If you thought you’d never see the phrase ‘vomit fraud’ in the news, think again. The scam, in which Uber drivers collect a cleanup fee for nonexistent vomit, has been growing in popularity.
Without contacting the customer to confirm that the fee is warranted, Uber adds the cleanup fee to a rider’s bill. The fees can range from $80 to $150, according to the Miami Herald.
Drivers will often include faked photos of the vomit from your ride in their claim with the rideshare app to reinforce their story, according to the report. Riders that have fallen victim to this scam told the Miami Herald that Uber was hard to communicate with in these cases. One rider had her money returned and her account canceled by the company. Another rider was charged for a cleanup fee, along with a charge for a trip she was never picked up for.
A South Florida Uber driver told the newspaper that she has heard of many drivers using vomit fraud to pocket more money because so many passengers never check their credit card statements.
An Uber spokesperson said that the company is looking into fraud reports and will take action to remedy them.