He shared his experience on Reddit after booking a Rapido cab from Central College to Hoodi.
Ride-hailing app users are increasingly falling prey to scams perpetrated by cab drivers. Recently, a 25-year-old Bengaluru man shared how he outsmarted a Rapido driver who attempted to scam him. He shared his experience on Reddit after booking a ride from Central College to Hoodi. Despite the driver's low rating of 2.6 stars, the user proceeded with the booking due to the driver's proximity and the heavy rain. The initial fare displayed on the app was Rs 385. However, upon reaching the destination, the driver shockingly claimed the fare was Rs 600 - nearly double the original amount. The user quickly realized the driver was attempting to scam him. Instead of confronting the driver, he cleverly decided to play along.
Meanwhile, the rider's app still showed the trip as ongoing, with no recorded deviations or stops to warrant the increased fare. The driver then logged out of his account and into another, conveniently displaying an empty ride history while continuing to demand the inflated fare. Aware of the scam, the commuter wisely chose not to confront the driver. Instead, he cleverly diffused the situation by feigning sympathy for the driver's claimed "server issue," pretending to believe the driver's excuses.
"Finally, I said I'd pay ₹385 now and pay the rest once the app updated. He began getting rowdy and insisted he needed the full amount immediately for his subscription renewal, but I sympathized, cursed the “server issue,” and assured him I'd pay the rest later—after all, he knew my address. As he started getting rowdy, my reverse-UNO of sympathy worked. Having waited 20–25 minutes and realizing the scam wasn't working, he reluctantly accepted ₹385 and left. Moments later, my app updated (i.e. - he ended the trip) confirming the original fare: ₹385," he added.
See the post here:
Cab Scam Alert: My Tactical Escape
byu/Sharp-Celery-6745 inbangalore
The post sparked a lively discussion in the comments section, with many users sharing their opinions. Some suggested that the rider should have chosen the online payment option when booking the cab to avoid the issue. Others praised his quick thinking and clever handling of the situation.
One user wrote,"BIG victory. Not a small one. Isn't this the lesson of non-violence? Don't give in to a bully, but don't get violent."
Another commented, "Nice. If I were you, I'd have paid whatever amount he asked for and requested a refund from Rapido later stating the driver demanded extra cash. Done this several times because it's not worth arguing/escalating the situation with these idiots."
A third said, "It's great to hear how you handled that situation with calm and patience. Unfortunately, scams like this happen, but you did a smart job staying composed and not letting the driver push you into paying more. It's always a gamble when you see a low-rated driver, but you still kept your cool and avoided confrontation. You also showed a lot of restraint by not getting agitated, which is impressive. Hopefully, sharing this will raise awareness, and more people can stay alert to these tactics. Glad it worked out in the end!"
Rapido has yet to officially respond to the incident.