PassApp scam
Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2018 5:48 pm
Well, this is new (to me, at least).
We've taken to using PassApp increasingly to go out socialising, especially if I'm planning to have a wee dram.
In my experience most PassApp drivers are okay - in the grand scheme of taxi drivers globally - and are just out to do the job and get back to drinking.
A couple of scams are already well known - the "oh, my app stopped working. $10" scam, the "I must drive four times as far becaw ... wedding, so cannoh" scam, the "it's late at night, so price double" scam, the "oh yes, I see you waiting for PassApp, so that's me, even though I have no signage or even the app - $10" scam, the "you big westerner, so cost more for sung" scam, the "I now drive in completely the wrong direction for 10 minutes while ignoring you talking to me, talking louder to me, yelling at me, but you still gonna pay" scam, etc.
Last night was a new one.
As we got home I checked the price on bong's screen - just shy of 11,000r - and turned around to unlock the gate while Mrs Stroppy paid the man. He stated 17,000, so I turned around and checked the screen - sure enough, 17,000r. I said to Mrs Stroppy in English, "No, it's 11,000r", and then restated it in Khmer. At which point bong blinked nervously. I turned away, and back again to see the screen now saying 13,000r while Mrs Stroppy and bong gently argued over the actual amount of money she was holding in her hand, until she laid out each note on the seat and counted it through with him. I stared at him, and he quietly picked up 11,000r and went his way. To summarise, he'd lied twice about the fare, and tried to scam Mrs S about currency.
(Somehow he'd missed that we'd been conversing with him and giving him directions in Khmer all the way home.)
So here's the scam. At the end of the trip, he's swiped his screen to a screenshot of another, higher fare, which looks correct. I'd say he had a number of screenshots to select from, given how quickly he then swiped to a different one.
I imagine he (they) try this ruse for late night fares, hoping the passengers are too tanked to notice. Mrs Stroppy checked the emailed receipt, and sure enough, the fare was 11,000r.
Now, at least one muppet is going to tell me I'm wrong/an idiot for arguing over small money -that's not the point and your input would be irrelevant, so we'll take it as given that you disagree with me as usual.
The issue is unnecessary, although quite clever, scamming by PassApp drivers, and that the more we ignore/allow it, the worse it will get.
We've taken to using PassApp increasingly to go out socialising, especially if I'm planning to have a wee dram.
In my experience most PassApp drivers are okay - in the grand scheme of taxi drivers globally - and are just out to do the job and get back to drinking.
A couple of scams are already well known - the "oh, my app stopped working. $10" scam, the "I must drive four times as far becaw ... wedding, so cannoh" scam, the "it's late at night, so price double" scam, the "oh yes, I see you waiting for PassApp, so that's me, even though I have no signage or even the app - $10" scam, the "you big westerner, so cost more for sung" scam, the "I now drive in completely the wrong direction for 10 minutes while ignoring you talking to me, talking louder to me, yelling at me, but you still gonna pay" scam, etc.
Last night was a new one.
As we got home I checked the price on bong's screen - just shy of 11,000r - and turned around to unlock the gate while Mrs Stroppy paid the man. He stated 17,000, so I turned around and checked the screen - sure enough, 17,000r. I said to Mrs Stroppy in English, "No, it's 11,000r", and then restated it in Khmer. At which point bong blinked nervously. I turned away, and back again to see the screen now saying 13,000r while Mrs Stroppy and bong gently argued over the actual amount of money she was holding in her hand, until she laid out each note on the seat and counted it through with him. I stared at him, and he quietly picked up 11,000r and went his way. To summarise, he'd lied twice about the fare, and tried to scam Mrs S about currency.
(Somehow he'd missed that we'd been conversing with him and giving him directions in Khmer all the way home.)
So here's the scam. At the end of the trip, he's swiped his screen to a screenshot of another, higher fare, which looks correct. I'd say he had a number of screenshots to select from, given how quickly he then swiped to a different one.
I imagine he (they) try this ruse for late night fares, hoping the passengers are too tanked to notice. Mrs Stroppy checked the emailed receipt, and sure enough, the fare was 11,000r.
Now, at least one muppet is going to tell me I'm wrong/an idiot for arguing over small money -that's not the point and your input would be irrelevant, so we'll take it as given that you disagree with me as usual.
The issue is unnecessary, although quite clever, scamming by PassApp drivers, and that the more we ignore/allow it, the worse it will get.
Especially when the non-Scot is of Irish heritage.