Mumbai cab scam: Mumbai cabbie charges NRI Rs 2,800 for 10-minute ride with fake app, held | Mumbai News – Times of India

An Australia-based NRI businessman was defrauded by a taxi driver at Mumbai airport, who charged Rs 2,800 for a short ride using a counterfeit app.

MUMBAI: An Australia-based NRI businessman looking for a cab at the city international airport at midnight was defrauded by a taxi driver who charged him Rs 2,800 for a 10-minute ride to a Vile Parle hotel by showing the fare on a counterfeit app.
The victim, D Vijay of Nagpur, realised the con after reaching the hotel and speaking to its staff, reports V Narayan.
It happened on Dec 15 and following an email complaint from Vijay, Sahar police arrested the driver, Vinod Goswami (32), Tuesday. “The accused approached me when I was looking for a cab. I followed him… I noticed prepaid counters, but as I had already spoken to him, I decided to hire his cab. Midway, when he told me about the fare, I didn’t say anything as I thought he might make me alight,” Vijay told TOI.

Cops take action against 9 cabbies at airport in 2 days

The arrest of a cabbie for duping an NRI by charging him Rs 2,800 for a 10-minute ride, comes around a week after an autorickshaw driver was held for robbing a 19-year-old US-based student from Sangli, Vishwajeet Patil, of Rs 3,500 on Dec 17.

D Vijay (49), the NRI who is visiting India after three years for a family reunion, was shocked when the cabbie, Vinod Goswami, displayed a fare of Rs 2,800 on a counterfeit app during their midnight journey. “The businessman was startled when the driver demanded Rs 2,800 for a mere 10-minute journey to a Vile Parle hotel. Goswami was arrested based on the mobile number and car details he gave Vijay, asking him to call him whenever he arrived next in Mumbai,” said a Sahar police station officer.
After checking into his hotel, Vijay consulted the manager about the fare. “Upon reaching Nagpur, I mailed the complaint on Mumbai police’s email ID after discovering from the hotel staff that their pickup service costs only Rs 700 and what I paid was four times more,” Vijay told TOI.
Vijay said, “This seems to be a new way of cheating by showing a fake app that looks like Ola and Uber. People flying into Mumbai might be unaware about the fare. Before filing the complaint, I asked my friend in Mumbai to check the mobile number that the accused had given me asking to call him for his service whenever I land in Mum bai, and found it to be genuine. The details were then shared with cops who nabbed him.”
The businessman recommended installing clear signage outside the airport to safeguard tourists. He said he noted the lack of an adequately staffed help desk at Mumbai airport.
Responding to the email complaint, Sahar police arrested Goswami within 12 hours and seized his vehicle.
They also deployed plainclothes officers to monitor the airport area for fraudulent drivers. “Over two days, we took action against nine such drivers and seized their vehicles for attempting to deceive airport passengers,” said an officer. Fraudulent drivers usually operate between late-night and early-morning hours, said the officer.
In the Dec 17 case of the student, Sahar police arrested Ritesh Kadam (26) using vehicle information from the RTO. The incident occurred when Patil, studying in the US, returned for holidays. Police confirmed Kadam’s vehicle was seized and he admitted to targeting the student believing the newcomer wouldn’t report the crime.
The officer said in both cases, the drivers assumed their victims wouldn’t file police complaints. “Many such offences have occurred in the past but none of the victims like Patil or Vijay has approached the police, giving the confidence to such drivers to dupe or rob people who are new to the city,” said an officer.