Uber Riders Warned About “Vomit Fraud” Scams

News reports of unscrupulous Uber drivers falsely reporting incidents in order to collect cleaning fees have some riders who have been accused of creating unpleasant backseat messes crying foul over reportedly baseless claims that they vomited in cars or otherwise befouled vehicles. In many cases passengers stung by these so-called “vomit fraud” scams are given little chance to appeal the additional charges.

For a tipsy customer, using Uber rather than climbing behind the wheel after a few drinks can provide invaluable protection from serious legal consequences, but just because someone else is doing the driving doesn’t mean the boozy car ride can turn into a free-for-all. The ride sharing app has a number of policies in place to punish overindulging passengers who misbehave.

Riders who have abused drivers, damaged vehicles or otherwise caused mischief in transit have learned there are very real consequences to their behavior. At a minimum drivers can can give passengers bad reviews as a sort of early warning system for fellow drivers. In extreme cases Uber drivers can request that the company charge especially unpleasant passengers for the cost of repairing damage or deep cleaning cars. The company has proven itself quite willing to support the prosecution of passengers who have crossed the line from disrespectful to criminal. Uber has even explored using its own data and proprietary algorithms to warn drivers if passengers are likely to be intoxicated.

Now however, The Miami Herald reports that some unscrupulous drivers are abusing the very policies in place to protect them against destructive passengers to instead earn a quick buck. The newspaper reports that Uber drivers can make between $80 to $150 when fares are adjusted because the driver reports having to clean up a passenger caused mess According to Uber’s published policies, a spilled drink can mean a nominal cleaning fee adjustment, while the $150 adjustment is reserved for “significant quantities of body fluids (urine, blood or vomit) in the interior of the vehicle.”

In situations in which a driver has to spend time off the road cleaning a stranger’s bodily fluids from upholstery, a $150 bill adjustment seems like fair compensation. Unfortunately, a growing number of Uber users report being assessed the surprise fee despite leaving the ride in exact same condition as it was when they climbed in the backseat. To make matters worse passengers say that once the fee is assessed there is almost no practical way to challenge the bill adjustment

“I immediately contacted Uber through the app,” One passenger who says she was unfairly charged a cleanup adjustment (supposedly to clean vomit) told the newspaper. “I told them that I was alone, sober, that I was not carrying any drinks and that it was impossible for me to have caused that damage. But every new email from Uber came from a different representative and always favored the driver.”

This isn’t the first time Uber drivers have been accused of gaming the system to put extra money in their pockets. Last summer drivers in New York City and London were accused of going to great lengths to trick Uber’s algorithm into triggering surge pricing. In some cases the scheme reportedly allowed drivers to earn substantial extra money at the expense of passengers.

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