A Bengaluru-based man shared his experience of an “inventive new scam” at Kempegowda International Airport on December 16. The scam involved a fake Uber-like app that duped passengers into paying significantly more than their trip fare.
In a post on X, Mahesh described the experience, claiming how a taxi driver used an app called Blumeter to mimic Uber's interface. The driver started and ended the trip with the fake app, with an inflated fare baked into the final amount. In this case, Mahesh was overcharged Rs 1,000, which the driver attributed to GST.
When Mahesh asked for a bill, the driver claimed the system was “broken” and assured him that he would receive the bill via email next month. The catch? The driver never asked for Mahesh’s email or phone number, making it clear that the promise of a future bill was a ruse.
“What an inventive new scam by @BLRAirport taxi today. This dude showed me an exact replica of @Uber app when he started and ended the trip with Rs 1,000 extra baked in. Said the extra is because of GST and when I asked for the bill he said I’ll get it next month. So cute. I was quite impressed,” Mahesh said.
Explaining how the scam works, Mahesh added: “They use an Android app called Blumeter which looks like Uber. They’ll show and click trip start button build credibility. And then later, they’ll end the trip on the same app which shows a much higher amount. If you ask for a proper bill - they’ll say billing system is broken currently. You’ll get the bill on email next month. Funnily, Mr Rajagopal YN didn’t even take my email or phone number. Busted haha.”
In the comments section, several users shared their own accounts of dealing with similar experiences.
“Literally this exact thing happened with me just today. Guy didn’t even want the Uber OTP initially and when I asked him to enter it I could clearly see he did nothing with it,” a user said.
Another person said, “New scams come up every day in India.”
Recounting his story, an X user said, “I booked an actual airport taxi from T2 through the staff, with a metered rate, yet I ended up paying almost Rs 800 more than estimated cost with no way to verify for it. I kept thinking that I have been scammed but I had no energy to look into it and was just happy to be home.”
Describing Bengaluru, another user said: “They don't call it the ‘high-tech’ city for nothing!
Responding to an X user who questioned the now-viral post, Mahesh reiterated that "they’re using an app that looks like Uber."
As ingenious as this scam may seem, it highlights the need for passengers to stay vigilant and proactive when using taxi services at major transportation hubs.
Source: India Today