Originally Posted by
diburning
Keep trying the cancel button until it asks if you want to cancel (but no longer mentions the fee). If the driver takes a longer than usual time to get to you (~3-5 minutes beyond the pickup time quote) or is driving in the opposite direction for a long enough time (2 minutes), it will let you cancel for free, and won't re-match you with that driver. This is only on Lyft though.
The equivalent Uber scam is where the driver drives for about two minutes, pulls over, and either goes to do something else, or closes the app and drives for another app. Since the driver has made some progress, Uber won't let the rider cancel without a fee for a good 15 minutes, leading most riders to begrudgingly accept the fee if they want a ride at that time.
In my area, the worst offenders of such scams are registered livery vehicle drivers (in my state, their plates begin with LV).
I had a scam a couple years ago in LA. Was going from Universal to West Hollywood which is a short ride. Driver calls and wants to know where I'm going and I told him and he said he was new to LA and didn't know the area and I told him I would be happy to give him directions even though his GPS would get him there fine and he tells me isn't that familiar with LA and isn't comfortable with the ride but would take me if I would give him $10 cash. He ended up not cancelling it and I had to in order to get another ride and had to ask uber for a credit back. I wish Uber had a system that made it easier to eport drivers that pulled that.