When a ride to the airport is sometimes longer and more expensive than your flight ticket, you know you are in Namma Bengaluru. And when a few cab drivers take advantage of the long distance and the exorbitant fare to come up with innovative ways to scam passengers, you need to be ahead of the curve before you book your airport cab. This new Bengaluru Airport cab scam averted by a passenger is just the public service announcement you’d be grateful to know about.
X User Busts New Cab Scam At Bengaluru Airport
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Mahesh busted an “inventive new scam” by a Bengaluru Airport cab driver. Sharing a picture of the driver standing in front of his cab, Mahesh threw more light on the concerning incident. He revealed that the driver in the picture showed him a replica of the Uber app when he started and ended the ride. The “exact replica” of the Uber app showed a fare of an additional ₹1000 when Mahesh reached his destination from Bengaluru Airport.
What an inventive new scam by @BLRAirport taxi today 😂
This dude showed me an exact replica of @Uber app when he started and ended the trip with 1000 bucks extra baked in.
Said the extra is because of GST and when I asked for the bill he said I’ll get it next month. So cute. pic.twitter.com/n3ijpp2TZP
— Mahesh (@mister_whistler) December 16, 2024
On asking the driver the reason for the exorbitant fare, the man said it was because of GST. Moreover, when Mahesh asked him for the bill, the driver replied that he would get it next month. Impressed with the driver’s modus operandi, the X user revealed to Netizens how this new scam works. He stated that drivers use an Android app called Blumeter which resembles the popular cab aggregator Uber app.
Also Read: Bengaluru: Auto Driver Reminds Passenger To NOT Pay Him After A Ride; Here’s Why
Fake App Resembling Uber Used By Drivers; Netizens Share Grievances
Next, they will show and click the start button in front of the passengers to build credibility. Later, they will end the trip on the same app, which shows a much higher amount than the original Uber app. And if passengers ask for a proper bill post the ride, they will be met with the “billing system is broken” reason.
Yes. In the app, the driver will add some additional items like child seat.
For my friend, they added 5-10 such additions and made bill 2k Rs.
Generally blusmart costs 900Rs. That day nothing was unavailable and hence were ready to pay extra..
So argued & settled with him at 1500— Ankur Arora (@ankursmooth) December 16, 2024
I took same service and he charged me 1980 for a max 1300 charged by any other cab on the same sector, I paid him just 1300 and said if u want you can call the police, he tried everything, calling the manager n stuff, I said I am not paying a penny extra, he went away,
— sumit mundra (@summun81) December 16, 2024
Moreover, the cab driver responds that they will get the bill by email next month. Mahesh claims his Bengaluru Airport cab driver, Mr. Rajagopal Y N, neither took down his email nor his phone number.
Netizens took to the comments section to recollect similar experiences they and their loved ones have faced. Some people replied they faced a similar scam in Mumbai. Meanwhile, Bengaluru Airport’s official X handle asked the complainant to share his details so they could look into the matter.
bill next month? That’s just their way of saying, We believe in long-term customer relationships.
— Jitendar Singh (@jitendarsinghk) December 16, 2024
literally this exact thing happened with me just today. guy didn’t even want the Uber OTP initially and when I asked him to enter it I could clearly see he did nothing with it.
then at the end a higher price was shown through a screenshot. i then showed him the Uber app and said…
— Abhishek (@databhishek) December 16, 2024
Have you faced a similar airport cab scam in your city?
Cover Image Courtesy: @mister_whistler/ Instagram
For more such snackable content, interesting discoveries and the latest updates on food, travel and experiences in your city, download the Curly Tales App. Download HERE. First Published: December 17, 2024 2:22 PM