Wag! dog walkers, beware of scammers
What independent contractors need to be aware of with the Wag! app
There’s a sign in my dining room that says “Dogs Welcome, People Tolerated.” And some people are harder to tolerate than others, with scammers right at the top of the list. Dog lovers, such as Wag! dog walkers, need to be especially cognizant of people on the prowl looking to scam independent contractors.
I’ve been a regular Wag! dog walker since March with a total of 171 walks from 32 different dogs. As Wag! dog walkers are aware of, the company uses Payable as a payment source. This month, the company announced that they will be transitioning to Stripe. But scammers are taking advantage of this transition, and independent contractors in general, by creating fake dog owner accounts.
A month or so ago, Wag! made it easier for dog owners and dog walkers to contact each other via anonymous phone numbers. Although this makes meet-n-greets simpler to do without having to contact Wag! each time, it has become especially attractive to scammers.
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How Wag! scammers trick dog walkers
How does it work? First, a scammer creates a fake dog walk order in Wag’s system. An unsuspecting dog walker accepts the walk. The scammer then cancels the walk before it can be charged but calls the dog owner. Because the dog owner’s number is anonymous to begin with, unless you immediately match the dog owner’s phone number with the “Wag! representative” calling you, it’s too easy to believe this person is from Wag!
For example, an “owner” who contacted me today had an area code 205 (Birmingham, Alabama). The scammer is aware that an observant dog walker may notice the two numbers match, hence the reason the walk is immediately canceled when he calls. And once that walk is canceled, all of its information is wiped from the dog walker’s system (unless the dog walker accepted multiple future walks).
Recommended Read: “Safe walks on Wag, the fake home scam ~ 10 dog walking tips to feel secure while walking new dogs”