Featured Image Credit: iamoliviaponton/TikTok
A female TikToker is advising other women to use a different name when ordering food on delivery apps after a frightening encounter with a driver.
Turns out the world has become a much scarier place in that women might have to start using fake names to order our Friday night takeout.
Olivia Ponton warned of the dangers of using their real name when using delivery service apps like Uber Eats.
On TikTok, Olivia suggested women should use a man's name on their profile as well as delete photos or personal details on the app.
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"Never put your real name or a photo of yourself on Uber, Uber Eats, Lyft, Doordash, any of it. Let this be your sign..." Olivia said in her viral video.
"Matter of fact, change it to a guy's name, Jason, Jake, John... Anything. And just delete the photo."
She explained that her delivery driver wouldn’t stop banging on her door, leaving her 'shaking in my literal boots for 20 minutes.'
She continued: "I was standing there. I didn't know what to do. I was literally frozen."
Even worse, she added that the driver was 'covering the little peephole with the bag', so she couldn't see who it was.
"I couldn't even match up the photo on Uber Eats with him. We're not safe out here".
Olivia’s experience resonated with many women, who have come forward in the comments section and shared their own stories.
One person said they had a similar situation with their Uber Eats driver 'stood outside my house for 15 mins' and has since changed their account picture to a 'stop sign'.
Other viewers of the viral clip have been praising Olivia for sharing the PSA.
"Food delivery services like Uber Eats are a mod-con that many wouldn’t go without, but for women, there could be unexpected dangers that arise when simply ordering a takeaway," the first TikTok user commented.
Others took proactive action, writing: "Wait, just changed everything. Thank you" and “I just changed mine thank you."
Another viewer pointed out that it's 'horrible we have to do this' but added their own tip of leaving a pair of men's shoes outside the front door as a precaution.
Food delivery apps like Uber Eats typically share personal details with drivers to ensure deliveries are made successfully.
According to Deliveroo UK, these details are 'including but not limited to [a] customers’ name, order ID and location'
The company added that drivers 'may only contact a customer about their order, and only while completing a delivery for them.'
An Uber Eats spokesperson told Business Insider last year that their drivers don't have access to a user's credit card, phone number, the rating they give, profile photo or even surname.
