New York Woman Exposes Potential Uber Scam, But Internet Isn't Convinced

A recent TikTok video posted by Ma'kiah Michelle (@makiahmichelle) shed light on a potential scam targeting Uber users. In the video, she recounted her experience at New York's Grand Central Station. She described how she and her friends narrowly escaped being victim to the scam while she was charging her phone. She explained how a stranger struck up a conversation with her, only to pose a peculiar request moments later.

"She’s like, ‘Oh well, I just have a question. Can you guys get me an Uber? I have the cash, I have the cash. I’ll pay you back right here.'"

She then talked about how the woman proceeded to pull out money. "Like 50s—like, I’m seeing 50s and all this stuff. So I’m just looking at it wondering, like, if you got all this money, like what? It’s just not making sense," Michelle adds.

However, the TikToker was quickly warned by her friend who suspected something fishy and suggested the woman take a taxi instead. "She was not expecting that answer. She was like 'OK. Um, um, I think I’ll take the cab. I think I’ll take the cab.' Mind you, we’re literally in a train station. That’s when it all clicked for me—I was like, ‘We’re literally in a train station. We’re in New York, there are cabs right outside.'" 

Viewers were not convinced by Michelle's explanation and wanted to know more about the incident. "Guys you have to do better at explaining the something you are talking about otherwise it’s just a yap session. My scroll time is valuable. Was waiting for the scam to be explained," @soulbrothersupreme commented.

@Kay wrote, "What is the scam? How would she have scammed you?" "The money was probably counterfeit," chimed in another user, @RCSM Mermaid.

In a follow-up video, Michelle explained the ordeal. "The ways that it could have been a scam—the money that she said she was gonna give could have been fake money," she said.

"I don’t know what they would have done when they got into the Uber. People were saying it could bring harm to the Uber driver. They get robbed, they could try to steal the car, they could do other illegal activities in the car. They could get sick in the car or cause things that will need the clean-up fees and all that, because who are they gonna charge? Whose account is linked? Mine," she added.

"Plus, I do wanna say in my situation, like I said, I was at the train station. I was also in New York City, the hub of transportation," she further explained.

In response to the subsequent video, one user, @scaredmilk wrote, "Thank you for thinking of the Uber driver's safety too. I kept thinking carjack or mugging." A different user, @retailislife commented, "Happy that you all collectively followed your gut instincts."

For more such content, you can follow Ma’kiah Michelle (@makiahmichelle) on TikTok.