Bengaluru woman's Reddit claim exposes 'cab scam'

Sowmya Raju | NT Bureau

Bengaluru: There are scams happening in every sphere of life and even a cab ride may not seem as simple as it seems.

A Bengaluru resident recently shared her experience on Reddit, detailing how she thwarted a fake payment scam allegedly orchestrated by an Ola driver.

Under the username @Whyshnahwe, she recounted encountering a driver who allegedly tried to deceive her with a forged payment screenshot.

Her narrative underscores the importance of passengers remaining vigilant while using ride-sharing services and adhering to established payment protocols. In her detailed Reddit post, the woman explained that she had to attend coaching classes at Wilson Garden and had arranged for an Ola cab for transportation, choosing cash payment.

"The journey proceeded without incident. As we reached the destination, he reached for his phone while I was occupied with retrieving my belongings," she recalled.

"Suddenly, he informed me, 'Madam, the fare is Rs 749,' displaying his phone."

To her surprise, the fare displayed was significantly higher than the Rs 254 she had seen on the app earlier.

"I challenged this, and the driver expressed surprise. He suggested it might be outstanding Ola money dues and advised me to pay him the Rs 749 and then lodge a complaint through the app," she continued.

At this juncture, she insisted on inspecting the driver's phone herself. "I noticed the Ola app was still active in the background (you know, the small circular logo on the side of the screen). I verified that the amount shown was not genuine, and he was presenting me with a random screenshot," she elaborated.

"Without saying a word, I tapped on the logo, and the app opened. I observed that he had not concluded the trip yet." Despite the driver's attempts, she remained alert standing her ground.

"I asked to see it again. This time, he didn't hand over the phone but merely displayed it. Swiftly, I swiped the red 'End Trip' bar at the bottom of the app and remarked, 'This is how we end it, isn't it, sir?'"

Her Reddit post swiftly garnered attention from online users, who commended her prompt actions.

One user commented, "Scams are becoming more sophisticated.'' Another said: "The scams are evolving. Good, you didn't fall for it and thanks for sharing it. I am impressed with the driver's skills to come up with these scams."

"This is an ongoing Scam, please be aware and always check your screen after the end of the trip. And keep taking required screenshots or pics of driver details," the third user commented.