Uber Responds After Woman Claims Driver Sent Her Creepy Messages Asking About Her Perfume on WhatsApp

Cab services have revolutionized urban transportation, providing convenience, affordability, and accessibility to millions of people worldwide. With their ride-hailing applications, companies like Uber, Ola, and Rapido have made commuting easier by eliminating the need to wait for traditional taxis. However, as more people utilize these services, worries about the security and safety of passengers have also grown. The effectiveness of security measures in taxi services has been under scrutiny many times. Many customers reported a number of situations involving harassment, assault, data breaches, and unregulated driver behavior.

A similar kind of incident recently happened in Kerala when a cab driver violated the privacy of a woman by sending messages to her. Nevertheless, Uber has now responded to the concerns.

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A cab driver in Kerala sends messages to women, bypassing privacy norms

A woman from Kerala recently took to social media to express her severe worries regarding passenger safety and privacy after an Uber driver sent her unexpected texts. Smriti Kannan, a passenger, brought attention to the incident by posting screenshots of the messages on social media.

It all started when Kannan reserved an Uber cab for the journey from her house to an Edappally nail parlor. Following the trip, she started getting unexpected WhatsApp messages from the driver, Muhammad Mishal. Inappropriate queries like “Which spray are you using?” were also included in the messages. The strange messages from the driver startled and worried Kannan.

Using the social media site X (previously Twitter), Kannan voiced her annoyance and raised concerns regarding Uber’s privacy settings. In her post, she questioned the safety norms of Uber India and asked how the driver obtained her phone information. Along with the screenshots of the chat, she wrote in her post:

WHAT THE F**K @Uber_India how bad are your privacy settings? An uber driver messages me on WhatsApp and asks me creepy questions. Seriously how safe are women???

How did Uber react to the safety and privacy breaches in their services?

WHAT THE FUCK @Uber_India how bad are your privacy settings? An uber driver messages me on WhatsApp and asks me creepy questions. Seriously how safe are women??? pic.twitter.com/vFnSvLrPPp

— Smriti Kannan (@smriti_kannan) February 11, 2025

How did Uber respond to the safety and security concerns?

An Uber spokesperson stated that the driver used a UPI platform for payment in this case and emphasized that the app safeguards users’ crucial information. The spokesperson said,

“Phone numbers for riders and drivers are anonymized on all Uber trips and the number can not be accessed through the Uber platform. In this case, the driver accessed the rider’s number through the UPI app used for payment. Uber strictly prohibits post-trip contact, and as this violates our community guidelines, the driver’s access to our platform has been revoked”

Also read: Uber Responds After Woman Reports Harassment By Driver Who Wrote, ‘Jaldi Aao Babu Yaar, Mann Ho Raha Hai’

How did netizens react to the incident?

Smriti Kannan’s post swiftly gained a lot of attention and concern from online users. Currently, her post has gained more than 2.3 million views and more than 27 thousand likes. Many people also commented on the post, voicing their concerns about the grave state of cab services in India. Have a look at some of the reactions:

@Uber_India has hired maximum creeps. I have stopped using it. Its almost like they have reservations for perverts in their company

— Dr Rajesh Patil (@DrRajeshPatil20) February 12, 2025

आज की ही बात है मै हॉस्पिटल से घर आने के लिए cab book kar रहा था @Uber_India @Uber @Uber_Support से और मैने उनको बताया भी कि मेरा पैर प्रेक्चर है जल्दी आओ आने का वादा कर कर के नहीं आए और एक्स्ट्रा पैसे मांग रहे थे बोल रहे थे मै उधर से कैसे आऊंगा वो तुम्हारी दिक्कत है न कि मेरी

— Navin Kumar (@NavinKu04306562) February 12, 2025

Is this real? Never experience this, Ig they shouldn’t have direct access to the customer’s number all communication via masked no (as per uber’s privacy policy).@Uber_India , please look into this matter. This is very creepy..

— sshuklaa (@Picassaa24) February 12, 2025

That’s absolutely unacceptable. Passenger privacy and safety should be non-negotiable. @Uber_India needs to address this immediately, enforce stricter policies, and ensure such breaches never happen. Women’s safety isn’t optional—it’s a fundamental right.

— Arvind Raghava (@ArvindRaghava5) February 11, 2025

And then their idiotic CEO says “Business in India is hard” while most of their inactive support people sits somewhere at Vishakapatnam, Vizag .. these kinds of remote places doing nothing . Unfortunately our @jagograhakjago is also like our legal system, weak and slow

— The Social Warrior (@zorro_warrior) February 12, 2025

Meanwhile, this is not the first instance of people sharing their horrifying cb riding experiences. However, it seems this is not going to stop anytime soon. Even if we check our social media platforms right now, we see how every minute, many people share posts related to what happened to them when they were riding in the cab.

In order for ride-hailing services to be genuinely safe, companies need to make investments in cutting-edge security equipment, implement more stringent driver screening, and guarantee improved data security. Passengers should also use the apps’ safety features and maintain vigilance. To create a more secure and dependable transportation system for everyone, ride-hailing businesses, governments, and users must work together.

What do you think about these incidents? Do share your thoughts with us in the comment section of this article.