As the summer heat kicks in, nothing’s more refreshing than grabbing a cold bottle of water while you’re stuck in traffic. But for some Atlanta drivers, that quick sip has turned into a costly scam draining wallets faster than you can say “Cash App."
So-called water boys — teens who hustle bottled water to passing cars — have been accused of using Cash App to take much more than just a few bucks. Two victims report losing over $1,000 each after believing they were simply being generous.
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Tristen Richardson said her $2 water turned into an unexpected $1,100 charge after she handed her phone over so the seller could “type in the right username.”
"My heart sank because I was like, oh my God, that’s like a big chunk of money," she told Fox 5 Atlanta.
She’s not alone, but your thirst doesn’t have to drain your wallet. Here’s how to avoid falling for the trick and keep your summer spending chill.
A costly lesson for drivers
It’s easy to hand over a few dollars to someone selling bottled water on a sweltering day, but Richardson isn’t the only kind-hearted driver who ended up paying far more than expected.
Earlier this month, Fox 5 Atlanta reported a similar incident involving a QR code, showing scammers are getting more creative by the day. In that case, a woman who asked to remain anonymous said she lost $800 after a group of water boys off Interstate 20 and Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard offered her a QR code when she didn’t have cash on hand.
She intended to tip them $5, but after scanning the code with her phone, $800 vanished from her account without her confirming the amount, entering a PIN or using a fingerprint verification.
"Cash App usually has three methods of verification before any money is sent," she told FOX 5. "None of those three verification methods were utilized. They were all bypassed and $800 just taken out."
It’s unclear how the verification steps were skipped, but experts say scam apps and spoofed links can trick devices into authorizing payments.
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Trust your gut
Most victims say they just wanted to help. They assumed the teens selling water were legit. But experts warn these incidents are part of a growing trend that’s catching unsuspecting Good Samaritans off guard.
Rajiv Garg, a professor of information systems and operations management at Emory University, said phishing scams using QR codes are on the rise as more people rely on digital payments.
"If you don’t see where this QR code is leading you to, it could be a scam," he told Fox 5, adding that the best way to avoid these scams is to learn and follow best practices for online transactions.
If you want to stay safe, here are a few tips: never hand over your phone, no matter how trustworthy someone seems. If you prefer to pay digitally, open your payment app yourself and manually enter the amount and username. And skip scanning random QR codes on the spot.
For peace of mind, keep a few small bills in your glove box. It’s old-school, but it keeps your account details out of the wrong hands. While you’re at it, check your app’s security settings. Enable PIN or fingerprint verification for every transaction. It only takes a few taps, but it can block scammers fast.
Above all, trust your instincts. If someone seems pushy or tries to rush you into paying, roll up your window and drive on. That’s Richardson’s new rule.
"If you’re in Atlanta and you pass by the water boys, I wouldn’t even press my finger on the roll-down window button," she said. "Don’t even bother."
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
