Look Out For This Fake Lyft Scam Going Around Charlotte
There is a fake Lyft scam going around Charlotte to be looking out for. According to WCNT, the scam has been coined the “vomit fraud.” People are getting unfairly charged by Lyft and Uber drivers for damages that they may not have left behind.
It’s in Charlotte too!
A man in Charlotte had the “vomit fraud” scam happen to him this week. He was charged $80 the morning after his ride. When he asked his driver why he was charged, he was told he had an open container and spilled beer in the drivers car. The passenger says this isn’t true, and that never happened.
The driver then sent photos of the alleged spill, but the passenger says those weren’t from his ride either. Apparently, this has been happening a lot. This scam has been happening in Charlotte, and across the country. “I’d say in the last year, we’ve received a couple dozen of these types of reports just in the Charlotte market,” says Better Business Bureau President Tom Bartholomy.
In the terms you agree to while using Lyft, it explains that drivers are able to charge up to $150 at the driver’s discretion for any damages. This means you could get charged for damages that you may not have caused. As long as the drivers have proof of the damage, they can charge you. But the problem is, those photos could be fake, or from a different time. The Better Business Bureau says the way to protect your self is to take photos of the car for your own records when you use a ride.
I feel like recently there have been more and more scams popping up around Charlotte. I know times have been hard for many people, but there is never an excuse for taking advantage of people. Regardless, it’s good to know about these scams, so you can know what to look out for, and protect yourself.
