Bengaluru Auto-Rickshaw Scam: Drivers Impersonate Uber and Ola to Target Elderly Commuters
A detailed Reddit post warning about a concerning new auto-rickshaw scam in Bengaluru has gone viral across social media platforms, sparking widespread alarm over passenger safety in India's tech capital. The incident specifically highlights vulnerabilities faced by elderly commuters who rely on app-based ride bookings made by family members.
The Disturbing Incident of App Impersonation
Shared on the popular subreddit r/bangalore, the post recounts how a user's elderly mother was allegedly cheated by an auto driver who deliberately impersonated an Uber auto driver. What makes this case particularly troubling is that the driver arrived at the location despite not being assigned to the ride on the official Uber application.
The incident unfolded when the concerned son booked an Uber Auto remotely for his mother, who is not tech-savvy and did not have direct access to the app interface. According to the detailed account, while the Uber application continued to display the assigned driver as "at pickup" with the trip not officially started, another auto driver arrived at the location and claimed to be from either Uber or Ola.
Trusting this verbal claim, the elderly woman entered the auto and shared the One-Time Password, completely unaware that this ride was not linked to her legitimate booking through the application.
How the Scam Unfolded and Escalated
The user explained that he began suspecting something was wrong when the application persistently showed the ride as inactive even after his mother had begun traveling in the auto-rickshaw. Midway through the journey, the driver allegedly admitted that he was not actually associated with Uber or any legitimate ride-hailing platform.
Upon reaching the destination, the situation escalated further when the woman insisted on paying only the fare displayed on the application. The driver reportedly demanded nearly double the estimated amount, creating an uncomfortable and potentially unsafe situation for the elderly passenger. Faced with this pressure, she ultimately paid the inflated fare to conclude the distressing experience.
Intentional Exploitation Rather Than Confusion
What has particularly alarmed readers and commentators is the clear indication that the driver appeared fully aware that he was not the assigned driver and deliberately misrepresented himself to exploit the passenger. "This was not confusion or a mistake," the original poster emphasized, alleging that the impersonation was intentional and calculated to take advantage of vulnerable commuters.
The viral post has triggered a wave of similar accounts in the comments section, with numerous users sharing their own experiences of auto drivers demanding extra money, misrepresenting bookings, or pressuring passengers—even when rides are booked through official applications. Many pointed out that elderly passengers remain especially vulnerable in such situations, as they often depend on verbal assurances rather than application-based verification systems.
Community Reactions and Shared Experiences
One user expressed their frustration, writing: "I have respect for the few decent auto drivers in the city, but there's a special place in hell for the rest of them. So sorry this happened to your parents."
Another commenter shared a personal experience: "Yeah it happened to me once near Cubbon Park. I sat in the auto as I had seen that vehicle number, and the person was different from the app many times. It never caused problems before, but once he refused to enter the OTP I got suspicious and stopped the auto right there."
A third user highlighted additional concerns: "Also noticed another thing—registration numbers in the app and on the auto are different sometimes. They post numbers in Uber as stickers on windshields. I don't know what these guys are doing behind the screen."
Essential Safety Recommendations for Families
The original Reddit user concluded the post with crucial safety recommendations for families booking rides for parents and senior citizens:
- Never enter an auto-rickshaw unless the trip has officially started in the application
- Always confirm the driver's name and vehicle registration number before beginning the journey
- Do not rely solely on verbal claims of being from Uber or Ola—verify through the application interface
- Educate elderly family members about basic application verification steps
- Consider sharing live location tracking during rides for added security
This incident underscores growing concerns about passenger safety in India's rapidly expanding ride-hailing ecosystem, particularly highlighting how technological solutions meant to enhance convenience can create new vulnerabilities for certain demographic groups. As app-based transportation becomes increasingly integrated into urban life, such cases emphasize the need for both platform improvements and passenger awareness initiatives.
