BEAUMONT, Texas — Whether it's for presents or food, a Beaumont woman is urging Southeast Texans who shop online to take necessary precautions, so they do not fall victim to online hackers.
Groceries, Chinese food, and an elaborate meal from a Brazilian Steakhouse were charged to Lupita Villareal's DoorDash account on Saturday, Nov. 20. The $120 fraudulent charge was the cause of a hacker who was more than 1,000 miles away.
"Something like this has never happened to me before, and it was even more shocking that I found out at like five in the morning," Villarreal said. "I was asleep the whole night."
DoorDash is a delivery app that brings food and groceries to the comfort of your own home.
"I use these types of apps because I obviously didn’t want to go out and catch something," Villareal said. "But it also helps people who work for these companies."
Villarreal immediately contacted DoorDash to report the fraudulent charge. The company deactivated her account and blacklisted her credit card. Now, she can longer use it on the app.
"Why can I not rely on the app used worldwide to be able to keep my information and my finances safe," Villareal said.
According to the Better Business Bureau, these types of crimes have cost Southeast Texans that fell victim to them about $8,000 in the past few months.
"Everyone who purchases online should always use a credit card," Liz Fredrich, Better Business Bureau employee said. "Only because if you do run into problems, you can get your money back through your credit card company."
Villareal said she will never forget the important information she learned. She is urging Southeast Texans to follow the Better Business Bureau’s advice, so they do not fall victim to the cyber crime.
"I did learn that having your card information stored on these apps, it does make it easier when you are checking out," Villareal said. "So, from what I learned, I think I will not have that information stored on my account."
While learning these preventive measures helped, Villareal said she still wanted to know who hacked her account and why. Villareal used the name of a restaurant found on one of the receipts to track the hackers to a neighborhood in Los Angeles.
A DoorDash delivery driver helped Villareal narrow down who could be responsible. Thanks to the driver's help, she found a photo of the home where the purchase was made on google maps.
While Villareal cannot put a name or face to the person responsible, she said tracking them as far as she did has brought her peace of mind.
Villareal's money was refunded by DoorDash, and she has chosen not to a file police report yet. While she is disappointed in how her case was handled, she is glad to share a warning with fellow Southeast Texans.