Don't fall victim to vomit fraud.
Uber drivers have staged fake vomit scenes in their cars and billed passengers for the cleanup.
As the Miami Herald was first to report, a number of Uber customers say they were billed as much as $150 extra for the cleanup of vomit. But they say they never threw up.
Uber charges $20 for damage such as food or drink spills, the ride-hailing company's website says. Incidents involving "significant amounts of bodily fluids (e.g. urine, blood or vomit)" can spur a cleanup fee of as much as $150.
D.C. Uber driver Hassan Talwhari said he had not heard of vomit fraud but said the cleanup fees are justified. When someone does get sick, it's a big problem for the driver, he said.
Uber said they're aware of the problem and taking appropriate action — but with about 15 million trips taken every day, these kinds of incidents can happen. Uber did not provide data on how many cases they were aware of.
Anyone who is charged a cleaning fee that they believe is unfair can contact Uber.
