[RahulNagaraj]

A woman shared her unpleasant experience with a "fake" Ola cab driver after she boarded the vehicle from the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru.

In a post on X, Nikita Malik shared details of the incident as she highlighted the risks posed by unauthorised drivers impersonating services like Ola.

Malik claimed that she booked an Ola cab from the airport’s designated pickup area around 10:30 pm on November 8. Shortly after, a driver, who wasn’t assigned to her via the app, approached and claimed he could take her to her destination.

“Almost got trafficked/raped/looted/assaulted by a random cab driver who was let in by Bengaluru Airport in the Ola pickup station and impersonated to be one at terminal 1 of the airport at 10:30 pm had I not called 112, I’d not be here typing this,” she claimed in the post.

Nikita also shared the photographs of her handwritten complaint that she allegedly filed against the driver. The complaint revealed the details of the incident.

Despite her initial hesitation, she got into the car, only to realise something was amiss when the driver didn’t request the mandatory OTP and instead asked her to input her destination directly into his personal Maps app, citing a malfunction in his official app, she said in her complaint.

As they proceeded towards her destination, the driver started demanding an extra fare, which she refused to pay.

He then suggested transferring her to another vehicle for the agreed-upon fare.

Sensing danger, Nikita insisted on returning to the airport, but the driver ignored her and made an unscheduled stop at a petrol station, demanding Rs 500 for fuel.

With a composed attitude, she discreetly contacted the emergency helpline 112 and kept a family member updated on her location.

In her complaint, she claimed that the police assisted her soon after.

The incident has underscored growing concerns about the safety of women using ride-hailing services, particularly at night.

Source: IndiaToday

[GTO]

Shortly after, a driver, who wasn’t assigned to her via the app, approached and claimed he could take her to her destination.

So she booked a cab on the Ola app, which gives you the car number, driver name, driver photo & real-time location. Still, she got into another cab? Didn't verify registration number or anything?

How does this have anything to do with Ola? They really cannot make the app anymore fool-proof than it is. Agreed, the guy made it into the Ola pickup area (maybe he is a registered Ola driver), but if you get into a cab without checking the number-plate, your allotted car's real-time location, you start moving without an OTP....seriously, you are as much to blame.

[AlfaAlfa]

In Bangalore Airport, when one books a OLA cab, one is asked to board next available taxi in the segment one has booked. So usually one can't see Driver details and VRN in the app. Driver will ask OTP. Since passenger is already in dedicated OLA zone where only OLA cabs can come, less doubt on cab being non-OLA cab. On exiting the OLA zone, one OLA personnel confirms passenger name and matches with the booking records.

Now miss here is how cab exited the OLA zone.

[msdivy]

In Bangalore Airport, you can get into any cab in the queue of the segment you have booked and share the OTP with the driver. The app will show the driver the destination. This is for both Uber & Ola. The cab number plate is again verified by the security at the Ola/Uber exit.

When the driver didn't accept the OTP, that is the red flag. The lady must have got out of the cab before the exit gate.

[sunilch]

“Almost got trafficked/raped/looted/assaulted by a random cab driver who was let in by Bengaluru Airport in the Ola pickup station and impersonated to be one at terminal 1 of the airport at 10:30 pm had I not called 112, I’d not be here typing this,” she claimed in the post.

History will only glorify the hunter, until the day the Lion learns how to write.

Can't help but post here that she was ignorant from the start and there could be more to the story, not yet posted on media.

She has the capability to post on social media and has narrated her side.

For all you know, she might have agreed to take this cab after the driver would have asked for less money for the journey when compared to the OLA booking? This is common since drivers get cash payment upfront without OLA fees.

Note: Not disagreeing or supporting the drive's behavior. These issues are now becoming common wherein the drivers are trying to extort money from solo travelers. That needs to stop.

[PreludeSH]

Read the quoted link. Cant get the trafficked/assaulted/raped part. She seems like a educated but common sense lacking kind of a person.

