Charlotte woman claims Instacart driver threatened her over order

CHARLOTTE — A Charlotte woman claims her Instacart driver threatened her over an order dispute.

However, she told Channel 9 it was the response from the company after her complaint that made her reach out to Channel 9.

She said the $5 credit she was offered as an apology is only part of the reason she’s hiring an attorney.

U.S. Army retired veteran Joann Moore placed her Instacart order on Jan. 4 the same way she has since she started using the service in 2015.

Moore, an injured vet, uses the service because her mobility is now limited.

Moore said the dispute started when her shopper kept canceling and refunding items.

“I noticed she would just hit refund,” Moore told Channel 9′s Madison Carter. “And so, I would try to do a replacement instead of a refund. She will hit refund again.”

The two then had a message exchange on the platform.

“Then she said, ‘You talking all that smack,’ and I would ‘reap the repercussions’ if she came to my home,” Moore said.

“And what was your just immediate reaction when you saw that written from an Instacart driver to you?” Carter asked.

“That my life was threatened,” Moore said.

Moore called Instacart to ensure the driver, who already had her address, didn’t complete the order.

“Because I take care of my 89-year-old mother, I didn’t want her coming to my home and causing harm to me and my mom,” she said.

She told Channel 9 she has had three back surgeries and said she would be in no position to defend herself.

In messages reviewed by Channel 9, Instacart customer service offered Moore a $5 credit for the inconvenience and said someone would follow up with her.

“Never received a call. Never received the email,” Moore said.

Carter reached out on her behalf and on Wednesday, Moore said she finally got a call back.

Moore said a representative offered her a $20 credit and an apology but she didn’t think that was enough to ensure the safety of the company’s customers.

“Because if I didn’t make that phone call to Instacart, she would have been at my front door and I would have, as she stated, ‘reap the repercussions,’” Moore said.

Moore filed a police report earlier this week intending to press charges and said she’s in the process of obtaining legal representation.

Instacart confirmed they’ve suspended the shopper in question while they review the incident.

“We take the safety of customers, shoppers, and everyone on our platform very seriously,” Instacart said in a statement. “(We) will cooperate with law enforcement on any ongoing investigation.”

Instacart provided the following information:

• All Instacart shoppers agree to a comprehensive set of account access guidelines when they begin shopping.
• These account access guidelines are intended to ensure that shoppers and customers can use the Instacart platform safely and professionally.
• As part of these guidelines, shoppers may be deactivated for any activity that could create unsafe conditions on the Instacart platform, including threats of violence and unwanted verbal or written contact.
• We take the safety of customers, shoppers, and everyone on our platform very seriously. If a customer faces an issue with their shopper or order, they can reach out to the Customer Experience team, which is available 24/7, via phone or chat.
• If inappropriate behavior is reported, our teams will investigate and take appropriate action, which may include ensuring the shopper is never paired with the customer again, or suspending the shopper from the platform.

Instacart said it is cooperating with authorities.

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