A collective of residents in south London suspects they have fallen victim to a scam after discovering that their Thames Water accounts were compromised and unsolicited Deliveroo rider kits began arriving at their homes.

Lizzy, a pseudonym, recounted the events that unfolded following a message in her neighborhood’s WhatsApp group at the end of August, as she shared with BBC Radio 4’s You and Yours program.

“A neighbor posted a picture of a package in the chat and asked, ‘Does anyone recognize this person?'” Lizzy explained to the BBC, pointing to the unfamiliar name on the package.

“Nobody knew the name. The following day, a large parcel appeared on my doorstep.”

It soon became evident that at least six participants in the group had also received starter kits.

All of these parcels were addressed to names that the BBC confirmed are prevalent in Eritrea and northern Ethiopia.

Curious, Lizzy opened her package and found a starter kit that included a waterproof jacket, an additional top, a large Deliveroo bag, and some type of phone holder. “It felt extremely peculiar, which led me to believe there might be some sort of scam happening,” Lizzy remarked.

In response, Deliveroo clarified that the six kits were meant for riders who had successfully completed their right-to-work, criminal records, and proof of address checks; however, they noted that accounts have been suspended while further investigations are conducted.

A representative from Deliveroo also stated that, similar to many online retail platforms, the site allowing these kits to be ordered permits customers to select any delivery address, be it a workplace or as a gift.

Deliveroo riders operate as self-employed individuals, which allows them the flexibility to enlist substitutes to carry out their work.

Just two days after receiving her parcel, Lizzy received a final demand from Thames Water for over £400, directed to her residence but under the name of a man of Romanian descent who does not reside there.

Upon contacting Thames Water, Lizzy learned that her account had been erroneously closed because another individual had opened an account at her address.

Upon sharing her experience with the group chat, she found that another member had encountered a similar situation.

Thames Water issued a statement to You and Yours indicating: “We take the protection of our customers’ personal data and the maintenance of essential services very seriously.

“In regards to your listener’s account, there has been no unauthorized access or data breach, nor any fraudulent activity. Her account was mistakenly closed after we were informed that another customer was moving into the premises.

“After she received a final bill from Thames Water, she reached out to our customer service, and we promptly rectified the incorrect account creation, restoring her original account.

“Her billing and water consumption records are current based on the latest meter readings for her property, and we apologize for any disruptions this may have caused.”

Lizzy and her neighbors suspect a connection between the arrival of the Deliveroo starter packs and the changes to the Thames Water accounts; however, the BBC could not definitively link the hijacking of Lizzy’s Thames Water account in February to the Deliveroo rider kit delivered to her in late August.

They theorize that the requirement of proof of address may have led to this situation, which the BBC presented to Deliveroo. The company responded: “None of the riders involved in this inquiry provided a utility bill as proof of address.

“Unless there is evidence connecting the Thames Water incident to the delivery of the kits, it would be misleading and incorrect to associate the two. We strongly reject the notion that this issue relates to substitutes or the self-employment status of riders. In this case, all rider accounts linked to the deliveries were main account holders, not substitutes, thus making substitution irrelevant to this discussion.

“It’s also important to highlight that becoming a Deliveroo rider (including substitute riders) requires a formal registration process, including successful right-to-work checks. We recognize the need for a thorough investigation into this issue and are currently addressing it with the seriousness it deserves.”

Reports have surfaced regarding rented accounts being exploited by individuals with criminal records who would otherwise be ineligible for rider positions.

Matthew Cole, assistant professor specializing in technology, work, and employment at the University of Sussex, believes this issue arises from the self-employed status of Deliveroo riders, allowing them to hire substitutes for their work—placing the primary responsibility for vetting substitutes largely on the riders themselves rather than Deliveroo.

“Substitutes can rent accounts for anywhere from £40 to £120 weekly, depending on the account’s rating,” Dr. Cole explained. “Deliveroo utilizes an algorithm for work allocation, favoring higher-rated accounts. The insufficient regulation and oversight in this industry mean some companies may choose to disregard these matters.”

In late June, the Home Office reached a voluntary arrangement with Deliveroo aimed at curbing the misuse of rider accounts and preventing illegal labor.

Moving forward, riders will be required to perform random selfie identification checks to continue working. The government has also provided Deliveroo with the locations of asylum seeker accommodations to prevent them from being utilized as registration addresses.

Deliveroo confirmed to the BBC that substitute riders must also pass initial right-to-work verifications. Dr. Cole, as part of his research, has engaged with Deliveroo riders in the same area of London as Lizzy.

“To keep working, all you need is a phone registered to someone who has successfully passed the necessary checks and a few readily available selfies,” he noted. “Many resort to this method. There are numerous desperate individuals stuck in limbo waiting for asylum decisions, living in substandard hotels without legal job opportunities.

“This is a population in need of income who will seek ways to obtain it. Wherever there are gaps in regulation, individuals will exploit those opportunities.”

As of now, the BBC has been unable to reach any of the six Deliveroo riders or the individual who set up the Thames Water account at Lizzy’s residence for comment.