Warning about fake Ubers scamming travellers at South African airports

mylesillidge

mylesillidge

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I'm always astounded by how people fall for this scam. Do they not understand how Uber works? If you haven't booked the trip directly on the Uber app then you're not using Uber. It's as simple as that. If you just get into the first random person's car who claims to be an Uber driver and then get scammed you only have yourself to blame.
 
"He (frequent traveller Johan van Schalkwyk) suggested that a possible solution..." This is bad journalism. Why someone with actual experience running an airport or a municipality ?
 
People seem to think that technology replaces your brains - if you haven't ordered the trip and the vehicle and driver details don't correspond to the app, don't get in!
 
ACSA is run like a government department so no surprise they have no control over service providers who peddle their scams right under their noses. From these scams to petty crime and all the way to organised hits and “follow you” thefts they are truly clueless.
 
XPD said:
ACSA is run like a government department so no surprise they have no control over service providers who peddle their scams right under their noses. From these scams to petty crime and all the way to organised hits and “follow you” thefts they are truly clueless.
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Ja, it's pretty crazy. At Cape Town International the taxi scammers literally hassle you from the moment you come out of the arrivals section right inside the terminal all the way to the car park. You just hear "Taxi", "Taxi" all the way.
 
This is happening all the time and its out of control, and OR Tambo Airport has no intention to fix it. Not only that but the "officials" are in on it too.

The amount of time i come back and walk past the arrivals area on my phone and they'll come up in the "official" orange vest and say "Uber? You must come this way" and try to take you outside the arrivals road there where there's no Ubers. or "Show me the Uber driver and i'll find him for you" etc.

They also drive around the parking lot where you wait at 2E saying they're Uber and your driver couldn't make it.

I love trolling them sometimes too, i'll have the Uber app open even though my car is parked at OR Tambo. They'll come up and say "Are you waiting for Uber?" and i'll say "Did no one teach you to mind your own business?" :ROFL:
 
neoprema said:
This is happening all the time and its out of control, and OR Tambo Airport has no intention to fix it. Not only that but the "officials" are in on it too.

The amount of time i come back and walk past the arrivals area on my phone and they'll come up in the "official" orange vest and say "Uber? You must come this way" and try to take you outside the arrivals road there where there's no Ubers. or "Show me the Uber driver and i'll find him for you" etc.

They also drive around the parking lot where you wait at 2E saying they're Uber and your driver couldn't make it.

I love trolling them sometimes too, i'll have the Uber app open even though my car is parked at OR Tambo. They'll come up and say "Are you waiting for Uber?" and i'll say "Did no one teach you to mind your own business?" :ROFL:
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Collusion with the authorities is the only reasonable explanation for why this is still a problem. I mean in theory it should be pretty easy to fix this problem. Airports are highly regulated national key points. What does it say about their security that they appear to have absolutely no control over who is loitering around not only the outside of the terminals, but actually right inside the terminals.
 
deweyzeph said:
I'm always astounded by how people fall for this scam. Do they not understand how Uber works? If you haven't booked the trip directly on the Uber app then you're not using Uber. It's as simple as that. If you just get into the first random person's car who claims to be an Uber driver and then get scammed you only have yourself to blame.
Click to expand...
So I did get "scammed" and it was late and my credit card had expired and I needed to load my new card on the app (So my fault).

As I was fighting with the app a driver came up to me and said he was an Uber and he can take me home, ill be able to pay using his Yoko. So because it was late and I was tired and knew it was going to be a mission to load a new card and get it validated I said yes.
This was in the parking lot and so I just went with it. Only when we got onto the highway did logic kick in and I realised what a foolish thing I had done. Even worse I had my kid with me...
We were on the N2 and I found my keys, I was ready to stab the guy in the neck if he tried to pull over.

But he drove me home, helped with the bags, and then even gave me my laptop bag that I had forgoten in the vehicle.
So the guy was ok and I got lucky but it was just a moment of stupidity on my side that made the entire thing very dangerous.
Shame, he ended up getting really nervous because his Yoko wouldn't work and his phone was dying... also we have security guard outside our house which looks rather intimidating if you just stopping on the road.

Anyway... its easy to make a mistake like this and I think airport security just needs to be better. Soliciting in the parking lot needs to be policed. The guy probably was a registered driver and was just off the clock.
 
deweyzeph said:
Collusion with the authorities is the only reasonable explanation for why this is still a problem. I mean in theory it should be pretty easy to fix this problem. Airports are highly regulated national key points. What does it say about their security that they appear to have absolutely no control over who is loitering around not only the outside of the terminals, but actually right inside the terminals.
Click to expand...
yup... very strict with passengers but lax with everyone else.
 
deweyzeph said:
Ja, it's pretty crazy. At Cape Town International the taxi scammers literally hassle you from the moment you come out of the arrivals section right inside the terminal all the way to the car park. You just hear "Taxi", "Taxi" all the way.
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The guys at the arrivals pay to be there. I hate it but its probably a lot more official than getting an Uber in the parking lot.
 
Happened to me earlier today at Uber pick up point at ORT. Guy asks me for Uber taxi - I hadn't booked as yet. Said no.

He sorta followed me and saw I had opened app and said he is Uber driver. I said great. I will be booking via app. He then tells me he will give same price as Uber app. I said , I prefer to use app.

He then walked away to find a new target.
 
deweyzeph said:
Ja, it's pretty crazy. At Cape Town International the taxi scammers literally hassle you from the moment you come out of the arrivals section right inside the terminal all the way to the car park. You just hear "Taxi", "Taxi" all the way.
Click to expand...
It's like this at some European airports too. See the horror stories of people who got duped. For first time visitor, it's easy to fall victim.

It's sad.
 
deweyzeph said:
Collusion with the authorities is the only reasonable explanation for why this is still a problem. I mean in theory it should be pretty easy to fix this problem. Airports are highly regulated national key points. What does it say about their security that they appear to have absolutely no control over who is loitering around not only the outside of the terminals, but actually right inside the terminals.
Click to expand...
Have you seen the size of the SAPS "officers" inside the airports? Walking diabetes ads, the lot of them. Glued to seats. Disinterested. You think they want to do any work?
 
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