Melbourne locals warn of new Uber driver scam

Uber's PIN verification feature is supposed to guarantee safety for passengers. But, drivers are using it for something far more sinister.

A new Uber scam is allegedly rife in Melbourne, with two individuals coming forward after their negative experiences with drivers on the platform.

Though each experience is different, both relate to misuse of Uber’s PIN verification feature - with a method originally intended to keep passengers safe, now being flipped on its head to scam them out of their time, information and money.

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The real PIN feature

Back in 2020, Uber officially launched PIN verification as a new way for users to verify their ride.

How it works is that users can go into their Uber app, and switch on ‘Use PIN to verify rides’ either all the time, or just at night. Then, you’ll receive a PIN whenever you request a ride to tell your driver, who will enter it on their end. You then get an in-app confirmation, ensuring that you’re always getting into the right car.

Now, multiple Uber users are claiming that the feature is being taken advantage of by certain drivers.

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“A new Uber scam is in season”

A Melbourne Reddit user has taken to the platform sharing a terrifying experience which nearly lost them everything.

“So a new Uber scam is in season,” they said in the post.

“I booked an Uber and the guy was just around the corner. Number plate and all visible. He first sent me a number to call him on. I thought maybe the driver needs directions. Called him and it redirected to an automatic number that has a ringing bell. After that, I got a text message with my 4 digit Uber code. And the guy started texting me on Uber chat to share the code.

“For a minute I thought it was my PIN and I said 'no you gotta pick me up first mate'. After a second refusal the trip was cancelled. It's only 15 minutes after that I realise this code was my Uber account password reset code!”

The user expressed concern that with the code, along with their phone number from the call, the sketchy driver would have been able to hack into their Uber account and take payment information.

Earlier in the same day, another Melbourne Redditor shared a similar experience with a driver.

“Today I jumped into an Uber in the CBD and it’s asking me to supply the driver a PIN….which usually happens at night, but whatevs,” they began.

“Driver then tells me it’s an issue with the app and my pin isn’t working.

“I think to myself ‘bullshit’ the PIN code feature has worked 100% of the time and I’ve never heard of it not working.

“I then say Uber has already taken my money, so no opportunity to go off meter and I’ll cancel the ride thanks very much.

“At this point Uber mysteriously starts working.

“Have we reached a new Uber / taxi low here people, or was Uber legit having issues?”

In this scam, the driver wasn’t necessarily trying to hack into their account, but rather allegedly attempting to get the passenger to pay twice.

It’s not the first time, and definitely not the last

Commenters on both posts shared similar stories of Uber drivers using the PIN feature to scam and manipulate app users, so whilst the scam isn’t verified, you’re best off being as safe as possible.

Be smart with how you use your PIN, and, if you don’t want to use it at all, ensure you’re getting into the right car by checking that the driver matches their profile photo, and that the licence plate and car match what’s shown in your app.

Speaking to Kidspot, Uber said that rider safety is incredibly important, condemning the actions of scammers and encouraging those using the service to report drivers breaching Uber's Community Guidelines.

“At Uber, rider safety is paramount, and we have robust technology and features to improve safety before, during, and after every trip. However, for these features to be effective, riders must ensure they’re in the correct vehicle by verifying trip details in the app before getting in," an Uber spokesperson said.

"We encourage riders not to enter a vehicle without verifying it beforehand with details provided in the app, this includes confirming the driver’s photo, number plate, and vehicle type. Users can also utilise the optional PIN verification safety feature for an extra layer of protection where riders will receive a unique 4-digit PIN when they request a ride. Before entering your driver’s vehicle, tell them your PIN; if they are the driver the app matched you with, they’ll be able to start the trip after they enter your PIN into their app.

"Fraudulent activity such as driver-partners encouraging riders to pay for a trip outside of the Uber platform is a clear breach of Uber’s Community Guidelines and this kind of behaviour can result in driver-partners permanently losing access to the app.”

Originally published as Melbourne locals warn of new Uber driver scam