Police: Watch Out for Phony Uber Drivers Out to Rob You

Two incidents of robberies by individuals posing as Uber drivers have Chicago police warning residents to make sure they’re being picked up by someone connected with the car service, according to a Chicago Tribune report.

The alert comes after two recent crimes: In one case, a man was robbed Sept. 13 in the 1500 block of North Wells Street, and in the other incident, a man was robbed Sept. 19 in the 500 block of North State Street, the report stated. In both cases, the phony drivers took advantage of the individuals simply standing outside, and in both cases, a black Chevrolet Impala with black tinted windows might have been used, the report added.

Police and the car service company gave the following tips for people to protect themselves, the report stated:

• Make sure the car is sporting an Uber sticker in the front window; all Uber cars are required to have one by law.
• Double check that the driver’s name, type of car and license plate match the order on the app.
• Don’t get into a car you hailed even if the driver says he works for Uber; that’s not how the service works.

via the Chicago Tribune