Taxi scams are rife – here’s how to avoid them

Getting ripped off by a cab driver is an experience many of us could relate to even before a major investigation by this masthead and 60 Minutes revealed systemic fraud within the nation’s biggest taxi company, A2B.

The stories on A2B – owner of 13cabs, Silver Service and Cabcharge – spurred calls to overhaul the sector from police, politicians, the judiciary and the nation’s leading disability and consumer rights advocates.

Until then, there are some things everybody can do when catching a taxi to avoid being scammed.

• Note down the taxi’s number plate;
• Take down the credentials of the driver – operators are required to display ID from the taxi service they drive for. It should have a driver photo and identification number;
• Check the meter wasn’t already running when you got in the car, that it is turned on once you get in, that it stays on until the end of your journey and is turned off when you get out of the cab;
• Confirm you are being charged the correct fare and not extra, for example for a full maxi taxi;
• Ask for a receipt and check there are no suspicious or unexplained charges added, such as “other” fees; and
• Check the pick-up and drop-off locations on the receipt are not generic places such as “home”, or “city”. The receipt should almost always have the specific location or suburb listed.

Customers using Cabcharge vouchers should be vigilant because drivers may process an inflated fare once you leave the car, as exposed in the Taxileaks files and an undercover 60 Minutes operation.

Ask the issuer of your Cabcharge voucher to check the account was charged the correct fare.

Issuers of Cabcharge vouchers should monitor their accounts for suspicious activity.

Of course, if something more serious happens, like an assault or theft, then the police should be your first port of call.

What are your rights?

Taxi drivers in Victoria and NSW are required by law to:

• Use the meter for hailed rides; and
• Display a valid registration ID.

Drivers must not:

• Demand an upfront fixed fare for a hailed ride;
• Refuse service because of a passenger’s disability or race; or
• Refuse a passenger with a service animal.

What if you are scammed?

A patchwork of state legislation governs the Australian taxi industry, which experts say is far from working effectively, but there are still avenues you can take.

You can lodge a complaint with the taxi company directly to recoup the stolen money, and also ask it to inform you of the repercussions for the offending driver. You can also report the incident to your state regulator.

The NSW regulator is the Point to Point Transport Commissioner. Its website has statistics on the disputes it handles and fact sheets for consumers about their rights. You can make a complaint via a form or on the dedicated taxi fare hotline on 1800 500 410.

In Victoria, the regulator is Safe Transport Victoria. It is less transparent than its NSW counterpart, and statistics on the disputes it handles are not publicly available.

You can make a complaint via a form on its website, but it does not have a dedicated complaints phone number. For general enquiries, call 1800 638 802.

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