Bengaluru Woman Escapes Fake Payment Scam!!!

By now, it’s no secret that some taxi drivers associated with ride-hailing apps like ola and uber engage in a particular scam. They present fake screenshots displaying inflated fares instead of the actual amounts shown in the app. Well, quite common by now, a Bengaluru driver went on to try the same with a woman who booked a cab from 3rd Phase, J.P. nagar to Wilson Garden. However, this time, the woman outsmarted the driver with her quick thinking.

Sharing her experience on the ‘Bangalore’ subreddit under the username @Whyshnahwe, the woman recounted her ordeal. She began by explaining that she needed to attend coaching classes in Wilson Garden and had booked an ola cab for the journey, opting for cash payment. “The journey was uneventful. To end the trip, he took his phone from the holder to the side. I was busy collecting my bag,” she recounted. “After a minute he told ‘Madam, amount 749 aagidhe’ (Madam, the fare is 749)” and showed me his phone.” To her astonishment, the fare shown was significantly higher than the approximately Rs. 254 she had confirmed on the app.

“I told him this and the dude also acted shocked. He was like it could be the ola money dues. He told me to pay him the 749 rupees and then complain in the app.” she continued. It was at this point that she requested to inspect the driver’s phone herself. “I noticed the ola app still running in the background (you know, the little circle logo on the side of the screen). I confirmed that this was not the actual amount and that he was showing me some random screenshot,” she explained. “I didn’t utter a single word. I just tapped the logo and the app opened. I saw that he hadn’t ended the trip yet.”

Despite the driver’s attempts to play ignorant and retrieve his phone, claiming he had ended the trip, the woman remained composed. “I asked if I could see again. He didn’t handover the phone this time, but just showed me the phone. I quickly swiped the red “End Trip” bar on the bottom of the app and said ‘Hinge end maadodhu alva sir’’ (This is how we end it, right sir?)” A brilliant move indeed!