Swedish tourist claims Uber driver left him midway in Delhi’s 45°C heat, demanded ₹5,000 extra; company reacts

A Swedish content creator visiting India has triggered discussion online after alleging that an Uber driver tried to scam him during an intercity ride. In an Instagram post, Jonas shared that he had booked an Uber Intercity journey which started off without issue. However, mid-way through the trip, the driver suddenly stopped in the middle of a busy road, claiming the vehicle had broken down. The driver then allegedly demanded ₹5,000 in cash for repairs. When Jonas refused, he said the driver abandoned him on the roadside — in extreme 45°C heat.

In the caption of the post, Jonas further wrote that he contacted Uber, who booked not just one but three replacement rides for him. All of them, however, cancelled. “Got home all well no thanks to Uber,” he added.

Uber India responded swiftly to the post. Apologising for the incident, the company said action had been taken against the driver. “Hi Jonas, we apologise for this frustrating experience. Our specialised team has investigated and taken appropriate action,” Uber India wrote.

The post has triggered a wave of reactions in the comments section, with several users sharing similar experiences.

One user wrote, “No action will ever be taken by Uber. I had raised several complaints against their drivers for misbehaviour and misconduct, but they are ready with their bot response and post that no action against that driver. Sometimes I feel the driver and @uber_india are partnering to trouble the customers only.”

Another added, “@uber_india intercity rides are scam. The drivers accept the ride and then call to pay extra.. telling Uber is showing one side fare only, I want double of the fare shown in the app. Happened on Friday in Jodhpur with us.”

Another user called out a wider issue: “This isn’t just Uber. It’s a mindset of squeezing every rupee from anyone, especially foreigners. I’m sorry you had to face this.”