Uber 'Say My Name' Scam, Explained

It is the night of Oct. 4, 2022, and the Uber "say my name" or "what's my name" scam is trending on Google. I wanted to make a super quick video explaining what this is.

So, to keep passengers safe from making the mistake of accidentally getting in the wrong car, passengers can ask an Uber driver what their name is. If the name matches up with what the passenger sees in the app, then they're good.

From what I found, and I'm citing Reddit user u/10ebbor10 on the r/outoftheloop subreddit, this scam hijacks, that was the word used by the Reddit user, this scam hijacks this exchange between the passenger and the driver.

Let's pretend we're in New York City. Tons of Uber and Lyft drivers around, as well as taxis. Lots of activity happening. A person who did not order an Uber to pick them up can walk up to an empty Uber that's waiting for a passenger. That person can pretend to be the passenger by holding their phone and asking the Uber driver, "what's your name" or "say my name." The person pretends that the driver's or passenger's name is correct, even though they didn't order an Uber, and off they go in the car.

Now I don't know how the Uber "say my name" scam works in terms of making sure you, the scammer who isn't paying for the ride, arrives at the destination they need to go to, like if the Uber takes them to the Bronx when they live in Brooklyn, for example, unless they can simply ask to change the destination. But this is apparently the scam.

From what I've read, passengers can see the license plate number, make, model, and color of the Uber driver's car in the app. Drivers don't have the same level of specific identifying information that passengers have, other than a name and perhaps a photo if one has been uploaded. This would theoretically allow someone to scam an Uber driver for a free ride.

I hope you found this video about the Uber "say my name" scam helpful. If you did, please click the like button, the thumbs up button, and that will tell Google and YouTube that my video has some value, and hopefully others can find it helpful too. Thanks so much for watching.

[jordanliles]

Update: There might be two variations of this scam. I mentioned "say my name, " which is what a passenger (also a scammer seeking a free ride) might say to a driver, and also "what's my name, " which a passenger (also a scammer seeking a free ride) might ask a driver as well.

Links:

[pankajkissan]

Completely avoidable scam. In India the rider gets a 4 digit OTP code for the ride available in the app post booking. The ride and billing subsequently does not start without providing the OTP to the driver.

[justme]

It's a simple solution. Uber update the app so that way upon ordering a car it creates an n-digit unique identifier (or even a randomly generated word phrase). The driver then asks them for the phrase or ID and the passenger provides it. Same vice versa, if the license plate isn't enough relief for the passenger, since only the unique id/phrase is known between the 2 parties for that transaction, knowing it eases any doubt they're not the driver.

[grod]

The driver can't change the address. The driver just does what the app says. Even if the passenger says can you go here first the driver just goes put it on the app.

[enobekuJ]

Heisenberg. You're goddamn right.

[benjaminoconnor]

Uber drivers do not see the rider’s profile picture at all.

[edmundvereault]

To answer the quesiton about how does the scammer change the destination address, for scammers who want to just travel 10 blocks, half mile etc, something like a 2-3 minutes ride (but 10-15 minute walk) the scammers acts like they want to change the address but its too complicated to figure out and most drivers feel accomidating so they just drive because its not a far distance.

[PaulLangan]

Passengers conveniently forget the vehicle is not Uber or Lyft but the driver's vehicle. Most problems/scams start with this misconception. The insurance liability is on the driver for the max number of passengers within his car. When the passenger looks at the App, saying my name is easy to understand. The App includes the driver's name, image, tag, and description. Passengers should check the app for vehicle description, Tag number (unique identifier), and driver name with an image. Passengers should only go to a vehicle after checking the app. Drivers have no protection other than the passenger's username and respective reviews. The driver asks you to say your name because this is all they are privy to verify you are the one who booked the ride. Passengers should know the ride share username of the one who booked their travel or no ride. Many passengers do not use their real names on the Lyft/Uber apps, making security a serious risk for ride-share drivers.

[vikastirupathi]

Apps can Use a OTP to verify the passenger.. this happens in inda. I am confused what type of scam is this and do i need to have caution for this new "scam". Guess my ride wont even start in the first place if i entered a wrong vehicle.

[Karma-wzli]

In india, uber asks for a OTP, so this scam cant exist out here, why doesn’t uber add otp verification, so the uber driver can ask for a otp to the passenger from the uber app to verify bfor the ride starts, simple

[lifeofrichard]

Uber driver can't change the destination. Only the PAX can do that.

[DefNotShivam]

In India we have OTP system, in which the driver can identify the passenger easily by asking for Users OTP and matching it with theirs, it is quite simple, not sure why they don't have it in your country.

[WILD]

Maybe I missed it but I didn't hear you explain how the driver safeguards against this. Doesn't the rider have to say their own name?

[darkpisces]

The say my name started with a college girl who got into the wrong car thinking it was her Uber. And he killed her. Her name is Samantha Josephson. Her parents started SAMI stop ask match inform. Basically to ask the driver for the name and if the driver didn't get the name it was a red flag.

[ElGuapo]

I thought she was making a breaking bad reference

[gchsbus]

SOMETHING SIMILAR HAPPENED TO ME RECENTLY and I was NOT even an Uber Driver. I was pulling up to a restaurant to meet my girlfriend. I am stopped in the parking lot, waiting for someone to back out of a space. This girl and her friend just literally open my door and get in my car. I am shocked and just do not know what to say. All of sudden she starts yelling, "Aren't you going to say my name? SAY MY NAME!!!". I said, "Hey! I do not even know who the f*ck you are. Why are you in my car??". She then goes off hitting my seat and calling me a peedofile and a kidnapper and that I am a fake uber trying to kidnap young girls and that she is going to call the police. This random guy runs up to my car and grabs me and yells, "Is this man trying to kidnap you?". I am like, "Let me go you f*cking Bozo! I am here to meet my girlfriend. These girls just got in my car!!". My girlfriend, who saw this whole thing unfold, walked up and opened my back door and said, "Hey you pieces of shit, this is MY boyfriend and he is here to meet me and I watched you just walk up and get in his car for no reason. He is not your Uber so get the f*ck out of his car or I will drag you out and f*ck you up! You have ten seconds...". The guy holding me looked at my girlfriend and said, "Are you for real?". My girlfriend says, "Yea, these girls are about to get their ass beat. He is here to meet me. He is not their Uber or an Uber Driver". The man then lets me go. The girls get out of the car and call my girlfriend a whore. My girlfriend starts flipping her sh*t on the girls while the guy apologizes. What a crazy situation.... What is wrong with this world?

[JorgetePanete]

We all have an ID card, why do they try to use the name? If Uber doesn't use the ID it's their fault for being vulnerable.

[darellpiper]

I dont think you explain it correctly.

[mitradev]

Bruh like don't you need an OTP, a code to start these rides? It's implemented in India, how is it not in the US lol?

[jonah]

You dont see the passenger’s profile pic