4 ms·

Uber can't keep down accusations of “vomit fraud” against its drivers

21 points by ourmandave 8y ago

joshlittle 8y ago
Easy fix: Require, maybe also supply in-car cameras and require footage as evidence for reimbursement. A very inexpensive fix to a burgeoning problem.
- alasdair_ 8y ago
  Unless every person agrees (not just the person that requests the ride), this could be illegal in many states.
- m-p-3 8y ago
  In Canada this would be illegal, and many customers would not agree to being filmed.
  - msandford 8y ago
    "By using this service you agree to be filmed. If you do not agree, feel free to use an alternative". Seems like it would work as nobody is forced to Uber, no? I'm not saying that this is the outcome people want, BTW. Just that it could be the one they get.
    - krageon 8y ago
      This is coercive and is as such already pretty legally shaky. It would probably fly in the US, but that's not the only place they operate.
  - jaydenseric 8y ago
    Taxis in Australia have cameras.
htk 8y ago
Maybe statistics can help. If a uber driver is a “vomit scammer” he’s doing this multiple times, deviating too much from the normal, even if taking into account factors like being late hours, next to a club/pub, etc. Uber can then kick this driver out or, giving the benefit of the doubt, limit the number of “cleaning reimbursements” to force the driver to find better passengers (stay away from nightlife rides?).
deleted 8y ago
[deleted]
rajacombinator 8y ago
This is a recent meme (many articles lately) no doubt put out by the taxi industry.
londons_explore 8y ago
Uber can easily compare image hashes so no image of vomit can be used for more than one claim. That should keep out less technically savvy fraudsters. They could also demand a scan of a receipt from a cleaning place, and then verify via GPS traces that the driver actually went to the place after the supposed incident but before taking the next ride. Uber should also make a notification or popup for the customer if they are charged extra after a ride. An "appeal" should be possible from the notification.
- bradbatt 8y ago
  How about just require a photo upload and then look at the photo's metadata (time, date, GPS, etc) to match it up with the data they already have (i.e. where the driver is)? Maybe built in the camera directly into the app so that the drivers don't have the ability to fake an image's metadata.
  - tuesdayrain 8y ago
    Any bulimic fraudster would have no issues supplying dishonest "evidence"
noworld 8y ago
Somewhere at Uber there is a database to organize a collection of pictures of vomit in cars.

21 points by ourmandave 8y ago

Easy fix: Require, maybe also supply in-car cameras and require footage as evidence for reimbursement. A very inexpensive fix to a burgeoning problem.

alasdair_ 8y ago
Unless every person agrees (not just the person that requests the ride), this could be illegal in many states.
m-p-3 8y ago
In Canada this would be illegal, and many customers would not agree to being filmed.
- msandford 8y ago
  "By using this service you agree to be filmed. If you do not agree, feel free to use an alternative". Seems like it would work as nobody is forced to Uber, no? I'm not saying that this is the outcome people want, BTW. Just that it could be the one they get.
  - krageon 8y ago
    This is coercive and is as such already pretty legally shaky. It would probably fly in the US, but that's not the only place they operate.
- jaydenseric 8y ago
  Taxis in Australia have cameras.

htk 8y ago

Maybe statistics can help. If a uber driver is a “vomit scammer” he’s doing this multiple times, deviating too much from the normal, even if taking into account factors like being late hours, next to a club/pub, etc. Uber can then kick this driver out or, giving the benefit of the doubt, limit the number of “cleaning reimbursements” to force the driver to find better passengers (stay away from nightlife rides?).

deleted 8y ago

[deleted]

rajacombinator 8y ago

This is a recent meme (many articles lately) no doubt put out by the taxi industry.

londons_explore 8y ago

Uber can easily compare image hashes so no image of vomit can be used for more than one claim. That should keep out less technically savvy fraudsters. They could also demand a scan of a receipt from a cleaning place, and then verify via GPS traces that the driver actually went to the place after the supposed incident but before taking the next ride. Uber should also make a notification or popup for the customer if they are charged extra after a ride. An "appeal" should be possible from the notification.

bradbatt 8y ago
How about just require a photo upload and then look at the photo's metadata (time, date, GPS, etc) to match it up with the data they already have (i.e. where the driver is)? Maybe built in the camera directly into the app so that the drivers don't have the ability to fake an image's metadata.
- tuesdayrain 8y ago
  Any bulimic fraudster would have no issues supplying dishonest "evidence"

noworld 8y ago

Somewhere at Uber there is a database to organize a collection of pictures of vomit in cars.