Two women posing as Uber drivers in the same vehicle allegedly robbed a 22-year-old man in the Uptown, New Orleans neighborhood early Saturday morning, according to New Orleans police. A preliminary police report states the incident occurred around 6:27 a.m. The victim told police the women had picked him up on Bourbon Street and driven him to the corner of Bordeaux Street and Carondelet Street.
One of the women then produced a gun and stole the victim’s debit card, cash and cellphone, police said. He then jumped out of the car and the two women drove off. No information was provided as to whether the man had used the Uber app, which would have informed him of details about the car and driver, to request a ride prior to entering the vehicle.
This incident is the latest in a string of armed robberies committed by people posing as Uber drivers in the French Quarter over the last six months. In November, women pretending to be Uber drivers robbed a man and a woman in two separate incidents. One of the incidents reportedly involved a Nissan Altima, which had three other women present.
Here are several safety tips to follow while using Uber, provided by an Uber spokesperson, Susan Hendrick:
• Only take trips with drivers you request through the app – there are no street hails with Uber.
• Before the ride begins – Double-check the license plate, driver name and photo shown to you in the app. We encourage riders to double check all these details and make sure they match the driver and car. Riders are also able to see a driver’s rating to determine if they wish to proceed with a journey.
• During the trip – Share trip details with friends and family. Riders can share their trip details, including estimated time of arrival and the specific route, with friends and family so they can follow the trip and know when they’ve arrived safely.
• After the ride ends – Provide feedback. Riders rate their driver and vice versa, and can provide feedback to Uber. Our safety team reviews this information and investigates any issues. Our customer support staff are ready to respond 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
