If you’re interested in joining Walmart’s Spark delivery service, the process involves signing up and awaiting approval, a period that could extend for several weeks or even months due to the high demand and waiting lists in many parts of the US. However, there exists an unauthorized route that goes against the policies of Walmart. This involves reaching out to certain accounts on Facebook or Instagram, where, for a significant fee—often amounting to hundreds of dollars—an individual can swiftly secure access to a Spark driver account.
A glance through social media communities for Spark drivers uncovers numerous posts advertising these illicit account acquisition services. Evidently, some drivers are resorting to this method to obtain accounts not registered under their own names. This trend is particularly prevalent on Instagram and can also be found in select Facebook groups dedicated to Spark drivers.
In a post shared in July within the now-archived Facebook group “Spark Driver en Español,” which boasts approximately 8,200 members, individuals are encouraged to reach out to a specific Instagram account to purchase or rent a Spark account.
Furthermore, the account advertises the sale of a “bot grabber,” an application that automates order claims, along with assistance in reactivation, as outlined in the post.
Illegal Sale of SPARK Accounts and Exploitative Practices
In another post within the same group, there’s a commitment to provide accounts to prospective drivers even if they lack the necessary “papers,” seemingly referring to individuals without legal status in the US.
“We have brand new SPARK accounts available for purchase. Send us a message now to acquire your own new SPARK account,” states a post from an Instagram account with a following of 5,400. “Offering highly affordable prices.”
In a post shared in July within the now-archived Facebook group “Spark Driver en Español,” which boasts approximately 8,200 members, individuals are encouraged to reach out to a specific Instagram account to purchase or rent a Spark account.
Furthermore, the account advertises the sale of a “bot grabber,” an application that automates order claims, along with assistance in reactivation, as outlined in the post.
In another post within the same group, there’s a commitment to provide accounts to prospective drivers even if they lack the necessary “papers,” seemingly referring to individuals without legal status in the US.
“We have new SPARK accounts for sell, send us a message right now and get your yourself new SPARK account,” states a post from an Instagram account with a following of 5,400. “Offering highly affordable prices.”
The prices for the accounts vary based on whether drivers choose to rent or buy them.
A Spark driver from Illinois shared screenshots with Insider, revealing text message conversations with an individual associated with one of the numerous posts in the Spark driver Facebook groups.
According to the messages, the person on the other end offered to sell the driver a Spark account for $350. They also presented the option to rent the account on a weekly basis ($80) or a monthly basis ($160).
Measures and Policies of Walmart for Protecting Personal Information and Enforcing Account Use Compliance on the Spark Driver Platform
Walmart’s representative emphasized that selling or sharing personal or account information by drivers goes against the terms of use on the Spark Driver platform, leading to deactivation. The retailer employs both manual and automated tools to detect and prevent such actions.
They further mentioned their practice of requesting the removal of such posts from social platforms and deactivating drivers who are confirmed to violate the terms of use in this manner. Additionally, the spokesperson confirmed Walmart’s ongoing implementation of a third-party identity verification feature in their app, which involves comparing selfies taken by drivers with previously submitted photo ID cards.
In August, an insider report revealed Walmart’s introduction of a new feature, initially available for Spark contractors in specific regions. The app began prompting drivers to periodically verify their identities. However, the Walmart spokesperson did not clarify if this feature was now active nationwide.
Previous reports from Spark drivers across the US highlighted a practice where some drivers utilized two or three different names to collect orders from Walmart. This tactic enabled a single driver to potentially manage multiple orders or groups of orders simultaneously. Earnings from deliveries are deposited into a digital wallet.
Walmart had previously stated that actions such as “sharing accounts, utilizing another individual’s account, activating multiple accounts, or providing false information” were in violation of the terms for Spark drivers.
