Gojek to file police report over suspected online fare scam

Indonesian ride-hailing firm Gojek has warned of a suspected scam in which riders are duped into thinking they are paying a fixed, low fare for rides. Those who take the bait could end up paying the actual fare on top of what they had already paid to the unknown third party. Gojek told The Straits Times it is investigating and will be submitting a police report on the matter.

The Straits Times found Gojek rides being offered for $12 by anonymous middlemen, regardless of distance or surge pricing. The offers are circulating on social media and are likely to have started early last month. The Straits Times has found at least one commuter who was conned by the false promise of a lower fare.

In response to media queries, a Gojek spokesman said on Tuesday, "We are aware of a suspected scam taking place over WhatsApp, Facebook and Telegram where fraudulent Gojek rides are being offered. This is not in any way associated with, or authorised by, Gojek."

In the scam, interested commuters are asked to message their booking details to a mobile number. They then receive a screenshot of a Gojek booking confirmation. Once they get into the car, commuters are asked to pay the third party through PayNow.

One advertisement reads, "We only partner with Gojek currently. Fares are fixed, no negotiation, and please do not pass cash to the drivers as our bills are calculated with Gojek directly." Another offered 'package deals', in which 10 rides would cost $100, 20 rides, $190 and 30 rides, $280.

Among others, the deals are advertised in the SG Hitch carpooling Telegram group, which has more than 11,000 members. In a message to the group on Monday, administrator Yuan Tim warned about the number of booking scams and said that members who receive unsolicited messages should inform an administrator.

Ms. Lee, a 27-year old account manager who declined to give her full name, ended up having to pay a much higher fare than the deal that she thought she had landed, after requesting a driver through the SG Hitch group on 23 April.

A middleman had offered to book her a $12 Gojek ride from Jewel Changi Airport to Jurong. He asked for payment to be transferred to him once she got in the car, but stopped responding after Ms. Lee said she would pay only at the end of the trip. Ms. Lee ended up paying $50 for the fare when the driver asked for cash payment at the end of the ride.

Gojek rides can be paid for by cash or credit card. Payment methods are agreed upon when the ride is booked. "There might be people who will transfer the money before the end of the trip, and they would have to pay the original fare and an additional $12 to the middleman," Ms. Lee said.

"It was quite dangerous because it was really late at night and I was alone. The person who booked the ride was uncontactable, and I didn't know if the driver was part of the plot or not."

A Gojek spokesman said on Tuesday that users should book their rides directly through the Gojek app to avoid scams. Users can report any suspected fraudulent activity at [email protected].