Since it was not a Ola, how was the fare agreed on ? She might have wanted the fare shown by app and he might have demanded more than that.

[PRND1.5L]

Originally Posted by PreludeSH

Read the quoted link. Cant get the trafficked/assaulted/raped part. She seems like a educated but common sense lacking kind of a person.

Since it was not a Ola, how was the fare agreed on ? She might have wanted the fare shown by app and he might have demanded more than that.

A common modus operandi in Airport is to invite people for lower than App fare by canceling on the app and make a stop at petrol bunk, ask you to pay for the fuel and then charge the pre-agreed fare by skipping the fuel payment.

If you are a solo passenger at the airport, you are not just paying for the commute from A to B. You are also paying for the GPS tracking, emergency helpline and easy to share tracking details.

To save a 100 or 2, many people fall for this gimmick and ended up getting fleeced or even worse.

[DetectiveMiles]

Originally Posted by msdivy

In Bangalore Airport, you can get into any cab in the queue of the segment you have booked and share the OTP with the driver. The app will show the driver the destination. This is for both Uber & Ola. The cab number plate is again verified by the security at the Ola/Uber exit.

When the driver didn't accept the OTP, that is the red flag. The lady must have got out of the cab before the exit gate.

Happened to me once, the Uber attendent assingned wrong vehicle (Sedan instead of Go, while many drivers who have Etios/Dzire are registered for Go as well), OTP was not accepted, immediately they asked me to get down and assigned another Etios and different traveller to earlier boarded car. So, if we are little attentive and don't go for bargains, things work out smoother.

Not sure how the accused cab got into Ola parking or the guy leid about OTP not being accepted. Either way, one shouldn't proceed if ride is not started in the App.

[dhanushs]

Almost got trafficked/raped/looted/assaulted by a random cab driver

This sounds a little extreme. Agreed the driver was not a genuine guy who to be honest in my opinion was trying to make a quick buck and nothing more.

Everyday we encounter (or do all of us?) this in all walks of life. I think it should be a basic survival skill to have some regular checks in place than trust tech, system & processes blindly. However strong a system or process you have, there will always be people who slip through loop holes.

This thread can utmost be shedding light to the fact that there are non-Ola taxis plying in Ola area and one needs to be careful. Nothing more.

[Chetan_Rao]

Forget additional checks to ensure you're safe at late hours (or you're just extra paranoid), if passengers refuse to validate even the in-your-face safety measures available to them, then they're putting themselves at even more risk than what already exists, and no platform can help.

Another issue commuting to & from Bangalore airport in unauthorised 'cheaper' cabs, is drivers offering to take the Begur-Bagalur route to avoid toll. Sounds like a swell idea (toll is expensive), until you actually see that route. It's isolated and outright creepy at night, and I advise my sister (who lives in an area that cuts significant distance and time if one goes through Begur) to avoid using it at night even if she's driving herself. Actually, scratch that, I avoid taking that route myself. I picked up my sister and niece from the airport in the wee hours last month, and took the main highway and urban roads to drop them home and then drive myself home.

[SR-71]

Originally Posted by GTO

So she booked a cab on the Ola app, which gives you the car number, driver name, driver photo & real-time location. Still, she got into another cab? Didn't verify registration number or anything?

Sadly, you do not get that for Bangalore Airport pickups in Uber (I am sure) and Ola (I believe it's the same). You get a PIN and there is some Uber or Ola personal standing at the pickup point and assign the cab, which is more or less pointing you in the general direction of a line of cabs. Since there is no dress code, it's extremely difficult to differentiate between a real agent and a rogue one.

