(MENAFN- Live Mint) A recent incident shared by a Bengaluru-based woman has brought attention to a 'scam' involving drivers using a fake ride-hailing app to overcharge unsuspecting customers.

In a detailed LinkedIn and Instagram post, that has since gone viral, Meenal Goel shared how a Rapido driver tried to overcharge her for a ride, by using an app that looked identical to the official Rapido interface.

“New Rapido scam! So here's what happened with us recently, We booked a Rapido cab from Bangalore Airport to our home. The app showed a fare of ₹532,” she wrote.

Goel said that the ride was smooth and nothing seemed unusual until they reached the destination, when the driver claimed a higher fare.“When we reached our destination, the driver said his app showed ₹650 and started insisting that we pay immediately because he had another ride waiting,” she recounted on social media.

How did she realise that it's a 'scam'?

Confused by the difference in fares, the passengers asked the driver to show his app, and surprisingly, he displayed an application that“looked exactly like Rapido, same interface, same colors,” but with a higher fare of ₹650 instead of the actual ₹534.

Goel sensed that something was wrong, so she pressed the driver for a closer look at his phone. This scrutiny revealed that the driver was not using the real Rapido app at all.

“Once we pointed it out, he panicked and admitted that he'd been using this fake app,” the post stated.

The most concerning part of the scam is the fallout, because the real Rapido app does not register the inflated transaction, as a result customers have no way to raise a complaint or request a refund for the difference.

Rapido takes action against the driver

The post reached Rapido and they ensured Goel that they would investigate into the matter and take immediate action. Shortly after that comment, the ride-hailing company gave an update on the situation.

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In a fresh comment on the post, Rapido said,“Following our recent call, we have thoroughly investigated the matter and taken the necessary action by suspending the captain's account to prevent similar issues in the future.”

Public's reaction to the incident

The incident serves as an urgent reminder for all ride-hailing app users to exercise extreme caution while booking rides and making payments. The LinkedIn post concluded with a warning that said,“always double-check the app on the driver's phone before paying, especially if they say the fare is different.”

A lot of people commented on Goel's post. While some narrated their own experiences where they were also subjected to inflated fares, others showed concerns about the evolving nature of frauds.

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An user commented,“I recently came from Bangalore airport to my home. It showed 792 in the app, but after reaching, the driver forced me to pay extra and I had to settle at 1050. Not done and not appreciative.”

Another user recounted a similar incident they faced while using Uber. They stated,“The same thing happened to me today. I contacted Uber customer support, but unfortunately, these companies are so slow to respond. This seems to be a new scam going around. Stay safe, everyone!”

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