan said the digital nature of delivery work makes it vulnerable to phishing scams.

"More people are using this to try and get money," she said.

Andrew noticed a spike in suspicious emails the night before DoorDash's pay cycle.

The union believes the scam is run from within the DoorDash and Uber app interface.

An estimated 250,000 people work in Australia's gig economy, mainly doing app-based work.

Often used after phishing, brute force involves guessing password combinations until the correct one is found.

Cybersecurity expert Troy Hunt said organizations are responsible for safeguarding against these attacks.

"The question is what controls are in place to limit brute force attacks?" he said.

Scams are a big business, but it's about more than money

Australians lost over $2 billion to scams last year, including $97 million to phishing scams.

The ACCC sent out a public alert about scammers targeting food-delivery drivers after ABC enquiries.

For Andrew, the frustration went beyond the financial loss.

Australians lost over $2 billion to scammers in 2025, according to the ACCC.

"It's not just about the money, but the hours of wear and tear on your car and the impact on your mental health," Andrew said.

He wants stronger protections in an industry that has made a difference for him financially.

"It really helps with my bills and has allowed me to go on holiday," he said.

"It's disheartening when someone tries to take your hard-earned money," Andrew said.

DoorDash and Uber said they are working to combat scam activity on their platforms.

On July 7, 2026, at 7:16 am

See more ABC coverage in your search results

Pratique d'écoute