Daylight Robbery! Man Books Ola For ₹285, Billed ₹5,950 In 'New Cab Scam' In Bengaluru

Bengaluru: A social media post highlighting an alleged cab scam in Bengaluru is going viral on social media. According to a commuter's allegation, a cab driver tried to extort Rs 5,950 from him when his actual fare was Rs 285.

What Happened?

According to the commuter, the incident took place when he was travelling from Majestic to Jalahalli in Bengaluru. He claimed to have booked a cab from the Ola app for Rs 285 fare. However, after reaching his destination, the cab driver showed him a bill of Rs 5950, almost 20 times more than the initial fare.

The commuter said, "He demanded that I pay the full amount. He claimed that I had cancelled some old rides and that the amount would be deducted from his account if I did not pay."

'Driver Became Aggressive'

The commuter said that when he resisted paying the fare, the driver got aggressive. “When I tried to explain that my app clearly showed ₹285, the driver started becoming aggressive and repeatedly insisted that I must pay ₹5950," the commuter said, adding, “Since he was speaking mostly in Kannada and I am not fluent in the language, the situation quickly became stressful and difficult to manage."

‘Disappointing Response'

The man said that he then contacted Ola’s emergency support through the app expecting immediate help.

“Unfortunately, the response from the support representative was extremely disappointing and dismissive. Instead of trying to understand the situation or deescalate it, she repeatedly questioned whether it was a “safety issue”. When I explained that please consider it as unsafe and that I felt unsafe, the representative responded in a rude and dismissive manner and abruptly disconnected the call stating that it was “not an emergency”. At that moment I was left alone to deal with an increasingly tense situation with the driver," the commuter added.

‘Driver Fled'

The commuter's house owner, who arrived at the scene, advised the driver that they should go to the police station to resolve the matter. “I followed him on his bike while the driver followed us in the cab. However, midway the driver suddenly rerouted and fled the area," the man said.

Calling the “entire experience was extremely stressful", the commuter said it raises serious concerns about-

1. Fare transparency on the platform
2. Driver conduct
3. The attitude and responsiveness of Ola’s emergency support team

Several social media users said flagged that such an incident has happened with them as well. “Happened to me too, where they say 'it's not an emergency' and hang up the call. Pretty lame and disconcerting," a netizen said.

Meanwhile, police told the public that if they encounter a similar situation, call Namma 112 and report the matter.

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