Are Uber, Ola, and Rapido Overcharging You? A History of Cases Against Ride-Hailing Apps

Booking a ride to your office, home, or a destination is simple. Uber, Ola, Rapido, and other ride-hailing apps are the most convenient way to hitch a car or a motorcycle within cities and beyond. However, most customers have reported inconveniences, including high ride fees, deceptive pricing claims, and discriminatory practices, while booking rides on Uber, Ola, and Rapido. So much so that these platforms have often faced scrutiny by Indian regulators and consumer courts.

From unfair trade practices to discriminatory pricing, India’s regulators have taken notice

Here are the notable cases against Uber, Ola, and Rapido where they were overcharging users.

Uber

— Chandigarh (March 2024): The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission fined Uber ₹20,000 for charging a user an amount of ₹1,334 for an 8.83km ride, deemed an “unfair trade practice” under India’s consumer protection laws.

— Delhi (January 2025): Uber was ordered to pay ₹54,100 as compensation to a user who claimed to have missed their flight due to a no-show by a pre-booked cab in Delhi.

— Chandigarh (April 2024): Uber was fined ₹28,000 after an UberMoto driver overcharged a customer by ₹27, underscoring the discrepancies in the fare shown before booking and after completing the ride.

Ola

— Hyderabad (August 2022): Much like Uber, Ola has a history of charging its users more than the estimated fare. A consumer court in Hyderabad ordered Ola to pay ₹95,000 to a customer who was billed ₹861 for a 5km journey, initially estimated to cost around ₹200.

— Chandigarh (September 2023): The District Court asked Ola to compensate ₹5,000 to a user who was charged ₹3,101 for a ride from Jindal University to Sector 43. The court also directed the ride-hailing company to refund the excess fare.

— Hyderabad (August 2023): Ola was fined ₹3,000, alongside a directive to refund ₹912, to a user who was overcharged for a ride from Bhoiguda to Peddapally.

Rapido

— Coimbatore (June 2024): The Coimbatore District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission fined Rapido ₹10,000 after it was found overcharging a customer ₹29 for a 2.91km auto ride, deeming it an unfair trade practice.

Other than the cases of overcharging users, ride-hailing platforms have also been accused of implementing differential pricing on their Android and iOS apps. Earlier this year, in January, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs issued notices to Uber and Ola after several users alleged that these platforms charged iPhone users more than Android users. The claims are still under investigation by the Central Consumer Protection Authority for potential discriminatory pricing. States like Delhi and Karnataka have previously suspended cab and rental bike services until fare regulation mechanisms come into effect to address the concerns.

Read more: Uber Charged For Deceptive Billing And Cancellation Practices, Are Ride-Hailing Apps Playing With You?