Travelers who recently arrived in Miami through Miami International Airport (MIA) are reporting in the media, warning of fake Uber drivers on the fringes of that airport who are looking for passengers to scam them. An Argentine tourist commented this to the media Infobae.
This airport, the gateway to Miami for millions of people, is the scene of a scam that is putting travelers at risk. Some unlicensed drivers pose as Uber or Lyft to pick up people who have just flown into the city.
According to the information, the method is simple since the fake Ubers are located in the areas reserved for shared trips with a vehicle that looks similar to the one mentioned in the application. When the traveler boards, the impostor looks for excuses to deviate and rob or attack him.
Authorities have received dozens of complaints in recent months. To end this worrying situation, surveillance and controls have been increased throughout the airport. Despite their measures, criminals continue to defraud people or create dangerous situations, as this Argentine tourist in Miami warned.
Fake Uber in front of Miami airport
An Argentine woman traveling to Miami a few weeks ago experienced a horrific incident with one of these fake drivers. In an interview with Infobae, the woman said that she requested an Uber ticket through the application while picking up the suitcases. As he left, he saw a red Toyota Corolla, just like the one he had been assigned. A man in security clothing quickly approached, carrying his luggage.
“As we walked along, the familiar landscape turned into one completely unfamiliar to me (…) He stopped the car in front of a random house. She told me we had arrived, but I was sure that wasn’t the right place. When I tried to explain to him that he had made a mistake, he got angry and blamed me for the mistake,” he said.
He added that he asked her “just for cash” to take her to the hotel, which she refused. “While we were arguing, I took the opportunity to use my cell phone to request another Uber behind my back. The man realized this and his posture became threatening. To my relief, a few minutes later the new Uber pulled up next to us,” he added.
Thanks to the other Uber, a real one, he managed to get out of this situation without any major consequences. The warning reaches everyone traveling through Miami these days.
“This terrible experience taught me to be much more careful when giving rides. Even if it takes longer, I will always verify each driver’s identity before getting into their car. Next time I might not be so lucky,” he concluded.