Grab driver scammed into buying $100 Xbox gift card after customer promises $80 tip and disappears without paying
A Grab driver said he was scammed into buying a $100 Xbox gift card in exchange for an $80 tip, but was not paid for the items.
Norman Then, a 38-year-old Grab driver known for creating content about his encounters with passengers on TikTok account @taxitalessg, said in a post on May 12 that he had fallen victim to a scam.
Saying that he was “feeling like an idiot”, he adds that he had never thought this would happen to him.
Mr Then told Stomp that he received a booking that same morning to pick up a passenger from a heartland area and send them to a hotel.
However, he says he subsequently received a message from the customer, requesting that he purchase a $100 Xbox gift card and a carton of milk from a 7-Eleven outlet and deliver them to the customer’s daughter, who was waiting at the hotel.
The customer added that he would give Mr Then an $80 tip on top of the ride fare.
After calling the customer to confirm the instructions, Mr Then proceeded to do as they asked.
“I think I was tired, I was not thinking. I don’t know what went through me,” he says, explaining that he had also taken a photo of the front of the gift card and sent it to the customer.
Customer demands more gift cards and a clearer photo
Halfway through the drive, the customer allegedly requested that the gift card be changed, which raised alarm bells for Mr Then.
During a phone call with the customer, the latter had claimed to felt “threatened”, and asked Mr Then to send a photo of the back of the gift card, which he did.
When the customer later requested a clearer photo, Mr Then realised he had been scammed and informed Grab about the incident.
According to screenshots he provided, the customer had requested four more gift cards and offered a $100 tip on top of the total cost.
In the TikTok post, Mr Then adds that the customer also failed to pay for the ride, having opted for cash payment. Mr Then covered the fare initially, though Grab later refunded him.
“Does anyone want an Xbox gift card? I’ll sell it for 50 bucks. I’m not trying to scam you, if that’s what you’re thinking,” he concludes.
Speaking to Stomp, Mr Then said he managed to sell the card for $50, but the buyer was unable to redeem the code.
“Scammer must have already claimed it. Still assisting the buyer to get support from Microsoft,” he added.
When asked for his thoughts on the incident, Mr Then offered a simple piece of advice:
Yes, don’t buy gift cards. Haha
Account banned by Grab
In response to Stomp’s queries, a Grab spokesperson said that the account for the customer involved in the incident, along with other linked accounts, has been banned from the platform.
The representative added that the scam tactic of asking riders to purchase gift cards, game cards, and run errands is not new, with over 1,200 such accounts having been banned from the platform since 2025.
Netizens suggest rejecting cash payment requests
The post drew over 100,000 views, 1,900 reactions, and 300 comments.
Several netizens shared similar experiences with such scams, with one saying they had been scammed $300 of their “hard-earned money” on a gift card scam.
“Aiyo, why u so kind to help grab item,” one commented, while another suggested rejecting rides requesting cash payment.
Others were supportive, saying that it was a “small amount” to pay for an important life lesson.
“When our mind is exhausted or preoccupied, I guess this can happen. Pls don’t be too hard on yourself. Chin up, lesson learnt,” another commented.
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