GrabTaxi Philippines warns passengers of 3 common taxi scams (Infographic)

In its three-way battle with Uber and EasyTaxi, GrabTaxi has to innovate, yes, but a far more basic need and a far more pressing one is ensuring the safety of its passengers. This is as much an issue of public relations as it is one of passenger safety. If a passenger becomes a victim of a crime while on one of their taxis – knock on wood – the GrabTaxi brand name can become associated with the act, no matter how much of an anomaly it was or how impossible it would have been to prevent.

Thankfully, GrabTaxi Philippines has shared several tips with Tech in Asia on how passengers can do their best to avoid the three most common modus operandis by taxi scammers in the Philippines.

Alleyway ambush (“Biglang sakay”)

“This m.o is designed to surprise passengers and make them feel helpless from the get-go,” says Khriz Lim, the passenger experience head of GrabTaxi Philippines.

Instead of taking a common route, the taxi driver will drive through secondary streets and alleyways. The driver will then stop on an isolated street, where two to three of his accomplices are already hiding in wait. They will then board the taxi and demand the passenger’s valuables.

In some cases, the passenger is murdered for fighting back. In other cases, the passenger is merely left abandoned on the unfamiliar road. In rarer instances, the criminals show a streak of kindness, if not compassion. “In recent reports, the group will hand a hundred pesos for the passenger to find his or her way home,” Lim says.

Prevention!

1. Before boarding a taxi, check that there is no one hiding under the seats – the accomplices are sometimes already on the vehicle instead of at the designated street.
2. While you should lock all the doors, you should also make sure that your doors are not on child lock (i.e. only openable from the outside).
3. Record the driver’s name and his taxi’s plate number, and you should make a show of conveying this information to a loved one over the phone.

See: GrabTaxi’s limo service, GrabCar, enters first new country as it speeds into Manila

Child snatchers (“Batang hamog”)

According to Lim, this m.o. is common around C5 and EDSA-Guadalupe in Metro Manila. During rush hour, when cabs are stuck in the country’s notorious traffic, street kids will randomly open doors and try to snatch whatever valuables they see.

This crime relies on the element of surprise. “The passenger, usually caught in surprise, only has a few seconds to process the situation and respond accordingly,” Lim says.

Prevention!

1. Lock all the cab doors before the cab sets off for your destination, even the one opposite from where you are sitting.

Noxious spray (“Bimpo”)

A few reports of this m.o. have gone viral on Facebook, due in part to the fact it sounds so fantastical. The driver will try to get the passenger unconscious by either spraying an intoxicating liquid over the air conditioning or putting a hand towel soaked in a sleep-inducing chemical over it. In other instances, the driver may even place the towel under a seat.