Melbourne woman is left shocked by bizarre request from her Uber driver - but shes not alone
A woman was left shocked after her Uber driver cancelled her trip when she was inside his car before urging her to send him a bank transfer for the fare instead.
A woman was left shocked after her Uber driver cancelled her trip when she was inside his car before urging her to send him a bank transfer for the fare instead.
Gemma Dimond was on a night out in Melbourne on Saturday and decided to take a rideshare home.
I got in the car, checked the number plate and everything, and hed cancelled the trip, she said in a TikTok video.
He was like, "Oh, looks like the app is glitching. Can you just give me your address and Ill put into our maps and Ill work out like how much it would have been."
He had a separate app to calculate the price.
The driver then told Ms Dimond shed be able to pay him through a bank transfer.
Thinking quick on her feet, she made an excuse to escape the unusual situation.
I told a fib on the spot. Im like, "Oh no, its a work account so it needs to be on that card. Could you just pull over?" she said.
Gemma Dimond was on a night out in Melbourne on Saturday and decided to take a rideshare home
I got out and I had a friend who was out the front so he waited until an actual cab came. Just a PSA - I dont love it.
Social media users said theyd had a similar experience with Uber drivers in Melbourne, particularly when travelling from the airport.
The amount of unsafe Ubers I’ve had recently is insane. I’ve gone back to strictly using taxis, one wrote.
Another said: This happened to me a few months ago when I was in an Uber from Melbourne airport. I didn’t realise what was going on and he made me transfer him at the end of the trip!
Others thanked Ms Dimond for sharing her experience and said the driver was likely trying to avoid paying Uber fees.
This definitely scary but I think he’s probably trying to avoid giving Uber their cut more so that trying to harm you, one said.
The work card is a great line to use, going to remember that! another wrote.
Daily Mail Australia contacted Uber for comment.
Ms Dimonds experience follows that of Melbourne influencer and former Love Island star Emily Ward, 26, in March.
Ms Dimond recalled the driver cancelling her trip after she was inside his car and asking for her address (stock image)
Emily Ward (pictured) also had an Uber driver cancel her trip once she was inside his car while travelling from Melbourne Airport
Ward had just landed at Tullamarine Airport and was on the way to visit her family when the driver cancelled her trip and asked for a bank transfer.
Detailing the ordeal in a TikTok video, Ward said she started to freak out as he tried to drive off with her still in the car while they werent being tracked by the app.
Im strapped into this mans car which he is trying to slowly edge out of the airport pick-up area. Im by myself and now my ride isnt being tracked, she said.
Ward said the driver then asked her to bank transfer him the rideshare fee because she was already in his car.
Despite him insisting it would be easier to just continue on with the trip, Ward demanded to be let out of the vehicle with her belongings.
The driver relented after a few minutes of arguing and guilt tripping, but Ward was shocked to see him attempt the scam on another unsuspecting passenger after her.
Ward said when she realised someone else was being scammed by the driver, she flagged a patrol officer who told the driver to leave without picking up a passenger.
It was then Ward suspected she knew what the driver was attempting to do, saying he may have wanted to avoid the rideshare fees and pocket the full fare.
I feel bad because Ive just ruined this guys scam because hes trying to make more money for himself, but at the same time thats so illegal, so dangerous, Ward said.
He would absolutely lose his license. Im still contemplating reporting him because he would lose his license to rideshare and hed lose his whole source of income.
