Airport taxi and rideshare scams you need to know about

There’s nothing worse than being hit with an unexpectedly high fare after a holiday. Here’s how to avoid the sting of a scam.

We’re pretty savvy when it comes to international travel, looking up local scams and keeping a sharp eye open. But what about in our own country? Rideshare and airport taxi scams at main terminals around Australia are not uncommon. Here’s what to look out for.

Book through the actual taxi service

I once booked a taxi through a website which was essentially Webjet for taxis. Except, of course, the price wasn’t shown. I’m usually a carshare fan, but there weren’t many around my area at the time and I needed to book in for an early morning flight.

My taxi arrived on time, and it was a legitimate and common brand you see around Sydney. So where was the scam? What was usually an approximately $20 fare had been inflated to $60. Luckily, my driver was a lovely and honest man who asked me if the fare was ok when I got in the taxi. When I was shocked, he wanted me not to book through a third party, as they charge an outrageously high price for the privilege that doesn’t put any extra dimes in the taxi driver’s pockets.

Book through official channels, not a third party. (Image: Lexi Anderson)

Keep an eye on the meter

If you’ve ever been shocked by the number on the meter at the end of a trip, there’s a possibility you were hit with the ‘jump up’ fare scam. This one is even trickier because most of us would never argue with the official taxi meter. The thing is, while some add-ons should be expected (like airport surcharge and sometimes tolls), if the change in fare is sudden, high and unexplained it could be a scam.

For example, one passenger recounts a $20 jump-up in the fare from one suburb to the next in Sydney. When the driver was asked to explain what the extra fees were, they admitted to ‘driving for a friend’ (ie, driving illegally) and offered a discount on the official fare. All of these reactions are red flags, don’t be fooled.

Look out for unexplainable jumps in the fare. (Image: Zac Ong)

Beware of false fees

Fairly, if you make your carshare driver wait for you at the pickup location, they’re able to charge an extra fee. According to Uber’s guidelines, that wait has to be at least two minutes to apply. What some riders have noticed, however (particularly in Melbourne), is that a wait fee was added even though they were standing at the agreed pickup spot before they even booked a driver. The best part about rideshares is that when you do come across false fare charges like this, you’re usually able to get that extra money refunded when you complain via the app.

Other fees that can be added when necessary also include surge fees, toll fees and length of ride fees. While these can be added, there are stipulations. For example, surge fees should be shown before you book the Uber. Prices might change slightly, but should only be minimal (I personally have found DiDi to be much better at honest upfront pricing, though). Read the guidelines for the rideshare you’re using and be aware of any extra fees.

Another example is the time my driver missed the turn-off twice, despite my directions (and his satnav) and then charged me for the extra time it took him to loop back around and correct his mistake.

Check your fee breakdown and dispute unfair additions. (Image: Paul Hanaoka)

Look out for fake cancellation scams

Sorry Melbourne, but this is another one mostly reported in the Victorian capital (although it’s also definitely happened to me in Sydney). After you’ve booked your fare, a scammer will accept your ride, make you wait for them, but then veer off-route at the last minute. Why? So they can claim they’re waiting for you, even though you’re at the agreed pickup location and there are no drivers in sight. Even after a chat in the app, they’ll drive around a little more ‘looking’ for you, just to do the same thing. After all this waiting for you, they’ve made it look like need to cancel the fare, which gets them an instant $10 cancellation fee, and you can’t contact them any more to dispute it. If that happens to you, immediately report the scam to Uber to get your $10 back.

Look out for cancellation scams. (Image: Charles Deluvio)

Never pay upfront

This taxi scam may be one you know to look out for overseas, but it’s commonly reported in Australia as well. You should never be asked to pay in cash upfront, that means it’s a scam and they may be overcharging you, or just avoiding paying their own fees.

Don’t be tricked by a ‘broken’ EFTPOS machine

Along a similar vein, some passengers have reported arriving at their destination, only to be told the EFTPOS machine isn’t working and being handed an alternative machine to swipe their card through. Next minute, a $10 fare has been charged as a $90 one. Always make sure you’re offered a regular and official payment method.

There should be no surprises in the fare. (Image: Guillaume Fandre)