Send to the door: what risks for customers courier delivery hides
Lawyers have warned about the risk of home deliveries for customers - couriers get personal data of a person, which they can use for personal and even criminal purposes. The problem began to be discussed after the incident in the "Golden Apple", when after the delivery of cosmetics to a girl began to receive threats and intimate pictures. "Izvestia" found out what data about a person can get to couriers, although they should not, how companies protect customers and what to do in case of such troubles.
Courier risks
Home delivery of goods can carry risks for customers. They are related to the fact that couriers get a person's personal data - address and phone number, warned lawyer Sean Betrozov.
- Address, name, phone number - the minimum set of information needed to fulfill an order. But even that is enough to put a person in a vulnerable position. The problem is exacerbated when delivery service employees abuse the information received, overstepping the boundaries of professional communication, - said the lawyer.
A similar story in early February occurred with a Muscovite Irina, who made an order in the "Golden Apple". The man who handed her a box of cosmetics, the same day began sending photos of sexual organs and threats of an intimate nature to her phone.
Irina turned to the police and said that she was afraid to even go out on the street - the delivery man wrote that he would "come by in the evening" or track her down at home. At the same time, as Muscovite found out, the man was not even connected with the store: he was asked to take the order by a familiar girl courier. In the support service of the company Irina was simply offered a promo code for a thousand rubles.
Later, the press service of Golden Apple explained to Izvestia that the company has already conducted an internal check in connection with the unpleasant incident. Two cases of violation of internal rules of service provision were revealed. First, the courier transferred the order through a third party. Secondly, the support service operators did not provide the necessary assistance in a crisis situation.
- Cooperation with the courier is terminated, the company is conducting a comprehensive audit of all logistics chains. Enhanced inspection measures and additional training for couriers are being introduced, and call center employees will be trained to respond to emergency situations," the company said, apologizing to the affected customer.
Situation on the market
As a source who worked in the logistics and goods delivery sector explains to Izvestia, the problem of protecting customers' personal data exists in many courier services today. Employees of the companies have access to extensive information about customers: phone numbers, residential addresses, and the history of orders from various online stores. Despite claims of confidentiality, this data turns out to be available to many people inside the delivery system.
- The situation is aggravated by a severe shortage of couriers on the market. Companies are forced to lower their personnel requirements and take employees with little or no background checks," says the Izvestia interlocutor.
According to him, the situation is particularly difficult in the franchise delivery sector. Each franchisee independently recruits staff to serve its zone and often saves on salaries. This leads to a dispersion in labor remuneration: in one city, couriers can receive from 40 to 100 thousand rubles, depending on the point and who owns that point.
At the same time, the practice of engaging third-party logistics operators creates additional risks. Many companies claiming to have their own delivery service actually outsource this function to contractors. At the same time, according to the source, a significant part of couriers work either without official registration or under a contract of employment. As a result, couriers are more difficult to control or prosecute in case of violations.
However, large companies contacted by Izvestia claim that they thoroughly check couriers. For example, in Ozon, the company's partners work as couriers: they pass a driving test and are checked by the company's security service, and every morning before leaving for their shift, they undergo a medical examination.
- The company retains only proven delivery drivers who do not violate traffic rules and collect only good feedback from customers. This allows to maintain safety and quality of delivery at a high level. Most customers thank the couriers and praise their work - at 4.61 out of five, their satisfaction index is almost 90%, - noted in the press service of the marketplace.
Cooper added that couriers receive only the necessary information: the location of the retailer, the amount and composition of the order, and the customer's address. To ensure customer confidentiality, we use a spoofed number system, which eliminates the possibility of communication via personal phone numbers or social networks.
- We also have a contactless delivery option, which allows us to notify the customer and leave the order at the door. These measures ensure a high level of safety and comfort for customers," the company emphasized.
Checks of couriers
Checks of couriers in companies should be carried out in several stages, explains "Izvestia" commercial director of the federal transportation company "Skif-Cargo" Mikhail Koptev. First, they should concern biographical information. Criminal background, criminal record, criminal convictions, driver's license and car (if necessary) are checked.
- In addition, it is necessary at the interview to assess communication skills and stress resistance, as well as to test for knowledge of routes and safety rules. And training on company standards, including safety rules, customer interaction and conflict management, is a must," says the expert.
In the future, the work of couriers should be monitored by logistics managers - this is important for compliance with safety standards and quality of service, explains Mikhail Koptev. GPS/GPRS technologies can be used to help track the courier's location in real time and analyze the route.
- It is imperative to collect feedback on couriers' performance to identify problem areas, create hotlines or chat rooms for couriers to report problems or get help in emergencies. And conduct regular inspections and evaluation of the delivery service to identify potential threats and solve problems," adds Mikhail Koptev.
According to Izvestia's interlocutor, to avoid unpleasant incidents, companies can implement applications for communication with clients and to support couriers in case of conflict situations. It is also not superfluous to develop protocols in case of emergencies (e.g., attack on the courier, theft, etc.) and measures to prevent them.
Offenses and penalties
Companies usually have clear protocols for what information employees can possess. For example, a courier may know the customer's name, delivery address, contact phone number (sometimes it can be a substitute phone number) and sometimes information about the order (e.g., product description), explains Mikhail Koptev.
- At the same time, the courier should not receive any financial information, such as credit card details, as well as order history or other personal data that is not necessary for the delivery," says the expert.
If the courier shared a person's contacts with outsiders (as was the case with Irina), it is considered a violation of the law, adds lawyer Sean Betrozov. The distribution of personal data is punishable by an administrative penalty in the form of a fine of up to 10 thousand rubles. But if a person uses contact data for harassment, threats or sexual harassment, the situation can escalate into a criminal case.
- If the messages are of a threatening nature, Art. 119 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("Threat of murder or harm to health"). And if the correspondence contains elements of sexual violence, it can be qualified under Article 137 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ('Violation of the inviolability of private life'), both of which provide for punishment of up to two years' imprisonment," Betrozov explains.
Companies organizing deliveries are also responsible for the actions of their employees and contractors.
By law, they are obliged to ensure the protection of customers' personal data. If a courier gained access to personal information as a result of his employer's negligence, the company may be subject to administrative penalties. But much more serious are the reputational risks - information leaks or complaints of harassment by couriers can lead to scandal, a drop in trust and financial losses, concludes the lawyer.
How to defend yourself against a courier
In case a person faced harassment after placing an order, it is important to immediately preserve evidence: take screenshots of correspondence, record calls, save phone numbers and accounts of senders. Then it is worth contacting the support service of the store or courier service to record the incident.
- But if the courier is not officially employed, the proceedings will be held with him as an individual. In this case, you should make a statement to the police with a description of all the circumstances of the incident. After the proceedings and disclosure of the details of the indecent behavior, in most cases the prosecution is stopped," says Irina Vernova, a lawyer at the Themis Law Agency.
However, the police can be applied to the police and in the case if the courier works in the company. For example, when the company does not respond to the incident or refuses to solve the problem.
- It is important to describe the situation in detail, attach evidence and indicate that fears for their own safety are justified, - adds lawyer Sean Betrozov.
At the same time, the lawyer advises to protect yourself in advance - to take care of the protection of personal data when placing orders. To do this, you can use temporary phone numbers, order delivery to postamats or self-delivery points, or simply use contactless delivery, which many services have.
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