Bengaluru man faces taxi scam with Uber 'replica' app showing inflated bill by Rs 1000: 'You'll get the bill next month'

If you're from Bengaluru, there's a new taxi scam in town and it's important to stay alert. In a recent incident, a Bengaluru man shared his experience of falling victim to a scam where a cab driver used an app that was an "exact replica of Uber" to display an inflated fare at the end of the trip.

Here's what happened.

A Bengaluru resident, Mahesh, recently shared his bizarre encounter with an inventive taxi scam at Kempegowda International Airport.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Mahesh narrated how a cab driver tricked him with what appeared to be an exact replica of the Uber app to charge an inflated fare.

"What an inventive new scam by @BLRArirport taxi today," Mahesh wrote.

What an inventive new scam by @BLRAirport taxi today ?

This dude showed me an exact replica of @Uber app when he started and ended the trip with 1000 bucks extra baked in.

Said the extra is because of GST and when I asked for the bill he said I¡¯ll get it next month. So cute. pic.twitter.com/n3ijpp2TZP

¡ª Mahesh (@mister_whistler) December 16, 2024

It all started when the driver used an app called Blumeter, which looks eerily similar to Uber.

"They'll show and click the trip start button to build credibility," Mahesh explained.

It was an airport taxi, not Uber.

They¡¯re using an app that looks like Uber.

You can put in your own surge pricing to raise fares ;-) pic.twitter.com/nFXLrKbmD0

¡ª Mahesh (@mister_whistler) December 16, 2024

At first glance, everything seemed completely normal, which gave the illusion of a legitimate ride.

However, things took a turn when the driver ended the trip.

The app displayed a fare that was Rs 1000 higher than expected. The driver casually justified the inflated amount, saying the extra was due to GST charges.

Sensing something was off, Mahesh asked for a proper bill. "He said I'll get it next month," Mahesh said.

The driver insisted the billing system was "broken" and that the invoice would arrive via email at a later date.

But there was one glaring issue ¡ª the driver never asked for Mahesh's phone number or email. "Funnily, Mr. Rajagopal Y N didn't even take my email or phone number. Busted haha!"

While the experience might seem absurdly funny in hindsight, it highlights the need for travellers to stay cautious as scammers are increasingly using sophisticated tools to take advantage of unsuspecting passengers.

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