New Yorkers, here's how you can protect yourself from the Uber imposter scam and save your money
Looks like some scammers are taking a leaf out of some of the oldest scams in the book by putting their own spin on it with something that New Yorkers use all the time — Uber. It is no Nigerian prince folks!
The police are warning New Yorkers against scam callers who claim to be Uber employees and ask you to verify for login account credentials, stealing your money.
According to reports, these scam callers say that there is suspicious activity in the person's account and that they would need to confirm their details.
Following this call, the person receives a text message that asks them to reply for verification and once you reply, the scammers can access enough bank information to take your money.
A number of people have already been scammed. Police suggest that if you do get a similar call, review your service contract and call the customer service number to confirm that it is a legitimate call.
Uber spokesperson Melanie Ensign, who works with the company's security teams that also handles scam detection and anti-fraud enforcement said that this scam is called an "imposter scam".
She suggests that you use a unique password for every online account. "Don't use your Uber password on any other website or service. Where available, turn on two-step verification for all your online accounts," Ensign said in a statement to MEA WorldWide (MEAWW).
"It only takes a few minutes to set up and don't share your password or verification codes with anyone. Uber will never ask you for this information," she added.
Ensign also said that it is important that the people who are potential scam victims should be cautious of any phone calls, text messages, and emails from anyone claiming to be an Uber employee.
"Scammers are clever," she said, "If you notice any suspicious activity on your account, report it to us immediately in the mobile app or at help.uber.com."