Instacart scams
Last updated September 18, 2026
The short answer
Instacart scams target shoppers: a call claiming to be support about a batch or payout problem, ending in a request for a verification code that takes over the account and redirects earnings. Instacart has no inbound support phone line.
Gig platforms share a structural weakness: the worker depends on the account for income, so anything threatening it produces immediate compliance. Instacart shoppers get calls about deactivations, batch problems and missing payouts, and the request is always the same — a code, to verify you. The customer side is quieter: refund cons and occasional card abuse through compromised accounts.
How Instacart scams work
- 1
Fake support calls to shoppers
A caller references a batch or payout issue and asks for a verification code to resolve it. The code completes a login or password reset.
- 2
Earnings redirection
Once in, the deposit account is changed and earnings are diverted, often noticed only at the next payout.
- 3
Fake batch and bonus offers
Messages promising high-value batches or bonuses, linking to a fake Instacart login.
- 4
Customer refund cons
A "support agent" offers a refund for a problem order and requests bank details or remote access.
Warning signs
- Anyone asks you to read back a verification code
- A caller claims to be Instacart support (there is no inbound line)
- A message promises unusually high-paying batches through a link
- Your deposit account changes without you changing it
- You are asked for bank details to receive a refund
- The login page is not instacart.com
- A caller threatens deactivation unless you act during the call
Examples
Deactivation in ten minutes
A shopper is called about a customer complaint and told the account will be deactivated unless it is verified immediately. She reads out the code. The password is reset, the deposit account changed, and $840 of earnings redirected before the next payout.
The bonus batch link
A text offers access to high-value batches through a link. The page is a fake Instacart login. The account is taken over and used for fraudulent orders under the shopper's identity.
What to do
- Never share a verification code, with anyone.
- Use only the Help section in the app — there is no support number to call.
- Check your deposit account after any suspicious contact.
- Turn on two-factor authentication.
- Report account takeover through the app immediately; timing affects whether earnings can be recovered.
Report it to Instacart
Report through the Help section in the app. Instacart has no inbound support phone number — any advertised one is a scam.
Getting your money back
Check and restore the deposit account first, since redirected earnings are the objective and catching it before a payout cycle decides whether the money is recoverable. Change the password, turn on two-factor, and report through the app — Instacart has reinstated diverted earnings when reported quickly. For customers, unauthorised card charges are covered by the issuer, and money pulled from a bank account should be reported to the bank the same day under Regulation E.
Frequently asked questions
Does Instacart call shoppers about deactivation?
Account decisions come through the app and email, and there is no inbound support number to call. A phone call threatening deactivation unless you act immediately is a scam using the one threat a gig worker cannot ignore.
Why do they want a verification code?
Because they have your email or phone number already and the code is the last step of the takeover. A code proves your identity to Instacart, never to a caller. Nobody legitimate will ask for one.
Can diverted earnings be recovered?
Sometimes, if reported before the payout is processed — which is why checking the deposit account immediately after any suspicious call matters more than anything else you do. Report through the app the same day.
Other companies scammers impersonate
Scams reuse their scripts across brands. If you were contacted about Instacart, these are the guides worth reading next.