Rideshare drivers call for more security against ‘tap and snatch' robberies
MOTT HAVEN, The Bronx (PIX11) — Rideshare drivers on Monday called for more protection from so-called tap and snatch robberies, where people pose as customers for services like Uber and Lyft, and then access drivers' phones, which they drain thousands of dollars.
At least 22 such robberies have happened citywide in the last eight weeks, with robbers stealing anywhere from $1,300 to $10,000 in each incident.
More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State
The New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers on Monday formally called for greater security measures.
Fernando Mateo, the official spokesperson for the state federation, said that the way the tap and snatch robberies take place can be simple, and costly.
A person posing as a passenger will get into the rideshare, and then come with a ruse.
They'll say, ''Oh, I changed my mind. I want to go to, um, Smithsonian, whatever address, but let me put it in your phone,'' Mateo said.
Then, once the robber has the phone, he continued, 'Then they put a gun to your head and say, 'Give me the password, give me your account number.''
It's access to the driver's rideshare account. The taxi federation contends that if rideshare companies give drivers separate phones for business use only, the drivers can keep their personal phones, including their bank accounts, private.
Robbery pattern targets Uber and Lyft drivers in NYC
For its part, Uber, for which most of the robberies have occurred, would not say that it would provide separate phones for drivers.
It did say, however, in a statement:
'These reports are extremely alarming. Driver safety is paramount to the Uber experience, and we're constantly investing in new safety features, like our rider verification program, and Record My Ride, to help make the platform safer and build trust. We encourage all drivers to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to law enforcement, and to us, and cancel a trip if they ever feel unsafe. We're in touch with the NYPD on these terrible incidents, and will continue to support their investigation however we can to help bring those responsible to justice.'
Meanwhile, the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers is offering a $2,000 reward for anyone with information leading to an arrest of the tap and snatch robbery suspects. The federation is also calling for federal law enforcement involvement since the robberies apparently involve bank fraud.
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