4 Very Important Points! 

1.    We teach little children not to go with strangers.
If a family member or a stranger does show up unexpectantly, we give them a code word to use to prove it?s okay to go with this person. The rideshare industry has done the same thing. In the app, there?s the description of the car, the driver and the plate number.  
 2.    Common sense says, in a big city or a small town, always be aware of your surroundings.
Most of the time, when the rider has been scammed, it?s because they weren?t aware of what was going on around them. They were in a rush and never looked up to see if the driver matched the picture on the app. Once the vehicle was rolling, they were trapped. ?I saw an Uber/lyft sign in the window?; ?He said he had to change cars? ? le sigh!
 3.    Some people got into a car knowing it was the wrong car... with ?a promise of a better ride at half the cost?. The ol? ?switcheroo?; the ol? ?get more than what you pay for? scam. Once moving the driver starts raising the rate. ?I was told I was getting a deal?. I hear this, and I think, they were trying to scam the rideshare company and got caught in their own web, seriously. No excuse!
 4.    The promise of paying "off the app".
This was an eye-opener. Why? Why would you do this? Anytime a driver says you will get the ride cheaper by cancelling and paying off app, run! This is unethical and you?ll regret it.

 The Political Blame Game 

Recently, at a Senate Hearing in Lansing Michigan,  Michigan Senator Jones berated the representative from Uber for the scam and sexual assault on a female rider, claiming Uber should have done a better job with their background checks by employing the Michigan State Police instead of a nationwide, federally approved company. ( If you haven?t guessed, this is a sore spot in my craw. See the  "The Uber Fate in Michigan"   report for more info) What wasn?t addressed was the fact that this was a scam driver! This girl should have never got into the car with this creep! It?s not Uber?s fault she didn?t follow the rules.
While I feel for her and I hope all the legal sticks, rocks and bricks in the world fall on this creep, I must repeat myself, SAFETY, SAFETY, SAFETY People! 
I am Totally Dumbfounded! 
It always surprises me how many perfectly intelligent people will fall for these scams and then blame everyone else but themselves. I remember teaching my young children, as young as kindergartners, to:
1.    Never get into a car unless they know who they?re getting in with.
2.    Always be aware of who?s standing around you, and,
3.    If it?s too good to be true, it probably is.
What?s your opinion? Should Uber take the blame? Or should riders be more careful?
Washer