Bengaluru witnessed an eyebrow-raising event of purported online deception when a watchful female passenger uncovered a Rapido cab driver who was manipulating fares with a fake app through the back end of a trip. The user who had hired a taxi from the airport spotted a considerable difference when the operator asked for more money than what her official Rapido app showed.
Her close observation and forceful demand to see the driver’s gadget finally exposed a highly skilled fare tampering trick with a fake, but very similar, app, which led to an instant internal inquiry and strict measures from the ride-hailing firm.
Digital Deception: The Fake App Modus Operandi
The driver used a clone app that imitated Rapido’s official user interface to carry out his strategy. The app had the same logos and color schemes. If the passenger’s real Rapido app showed a pre-booked fare of, for instance, ₹532, the driver’s fake version would present a higher sum, manually adjusted, like ₹650, at the end of the trip. The driver, it seems, pressed the passenger for immediate payment of the inflated amount, often giving the next ride as the reason for his rush.
Most importantly, since the actual ride was neither finished nor logged on the official Rapido app, the tricked passengers have no transaction history which makes it very hard for them to file a complaint, get their money back or issue an invoice through the platform. This loophole exposes a major weakness in digital security for public transport users.
Rapido’s Swift Response And Captain Suspension
In response to the woman’s social media post that went viral and outlined the whole event, the cab hiring company Rapido took fast and firm action. Realizing how serious the issue was, the company admitted that such things were “totally unacceptable” and said they were going to perform an extensive inquiry right away. The punishment of the captain’s account was one of the direct actions taken by Rapido based on the provided evidence.
The immediate suspension of the driver is a strong warning in the gig economy, where the company is showing its dedication to user trust and safety and at the same time is putting a stop to dishonest practices that eat away at the platform’s integrity. Travelers are being asked to stay alert and always double-check the final fare on their app before making a payment.
A recent media graduate, Bhumi Vashisht is currently making a significant contribution as a committed content writer. She brings new ideas to the media sector and is an expert at creating strategic content and captivating tales, having working in the field from past four months.
