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Public Advisory on Cash On Delivery (Cod) Scams and Incorrect COD Deliveries

Written by
Benedict Leong
Published on
April 16, 2021
Updated on
June 26, 2023

What are COD Scams

Cash-on-delivery scams lure customers to pay in cash for parcels that:

  • They did not buy; or
  • Do not match their expected purchases

With the recent rise of online shopping transactions, these scams are becoming more prevalent.

Scammers are devising more elaborate schemes. The scammers can pose as legitimate online sellers on fake websites or pose as sellers on social media.

Many of these scammers send their COD parcels via forwarders, who then assign the deliveries to Janio.

As such, we have no direct contact with these scammers.

How These Scams Work

Forwarders consolidate shipments together from multiple sellers, which could include scammers, before passing them to logistics service providers like Janio Asia to deliver to your doorstep.

Janio then delivers the parcels to your address and collects cash on behalf of the forwarders. The cash is then remitted to the forwarders who then remit the cash to the original shippers.

Later, the customers or their family members helping the customers receive the parcel realise that the item is not something they’ve ordered or the parcel contains something of lower value.

Incorrect COD Deliveries

There can also be situations where legitimate merchants accidentally ship the wrong item for COD delivery.

During these situations, Janio will raise this issue with the shipper to work out an appropriate recourse. You will be kept up to date with these proceedings.

What Janio Can Do To Help

In response to the recent spike in these cases, Janio Asia will be working together with our forwarders and partners to do what we can to look into COD Scam reports and solve them.

How to Protect Yourself From COD Scams

We strongly encourage members of the public to be highly vigilant when it comes to receiving COD parcels.

  • DO NOT pay for any parcels that you have not bought online
  • Should you come across any suspicious parcels or payment requests, please reject the delivery, and report to Janio Asia directly at support@janio.asia
  • Inform Those Receiving the Parcel for You: If others are helping you to receive a parcel that requires COD, let them know what it is and when to expect it
  • If It’s Suspicious, Reject It: Always check the item description if you are unclear, and reject parcels and payment requests for suspicious deliveries
  • Research these Sellers Carefully: Check reviews and only buy from reputable sites.
  • If It Sounds Too Good To Be True, It Probably Isn’t: If an item is priced way too low, it likely isn’t authentic

Other Common Questions:

  • Why is Janio Asia still accepting COD?
  • COD is an option for some consumers who prefer to make their payments only upon receiving the physical parcel.
  • Why can’t the parcel recipients open the parcels before paying for them?
  • We’re bound by confidentiality contracts with our partners to safeguard the integrity of all parcel contents.
  • Why can’t Janio Asia filter out scam parcels?
  • We do not open parcels and deliver only to the address specified by our clients and forwarders.