Bengaluru Taxi Scam: Man faces Uber ‘fake fare screen’ scam in Bengaluru; shares these tips on how not to be fooled | – Times of India

A Bengaluru resident has raised concerns about a new scam targeting passengers at the city’s airport. Mahesh Suthar, a tech professional, took to social media to warn others about a taxi driver who inflated the fare using an app designed to mimic Uber.
Suthar narrated his experience, stating he booked a taxi upon arrival at the airport. The driver, upon entering the vehicle, used an app that looked identical to Uber to “start the trip.” However, upon reaching his destination, Suthar was presented with a bill inflated by Rs 1,000.
When questioned about the extra charge, the driver claimed it was due to GST (Goods and Services Tax). He refused to provide a proper bill, claiming it would be sent electronically later. Suthar, suspecting a scam, shared details of the incident online. He identified the fake app as “Blumeter,” which allows drivers to manipulate fares by adding arbitrary surge pricing.

Read the complete post here

“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 1000 bucks 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. Here’s how it works : They use an Android app called Blumeter which looks like Uber. They’ll show & 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 the billing system is broken currently. You’ll get the bill on email next month. Funnily, Mr. Rajagopal Y N didn’t even take my email or phone number. Busted haha!”

Tips on how not to be fooled