Uber Technologies Inc (NYSE: UBER) has commented after police charged a man in Wollongong with sexual assault after he harassed a woman while pretending to be her Uber driver. In a statement released by Uber, the company is now urging riders to report if the driver does not match the number plate or photo on the app.
The man in the incident, approached a woman claiming that he was her driver and that he was off-line. The woman entered his car, and when they were alone, he performed an indecent act. She reported the incident to the police, who tracked down the driver. In Robinson Street, Wollongong, they found him in a Honda Accord with a female passenger in his car.
The man has now been charged with sexual assault and for not being licensed. He has been granted conditional bail and will face a judge in November. Police are asking users of the ride-share service to compare the details of a car with the information on the phone app.
More women on social media report fake Uber drivers trying to lure them to their cars
This incident comes after numerous women on social media reported that a man pretending to be an Uber driver had tried to lure them into his car. Georgia Haxeldene is one of these women, and while she ignored the driver’s attempts, her friends were not so lucky as he managed to trick them into entering the car.
This security concern is one of many as another woman, Bobbie Pretes, made a viral TikTok where she voiced her concerns about an UberEats Driver who showed up at her house announced.
Pretes had met the driver months before when he delivered food to her house. However, she soon felt suspicious when he showed up at 1 am with another order she had not made.
Uber later promised to look into the matter. However, although the company confirmed that the delivery was a mix-up, Pretes still does not accept the company’s explanation. As a result, Pretes and her husband have now placed cameras outside their house.
Uber Canada and Candian Black Chamber of Commerce launch Black Business Direct
Uber Canada has expanded its partnership with the Canadian Black Chamber of Commerce (CBCC) to launch Black Business Direct, a directory for black-owned businesses. The directory now has more than 200 listings, with new additions daily. Black Business Direct will help black-owned enterprises to gain exposure.
