PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Something called "vomit fraud" is on the rise among some ride-share services, the Better Business Bureau is warning as it urges customers to keep an eye on their receipts.
A Florida man said he experienced the scam firsthand and is still angry about it.
TRENDING NOW:
Pinellas County resident Mark Castle is speaking out to warn others about what happened to him.
Castle told WFTS-TV that he recently spotted a $100 fee on his credit card statement after a 30-minute Lyft ride.
“He took advantage and robbed me,” Castle said. “That's what it is.”
ATTENTION Lyft and Uber riders:
— Hannah (@H_kac) May 22, 2019
This exact thing happened to me w/@lyft over the weekend (in article). After being in contact with Lyft for 2 days, it's been made clear to me that whatever the driver reports stands as true w/o any input from the rider. https://t.co/OoNts7r8YI
The driver had taken a picture of vomit in his car and showed it to Lyft, blaming Castle for it.
Lyft believed the driver and charged Castle a fee.
"It definitely made me feel very taken advantage of," Castle told WFTS.
Lyft said it thoroughly investigated the complaint about the vomit and took appropriate action.
"We take damage disputes such as these very seriously. Lyft's support team investigates each incident individually and makes a determination based on the evidence available," a company official said, according to the news station.
As for Castle, he said he plans to record his entries and exits from ride-share vehicles from now on.
Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/XCUXZC2XYZHCRGNNGKFEX6U3LQ.png)
