Fake deliveries tricked VP, solons

Vice President and presidential aspirant Leni Robredo cautioned on Tuesday the public against scammers using her name for delivery of goods.

She said she was victimized by a scammer who delivered goods for cash on delivery worth P100,000.

This emerged as two opposition senators, both running in the 2022 elections, were also the latest victims of fake delivery bookings on the same day Robredo was victimized using the same modus.

Two fake orders were placed under the names of reelectionist Senator Risa Hontiveros and vice-presidential aspirant Senator Francis Pangilinan.

Robredo claimed she returned the goods booked under her name through the Metromart app without her knowledge and at no charge to delivery drivers involved.

The items were delivered by three delivery riders to the Office of the Vice President in New Manila, Quezon City.

“Thank you to Metromart and the merchants. The process of returning the goods was that easy,” she said.

“Amid difficult times, I just hope that scammers would not do that, affecting small workers,” she added.

The fake order had badly affected the delivery riders who had to initially foot the bill for the purchase and deliver the goods despite the rains.

“When I was informed about this, I was concerned about the delivery riders. This is a big inconvenience for them. Scammers may think the burden is on us. But they did not consider the riders and the shoppers they have victimized. It was also raining yesterday, and the drivers got wet,” she said.

Hontiveros said a food order worth over P18,000 was placed under her name and Senate office.

She said Hashtags #WeLoveDuterte and #ILoveDrilon were part of the order notes, she said.

The order did not push through since the restaurant required a payment through bank transfer.

In her Facebook page, Hontiveros posted screenshots of invoices of orders from a popular lechon restaurant, where she seemed to have ordered one large size lechon worth over P18,000 including shipping fees.

“Protect local businesses. There is a new scam that wants to taint our name. They pretend to be me and order items in my name, using my office’s address,” she wrote.

Hontiveros said she is mulling filing a complaint to protect local businesses and delivery riders who are suffering because of these pranks.

“We are monitoring to study possible legal action,” she said.

Hontiveros said this action was not for them, but for local businesses and delivery riders.

MetroMart said all items were returned to supermarkets without charging the OVP and delivery riders.

The National Bureau of Investigation said in July that it would probe the increasing incidents of fake delivery bookings after actress Kris Bernal filed a complaint when she received 23 fake food orders.