- A Bengaluru woman uncovered an Ola driver’s attempt to scam her with a fake payment screenshot.
- She identified the scam by checking the actual fare on the driver’s phone app.
- Using automatic online payments can help avoid such scams in the future.
A woman in Bengaluru recently shared her experience of thwarting an Ola driver’s attempt to scam her with a fake payment screenshot. She had booked a cab from JP Nagar Phase 3 to Wilson Garden for Rs 254. Upon reaching her destination, the driver demanded Rs 749 for the short 5.1 km trip, which seemed highly suspicious to her.
When she questioned the inflated fare, the driver showed her a screenshot on his phone and insisted she pay immediately and complain later. Sensing something was off, the woman asked to see the fare directly on his phone. Confidently, the driver handed over his phone, but she noticed the Ola app was still running in the background. By tapping the app logo, she confirmed that the trip had not ended and the driver was indeed trying to scam her.
This scam tactic is not new. In March, a man in Delhi faced a similar situation with an Uber driver who demanded more than the fare shown in the app. He paid the amount due to the late hour but documented the discrepancy and later received a partial refund from Uber.
To avoid such scams, riders are advised to use automatic online payments or the app’s built-in wallet, which automatically deducts the correct fare, eliminating the need for manual payment and reducing the risk of fraud.
