A recent incident shared by a woman from Bengaluru highlighted a ‘scam’ involving drivers using a fake ride-hailing app to overcharge unsuspecting customers.
In a detailed post on LinkedIn and Instagram that has since gone viral, Meenal Goel shared how a Rapida driver tried to overcharge her for a ride using an app that looked just like Rapida’s official interface.
“New Rapido scam! So here’s what happened to us recently: We booked a Rapido taxi from Bangalore airport to our home. The app showed the price ₹532,” she wrote.
Goel said the ride was smooth and nothing seemed out of the ordinary until they reached their destination when the driver demanded a higher fare. “When we got to our destination, the driver said his app was showing ₹650 and started insisting that we pay immediately as he had another ride ahead of him,” she recounted on social media.
How did she realize it was a ‘scam’?
Confused by the difference in fares, the passengers asked the driver to show his app and he surprisingly displayed an app that “looked exactly like Rapido, same interface, same colors” but with a higher fare price. ₹650 instead of the real one ₹534.
Sensing something was wrong, Goel urged the driver to take a closer look at his phone. This check revealed that the driver was not using the actual Rapido app at all.
“Once we pointed this out, he panicked and admitted to using this fake app,” the post said.
The most worrying part of the scam is the fallout, as the actual Rapido app doesn’t register the overpriced transaction, so customers have no way to file a complaint or request a refund of the difference.
Rapido hits the driver
The post reached Rapid and they assured Goel that they would investigate the matter and take immediate action. Shortly after that comment, the ride-hailing company provided an update on the situation.
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In a new comment on the post, Rapido said: “Following our recent phone call, we have thoroughly investigated the matter and taken the necessary steps by suspending the captain’s account to prevent similar issues in the future.”
Public reaction to the incident
The incident serves as an urgent reminder to all users of the ride-hailing app to be extremely careful when booking rides and making payments. The LinkedIn post ended with a warning that said, “Always double-check the app on the driver’s phone before paying, especially if they say the fare is different.
Many people commented on Goel’s post. While some recounted their own experiences of being subjected to exorbitant fares as well, others expressed concern over the evolving nature of scams.
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One user commented, “Recently I came home from Bangalore airport. The app showed 792 but after reaching the driver made me pay extra and I had to settle for 1050. I don’t do that and I don’t thank you.”
Another user narrated a similar incident they faced while using Uber. They stated: “The same thing happened to me today. I contacted Uber customer support but unfortunately these companies are so slow to respond. It seems like this is a new scam. Stay safe everyone!”
