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BC Resident Exposes Uber Scam Experience
A resident of British Columbia is sounding the alarm after becoming a victim of a sophisticated scam involving the popular ride-sharing platform, Uber.
“I feel duped; who do you trust now?” expressed Sarah Hamilton, who shared her story with Consumer Matters.
This incident unfolded in January when Hamilton requested an Uber to take her home following a car service appointment. After receiving a text confirming the ride, she was surprised to receive a phone call from someone claiming to be the driver.
“He asked me to confirm my identity, which struck me as odd,” Hamilton recounted. “When I confirmed my name, he proceeded to ask for a verification code. I thought it might be necessary for my pickup.”
Despite her misgivings, Hamilton followed through, providing the requested code without further questioning the driver’s demands.
In retrospect, she noted that had she examined an email from Uber that warned against sharing this code, she might have avoided the situation. “It said not to share the code with anyone; Uber would never request it,” she admitted. “I didn’t think anything of it and then, just like that, he disappeared as my driver on the app.”
Following the call, another legitimate Uber driver arrived to transport her to the dealership. It wasn’t until the following day that Hamilton realized the severity of what had occurred.
“I tried to access my Uber account, but couldn’t log in,” she explained. “When I entered my phone number, it asked for a verification code, but I wasn’t receiving any, which made me realize my account had been compromised.”
In her investigation, Hamilton discovered unauthorized charges for two trips in Calgary, each amounting to over $300. She promptly contacted her credit card company for assistance, but reported that it took an extensive amount of time to connect with Uber and regain access to her account. Despite her inquiries about preventive measures for future incidents, she received no follow-up from Uber.
Uber acknowledged the breach was linked to a compromised driver account but did not elaborate further. In a statement, the company reminded users, “Riders and drivers should never share personal account information, such as passwords, or verification codes, with anyone.”
Although Hamilton has since received refunds for the unauthorized charges, she remains hesitant about using the Uber app again. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance and caution in the evolving landscape of online transactions and ride services.
Source
globalnews.ca