What to Do If You Discover Random Uber Charges

If you use Uber, canceled rides and lowered ratings might seem like the biggest problems, but those who have experienced unexplained Uber charges can guarantee that that is what hurts the most. The sad thing is that there are hundreds of stories of Uber users getting their accounts breached. We discuss a few specific stories further in the article. Of course, in some cases, you might be charged because you canceled a car or because someone in your circle (for example, a family member or a friend) has used your account. However, it is always possible that hackers are involved, and if that is the case, you want to make sure that you secure your account immediately. This is why we discuss changing Uber account password and taking appropriate security measures as well.

Unauthorized Uber charges is an old problem

Unfortunately, unauthorized Uber charges have been plaguing the community for many years now. For example, in 2017, Independent shared a story of a woman who had 30 random Uber charges that came up to $1,300 in total. More recently, in 2019, ABC11 reported a Long Beach resident being charged $1,900 for rides that he never took. Hackers are exploiting vulnerable Uber accounts all around the world, and, in many cases, hackers operate from foreign countries. As told by Stuff, a woman in New Zealand found random charges from her account, and it was discovered that someone in Poland – a country that is quite literally across the world – was using her account to catch free rides. Uber is extremely popular in the 65 countries it is already available in, with 14 million trips completed every single day. Undoubtedly, the more popular a service is – the more interested the attackers are. That is because where there is a large group of users, more vulnerable accounts are likely to exist.

That being said, we cannot claim that only Uber users are to blame. In fact, the company experienced a major data breach that affected 57 million users back in 2016, and it then waited a year to warn its customers and drivers. During the data breach, drivers’ license numbers and names were affected. The names, email addresses, and phone numbers of customers were affected also. Needless to say, users cannot do much if a company fails to protect them. That being said, there are things that every Uber user can do to ensure security from their position, and it all starts with the Uber password.

Should you change your Uber password?

According to Uber, no action had to be taken after the data breach in 2016. In fact, the company said that it would be monitoring the affected accounts more closely using “additional fraud protection.” Nonetheless, the company also urged all users to monitor their accounts themselves. At the moment, customers who have unexplained charges can use this form to seek help. Of course, those who can clearly identify hacks are advised to reset Uber password immediately. It is not difficult to change the Uber account password. All you have to do is open the Uber app on your mobile device, go to Help, tap I can’t sign in or request a ride, then tap I forgot my password, and finally follow the instructions to create a new Uber password. Though changing Uber password is not difficult, choosing the right one might be.

The Uber password you create has to be strong, so that hackers could not guess it and breach your account easily. Sometimes, users take the easy route of slapping the same good old password onto multiple different accounts. That, of course, makes it easier to remember the password and type it in when necessary. Unfortunately, this also creates a major vulnerability. For example, if your Uber password is the same as your Tumblr password, and then Tumblr experiences a data leak, both Tumblr and Uber accounts could be breached. In another scenario, cyber criminals could send you a fake security email asking to reset your Uber password. If you use the provided login form – and it could look realistic – the attackers could grab your password right out of your hands.

Another mistake that people make is creating weak passwords. Without a doubt, something like sara123 is much easier to remember than something like m6?E1-|!!:!a|M, but the latter password is much safer. Now imagine creating a unique password for every account that you own. It might sound like a nightmare. Well, it doesn’t have to be a nightmare. We propose installing a free password management tool called Cyclonis Password Manager. This tool can automatically generate extremely complex passwords, it can help you create unique passwords for every account, and it can also lock them up to ensure their complete security. You can continue reading here to learn more about creating a hack-proof password.

Take all security measures

Creating a strong and unique password should ensure that it becomes hack-free. Of course, no one is safe against data breaches, and that is why it is important to take all security measures. Once you change Uber account password, it is also a good idea to enable 2-Step Verification. Uber users can choose to receive verification codes via text messages or a third-party security app. Choose the method you prefer the best. You also have the option to set up a backup code, which is a code that you can enter once if you have trouble signing in with your Uber password. This backup code could ensure that you can regain access to your account after the attackers hijack it.

You also want to keep your phone close to you at all times; especially if it is not locked. Needless to say, it is much harder – though not impossible – to break into a phone that has a lock. If your phone is lost or stolen, you want to have an option to reset it or to delete all data remotely. You also want to change all passwords and closely monitor all activity from accounts that were accessible via the stolen phone. Of course, we hope that you do not need to experience this. Ultimately, if you discover random Uber charges, it is most important that you take action immediately because once someone is able to get a free ride, they will do it again, unless you stop them.