 "Uber, Uber India")
A glitch in the Uber app led to a couple from the United States being charged nearly 600 per cent more for an Uber ride during their vacation in Costa Rica. The couple expected to pay $55 (approximately Rs 4,500) for the ride but were shocked to discover that Uber had deducted $29,994 (approximately Rs 24 lakh) from their bank account.
Douglas Ordonez and his partner Dominique had booked the Uber ride to explore the city during their fifth-anniversary celebration. However, when they checked their bank account after the ride, they were alarmed to find that Uber had charged them "$29,994 USD for an Uber ride in Costa Rica," as shared by Ordonez on Twitter along with a screenshot of their bank statement showing a negative balance of $22,697 (approximately Rs 18.7 lakh).
"Uber charged me $29,994 for a Uber ride in Costa Rica. They did not convert that into the Costa Rican currency $54. Altura credit union allowed this charge to process and Uber is not complying. Now I’m in Guatemala with a negative balance on my 5 year anniversary. #uber," the tweet read.
Uber charged me $29,994 USD for a Uber ride in Costa Rica. They did not convert that into the Costa Rican currency $54 USD. Altura credit union allowed this charge to process and Uber is not complying. Now I’m in Guatemala with a negative balance on my 5 year anniversary. #uber pic.twitter.com/UGgZHXYjF8
— Douglas Ordonez (@DOJ_111) June 29, 2023
Dominique took to TikTok to explain the situation, adding that they unintentionally used their debit card, instead of their credit card typically used for international charges, to pay for the Uber ride. This led to the automatic deduction of the hefty amount from their account, leaving them in a financially dire situation according to media reports. Despite reaching out to Uber for assistance, they received minimal response and were disappointed by the lack of immediate resolution from the company. They claimed that they could not reach customer support and were blocked by automated messages run by chatbots.
Uber eventually acknowledged the issue on Twitter and assured the couple that they would investigate the matter. Eventually, the couple received a refund for the excessive charges. However, the bank attributed the currency exchange issue to the couple, stating that their travel notice on the card bypassed the usual security measures.
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In an update, Ordonez added, "$29K UPDATE. @AlturaCU and @Uber_Support are blaming each other. @AlturaCU stated that the 29k amount bypassed security & daily charge limit because we put a travel notice. ABSOLUTELY NO REASON why this amount should have cleared. After 4 full days the 29k was finally adjusted."
$29K UPDATE. @AlturaCU and @Uber_Support are blaming each other. @AlturaCU stated that the 29k amount bypassed security & daily charge limit because we put a travel notice. ABSOLUTELY NO REASON why this amount should have cleared. After 4 full days the 29k was finally adjusted. pic.twitter.com/lMPr76ol18
— Douglas Ordonez (@DOJ_111) July 2, 2023
While Uber acknowledged the mistake and released the authorisation hold due to a bank error, the couple expressed their dissatisfaction with the lack of timely customer service and support from Uber. They also highlighted the challenges in reaching out to the company for assistance, with only pre-generated messages in response to their queries.
This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of closely monitoring payment methods and ensuring the correct card is linked to online platforms and all security measures for transactions are in place.
