Clark Biweekly (3 6 25)

Author

Anthony Hazzard
March 06, 2025

Two-way fraud is a major problem in the delivery business. Find out what’s happening later in this email.

💵 Today’s Top Stories
Email

You can tell an email scam based on the subject line in your inbox if you know what to look for. Here are some emails you can send straight to the trash. Read more.

Credit Card

Even if you’re not using a credit card, don’t stash it in a drawer and forget it or cancel the card. Do this instead so you keep your credit score as high as possible. Read more.

Privacy App

Don’t wait until a hacker is already trying to steal your money. Here’s how to be defensive and protect your digital privacy (and your money) right now. Read more.

Passport

You need to keep your passport safe when you’re traveling. Here’s where Clark wants you to put it. Read more.

Library card

Your local library’s resources extend far beyond books. See some of the wide-ranging things you can borrow right in your community. Read more.

📣 Today’s Top News
💻️ Tech Tip From Kim Komando

You look fabulous, dahling: The flash on most cameras and phones makes harsh shadows. Bright idea: Diffuse the light through something like a white plastic shopping bag for a softer look. Just don’t cover the lens! Join 575K people who get tech smart with my friend Kim Komando’s free newsletter, The Current.

🛍️ Delivery Industry Contending With Two-Way Fraud

You order DoorDash for your family. A delivery driver brings you bags of food – just what everyone wanted.

You smile and wait. That’s it. Thank you, they say as they get back in their car and drive away. Before you can say “uncle,” you realize they didn’t bring the drinks.

What a bummer.

Thankfully, you can go onto the app, explain what happened, flag the drinks as “missing” from the delivery and get a refund or an in-app credit.

You’ll notice, though, that your refund request depends on the honor system. Unfortunately, not everyone is honest. Refund fraud accounted for roughly 48% of fraud on delivery apps. And retailers faced $103 billion in fraudulent returns in 2024.

Speaking of DoorDash, though, the app recently paid $16.8 million to New York couriers (as much as $14,000 per driver). It turns out DoorDash promised a guaranteed payout level regardless of customer tips – even if the tip is $0.

DoorDash drivers are supposed to keep 100% of tips. But DoorDash was simply paying the minimum it promised and pocketing any overages. DoorDash has paid $11.3 million in Illinois and $2.5 million in Washington D.C. over the same issue.

Seems like fraud is an issue with food delivery apps, potentially both directions.

📊 Stat of the Day

💳️ $523,000: The amount that thieves won in the French lottery by using a stolen credit card. The credit card’s owner offered to split the winnings with the thieves, provided they return his wallet. The thieves, apparently homeless, have vanished and have not cashed the ticket.

💰️ Deal Alert: Today’s Top Deals
Batteries
Amazon Prime box
🎙️ Podcast

Have you ever wondered how long $1 million will last in retirement? Where you live makes a difference! Clark shares data on the most and least affordable states, including his insights on why affordability is so low or high. Also, tariffs are all over the headlines. Clark has several predictions of how tariffs will impact the economy – and most importantly, our wallets.

☎️ Need Money Help?

The Team Clark Consumer Action Center is a free helpline that can help you navigate your money questions. Call 636-492-5275. Visit clark.com/cac for more information.

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