Uber Rider Safety

In Chicago we have criminals targeting Uber/Lyft drivers & also riders with scams.:

https://cwbchicago.com/2025/10/tourist-robbed-at-gunpoint-after-getting-into-phony-rideshare-in-gold-coast.html

https://cwbchicago.com/2025/07/fake-rideshare-driver-is-sexually-women-in-gold-coast-near-north-side-cpd.html 

https://cwbchicago.com/2025/03/late-night-bar-goers-are-getting-robbed-while-waiting-for-lyft-uber-in-wrigleyville-gold-coast.html 

https://cwbchicago.com/2023/11/man-gets-7-years-for-stealing-identities-by-posing-as-a-ride-share-driver-outside-chicago-nightclubs.html

https://cwbchicago.com/2023/03/paroled-identity-thief-arrested-again-operating-as-a-fake-uber-driver-in-river-north.html  

https://cwbchicago.com/2022/06/fake-uber-driver-gets-45-years-for-raping-woman-he-lured-in-to-car-similar-cases-involving-4-other-women-are-pending.html

https://cwbchicago.com/2021/12/another-fake-uber-identity-thief-heads-to-prison-but-only-until-august.html

https://cwbchicago.com/2021/11/cops-found-credit-cards-belonging-to-32-people-in-fake-uber-drivers-car-authorities-say.html

https://cwbchicago.com/2021/10/fake-uber-driver-robs-man-at-gunpoint-in-old-town-police-say.html

https://cwbchicago.com/2021/04/man-on-parole-for-running-phony-uber-scam-is-charged-with-running-a-phony-uber-scam-again.html

https://patch.com/illinois/hinsdale/amazon-uber-scam-calls-dui-hinsdale-cops

 

Here's a few tips to avoid being scammed as a rider by criminals: 

• 1) ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS check that the license plate, car make & model, and driver photo on your rider app match who & what is picking you up. You need to confirm your name to your driver & your driver needs to confirm their name to you too. Uber's website even says to do so. If it doesn't match, call 911 & report it to Uber IMMEDIATELY.
  

 

 

 

• 2) NEVER NEVER NEVER give a driver your credit/debit card. EVERYTHING must be done ON THE APP (pick-up & drop-off locations, additional stops, payment, etc). If a driver asks to have anything off the app, exit the vehicle immediately & call 911. Once you're in a safe location, report it to Uber.
  

***Side note: A LOT of riders are confused about Uber/Lyft. Uber & Lyft are NOT taxis that can drive around anywhere & everywhere. Drivers are ONLY authorized to take passengers from pick-up to drop-off that is listed in the app. Any stop in between ALSO has to be ON THE APP. Asking a driver to make a stop that's not on the app makes them feel extremely uncomfortable & unsafe; and we are not covered by insurance if we get into an accident on the way to an unauthorized stop. So if you want additional stops add them on the app.***

 

• 3) Female riders, if you ever feel uncomfortable about your driver, especially if it's late night, here are three tiktok videos you can play loudly on your phone & interact with to pretend that you're talking to a "husband," "dad," or "female friend" & that they know you're in an Uber/Lyft & will be home soon. It may help you feel a little safer.
  

"Husband": https://www.tiktok.com/@budget_jasonstatham/video/6868008120170466565

"Dad":  https://www.tiktok.com/@budget_jasonstatham/video/6861764504636706053

"Female Friend": https://www.tiktok.com/@ambernicolettte/video/7096541697047366958

Winter 2021 Chicago Uber Driver Confronts Scammer

In addition to killing, raping, robbing, paralyzing, shooting, and carjacking Uber & Lyft drivers in Chicago; criminals are also trying to scam drivers out of their hard earned wages by trying to trick drivers into giving their account info so the thieves can change the driver's banking account info to withdraw the funds. Here's a live video from January 24th, 2021 at 2:50AM of a Chicago Uber driver confronting a scammer. *WARNING: very graphic language.

 

 

 

Halloween 2020 - Haunted Places in Chicago!

 👻👻👻👻👻👻👻👻👻👻👻👻👻👻👻👻👻👻👻👻

Chicagoland is one of the most haunted areas in the United States. If you're in the spooky mood & ready for some real life Ghostbusters action this Halloween season, then click here for a list of the some of the most haunted places here.