10 months ago
Bengaluru Man Exposes New Rapido Scam Using Fake App to Inflate Fares
Imagine you're getting a ride on a bike taxi app, like Rapido.
A man in Bengaluru found out that some drivers might be using a fake app that looks just like the real one.
This fake app lets the driver change the price of the ride after it's over, making you pay more money than you should.
In his case, the price jumped from about Rs 600 to Rs 758.
Luckily, he checked his own phone and saw the ride wasn't finished on the real app.
He confronted the driver, who then agreed to charge the correct, lower price.
Other people have shared similar stories with other ride apps too, so it's good to be careful and check your own app!
A Bengaluru man reported a scam where a Rapido rider allegedly used a fake app called 'TownRide' to inflate the fare.
The fake app mimicked the official Rapido interface but allowed manual fare adjustments.
The passenger noticed a discrepancy when the rider showed a higher fare (Rs 758) than what was displayed on his own official Rapido app (Rs 598).
The scam was detected because the passenger's official app still showed the ride as incomplete while the rider presented a finalized bill.
Upon being confronted, the rider admitted to using the fake app and ultimately accepted the fare from the official Rapido app.
- Who
- A Bengaluru man and a Rapido rider.
- What
- A Rapido rider allegedly attempted to scam a passenger by using a fake app ('TownRide') that looked identical to the official Rapido app but allowed the driver to manually increase the fare. The passenger detected the scam and confronted the driver, who then accepted the correct fare.
- Where
- Bengaluru, India.
- When
- Recently (implied by 'viral post' and current social media trends).
- Why
- To defraud passengers by charging higher fares than the official app indicated.
Victim's Experience
Scammer's Tactic
Fare Calculation
Victim's Experience
Passenger observed a discrepancy between the fare shown on his official app and the fare presented by the rider on a different device.
Scammer's Tactic
Rider used a fake app ('TownRide') to manually alter the fare, aiming to charge a higher amount than the legitimate Rapido fare.
App Authenticity
Victim's Experience
Passenger realized something was wrong when the rider's phone screen looked similar but felt 'off', and his own app showed the ride was still ongoing.
Scammer's Tactic
Rider presented a fake app interface that closely resembled the Rapido UI to mislead the passenger into believing the presented fare was correct.
Confrontation Outcome
Victim's Experience
Passenger firmly addressed the issue, leading the rider to backtrack and accept the legitimate fare.
Scammer's Tactic
Rider initially attempted the scam, hesitated to show his phone, but quickly backed down and accepted the correct payment upon being confronted.
Key facts
- Scam Method
- Rider used a fake app (TownRide) that mimicked the Rapido interface to manually change and inflate fares.
- Location
- Bengaluru, India
- Origin
- Kempegowda International Airport Terminal 2
- Destination
- Jakkur
- Reported Fare Difference
- Rs 598 (official app) vs Rs 758 (fake app)
Quotes
Reddit User
The primary user who reported the Rapido scam on Reddit.
“looked like the Rapido UI, but I felt something was off. I checked my Rapido app on my own phone and the ride was still showing as not finished”
NDTV
“It looks exactly like the Rapido interface, but the fare amount can be manually changed!”
NDTV
Social Media User 1
A user on social media who shared a similar experience with an Uber ride.
“The same thing happened to me in Bangalore. I was traveling from T1 to Jayanagar, and my fare was 805. The driver asked me to pay the parking charges, which I agreed to. But when the ride ended, he asked for 1100 rupees. I asked him how that was even possible, and he said the waiting and parking charges were 250. I told him the math wasn't mathing, bro. Before that, he was speaking in Hindi and English, but suddenly he switched to Kannada, which freaked me out a bit. I called my Kannada-speaking friend, and he came and spoke to him. Then the driver was like, "Okay, do 850." They're literally scamming people, man,”
NDTV
“Happened with me today but for an Uber ride. For a quick second he showed me the inflated fare and closed it. I was firm and offered to pay only what my account was showing,”
NDTV
Rapido Driver
The Rapido driver who was accused of using a fake app.
“for a long time”
NDTV
Sources
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