I have been in a sticky situation once with Uber. On arriving around 3AM post an 18-hour long flight, I booked an Uber XL and walked to the chaotic pickup point for Uber at T1. This was before T2. An Ertiga driver (normal for XL) reached out mentioning he was assigned the rotation for pickup. He asked for the PIN entered something on the phone and started driving. The weird thing was the trip did not start on my phone, and I kept reminding him about it and he kept giving excuses about patchy network. What's worse is he was able to exit the Uber boom barrier in the Uber pickup lot which is supposed to have some sort of verification before letting the cab out. I dozed off post that.

On reaching home he showed me trip fare in his phone that was 2.5x the normal amount with a different name and 3-hour trip duration while the trip was yet to start on my phone, and it took 45 minutes to reach home. I argued with him, but he got down to threatening me. Being exhausted after a long-haul flight, I paid him, took the snapshot picture of the driver, his car with plates and the Uber trip details from his phone. I promptly raised a complaint with Uber shared the details with Uber but as always, they were unhelpful and kept closing the case repeatedly and I gave up after 4 long months of repeated tries. I consider myself one of those ultra careful ones and feel disappointed I got ripped. However, I do console myself saying I was lucky with just monetary loss and nothing more.

[arundeepbv]

I have had several unpleasant experiences with Uber drivers in the past. When interacting with the drivers, they always used to say that it would help them out if we made the payment via cash instead of the app. It seems that it takes Uber a couple of days to settle the payments with the driver, and paying them in cash would be helpful for their day-to-day expenses.

Feeling empathetic, I initially agreed to pay in cash. However, I soon encountered issues where some drivers would show a higher fare on their app and insisted I pay the inflated amount, even when my own app displayed a lower fare.

As a result of these incidents, I have switched to making payments exclusively through the app. While there have been times when drivers refused trips due to the use of online payment, I believe paying through the app ensures greater security and peace of mind.

This method of payment helps avoid situations similar to the ones described in this thread, making for a safer and more reliable experience.

[2000rpm]

Originally Posted by dhanushs

This sounds a little extreme. Agreed the driver was not a genuine guy who to be honest in my opinion was trying to make a quick buck and nothing more.

I think comments like the above and many more, are coming from people who are not understanding the perspective of a solo female traveller.

Whenever anything like this happens, these are the scenarios that start flashing in the minds of our fellow Indians, and there is no bigger shame than that. I dont think she was exaggerating, these are thoughts which will cross the mind of a solo female traveller when she encounters that she is in an unknown car, with little or no control of where the driver can take her. Note - This was 10.30 pm from Bangalore Airport which is very different from the Mumbai Airport, which is completely crowded everywhere.

Numerous incidents like these happen with women on a daily basis, she was lucky to have gotten away with a mild harassment for money.

[Sensible_Speed]

Originally Posted by GTO

So she booked a cab on the Ola app, which gives you the car number, driver name, driver photo & real-time location. Still, she got into another cab? Didn't verify registration number or anything?

How does this have anything to do with Ola? They really cannot make the app anymore fool-proof than it is. Agreed, the guy made it into the Ola pickup area (maybe he is a registered Ola driver), but if you get into a cab without checking the number-plate, your allotted car's real-time location, you start moving without an OTP....seriously, you are as much to blame.

So, in Bangalore airport, they have a common Ola kiosk, where drivers line-up for passengers. You have a common OTP which, upon getting into the next waiting car in line, you share with the driver and that starts your journey and exchange of details through the app.

It is unfortunate that every single system meant to help people out ends up getting exploited. These kinds of incidents erode trust entirely from society and are detrimental to its well-being in the long run.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by Sensible_Speed

So, in Bangalore airport, they have a common Ola kiosk, where drivers line-up for passengers. You have a common OTP which, upon getting into the next waiting car in line, you share with the driver and that starts your journey and exchange of details through the app.

They check whether the driver has started the App and navigation before he exits the area with the passenger- mainly to ensure their own business.

I really doubt this cab would have been boarded from the OLA parking area. Just before you reach the designated spot, when you cross the generic parking, cabbies come and ask if you are OLA and they can take for the same amount instead. I see more possibility that the cab may have been boarded from there.