Ride-hailing services like Ola and Uber have changed the way we travel. Need a ride to work? Just open the app. At the airport but so much luggage? Book an SUV. These apps have made traveling extremely convenient, at a comparatively lesser cost and time. But as more and more people rely on these services, shady practices and scams have started surfacing, some of them becoming extremely threatening.

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Recently an X user shared her experience on the platform, describing what was a near nightmare for anyone travelling alone. In her post, she describes that a cab driver, pretending to be from Ola Services picked her up from Bangalore Airport’s Ola Pickup Station. For context, these ride-hailing services have kiosks set up and rides are assigned based on availability. Passengers receive an OTP that they can use in any available cab of the booked category. This allows them to skip the wait and get in the first available cab.

She sat in the car, offering the OTP, but the driver refused to accept and started the car. Upon repeated questions about where he was driving to, the driver asked the lady to set the location in the phone, and that his Ola app was not responsive and he could not enter OTP and see the details. Negotiating the price, the lady stated she would only pay the shown amount to which the driver disagreed and asked for more. She refused, and the driver told her that his friend was coming and would drop her to the location at her suggested price. Alarmed by this, she called her family and friends for help. While stopping at the petrol station, the driver also asked her to pay Rs. 500 for petrol. Feeling threatened, she called 112 describing her situation. Hearing this, the driver said he would drop her back instead at the airport, where she was received by police.

Users have experienced some unsettling experiences while accessing these services. Drivers detouring down unfamiliar routes, insisting on making the ride offline by canceling it, asking for more money at the destination, and arriving in completely different vehicles than listed are some of the instances. These could be frustrating and nerve-wracking for the passengers, especially women if they are alone or in an unfamiliar area. Here are some common cab scams noted by users across the internet:

Common Cab Scams You Should Know About

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  1. Fake Fare Screenshots: Some drivers use fake or edited screenshots to demand extra money from passengers. Recently, Moneycontrol revealed a Bengaluru cab driver who duped several users as much as five times the normal fare. While minor fluctuations are acceptable pertaining to traffic and wait time are normal, these edited screenshots quote way more than the actual fare.
  2. Vehicle Mismatch: The booking details include the details of the vehicle, including the registration number which can be confirmed while boarding the ride. However, users have shared their experiences stating that they have found vehicles with different registration numbers. This poses a safety risk as the vehicle is untraceable.
  3. Cancellation Requests: One of the most common scams includes drivers requesting passengers to cancel the ride themselves. This allows drivers to avoid app commission and in some cases, even demand extra cash. With no tracking, the drivers can easily harass the passengers to pay more or even worse crimes.
  4. Route Deviations: Some drivers deliberately take longer routes to increase fares, particularly if they notice that the passenger is not familiar with the route. This is an uneasy experience and leads you to pay more while equally being concerned about your safety throughout the ride.
  5. Canceling the ride mid-way: Imagine being harassed to pay more while on the ride. This is a common scam where the driver cancels mid-way and demands extra money to drop at the location.
  6. Demanding cash for cashless rides: Apps like Ola and Uber have their own payment wallets, which allow prepaid payment options. Sometimes when users book prepaid rides, drivers have been noticed to ask for cash, stating they haven’t received the money or they won’t accept the same. This can be frustrating and embarrassing, pushing us to pay double what the user accepted.

Practical Tips If You Ever Encounter A Scam While Using A Cab

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The increasing scams point towards the poor management of user and their safety by the transportation apps. It also shows us the distrust between the drivers and the company. If you are a regular user of Ola, Uber, Rapido, or other cab services, here are a few safety tips for you:

  1. Never cancel a ride at the driver’s request. If they insist, politely but firmly refuse to board, stating they can do it themselves if needed.
  2. Always ask the driver to follow the suggested route. Unless you are familiar with the area, request the driver to stick with the route. Any deviations, don’t hesitate to ask about them.
  3. Enter your emergency contacts in the app, and share your ride details with them. Apps offer features to share a list of your contacts and at times of emergency, You can also alternatively share your live location on WhatsApp.
  4. Refuse to board an unlisted vehicle. If your cab or vehicle’s registered number doesn’t match, refuse to board and report the same to the app.
  5. Report a suspicious behavior. If you feel uncomfortable or notice anything unusual, please raise a concern with chat support or call the emergency services of the app. In case they don’t help you, please contact 100 or 112.
  6. If possible, schedule your ride before. Apps allow you to schedule rides before. Once done, they share the rider details almost an hour before the ride. You can also figure out through maps before and stay on time.
  7. Screenshot your fares and double-check them with your driver. Documenting fares will help you complain with evidence to the company in case of mismatched fares.

While these services have made our lives easier, they also require us to stay vigilant. The goal is to use these platforms confidently, armed with information that helps us to avoid potential scams.

That said, we do not mean to say that all cab drivers are out to get us. A huge number of them are actually pretty helpful and are on the receiving end of many unjust practices within their industry.