US Uber Users Latest Victims In Hacking, Selling Scheme

Cameron Aubernon
by Cameron Aubernon

Uber customers in the United States are the latest victims in a hacking scheme where Uber accounts are sold on the dark web for as little as $1.

The scheme first affected Uber customers in the United Kingdom earlier this year, Motherboard reports, and is now hitting U.S. customers. One user saw several ride requests made for travel in London, even though she lives in North Carolina. After posting the fraudulent attempts to her Twitter account, the transportation network company refunded her bank account for the three trips that did go through, ranging from $40 to $120 per trip; she also cancelled the card associated with her Uber account.

Meanwhile, others who have seen their accounts hacked and sold haven’t been as fortunate to have their money refunded. The TNC’s representatives said the investigation “is now in the hands of the authorities” upon finding no breaches into the company’s systems. They add the hacks were “a good opportunity to remind people to use strong and unique usernames and passwords and to avoid reusing the same credentials across multiple sites and services.”

The publication’s own investigation couldn’t confirm if the fraudulent uses happening to U.S. consumers were the result of Uber accounts being sold on the dark web that affected U.K. customers, nor how those accounts were snagged in the first place.

[Photo credit: Uber]

Cameron Aubernon
Cameron Aubernon

Seattle-based writer, blogger, and photographer for many a publication. Born in Louisville. Raised in Kansas. Where I lay my head is home.

More by Cameron Aubernon

Comments
Join the conversation
6 of 23 comments
  • RHD RHD on May 04, 2015

    Can this get any worse? Yes, it can! Guy: "You know, in your ad you said you were 'passable'. I'm pretty sure you competely fooled the Uber driver!"

  • TrailerTrash TrailerTrash on May 04, 2015

    Must be getting pretty difficult to write up something in interesting automobile. This is uninteresting enough for CNN.

  • Art Vandelay Art Vandelay on May 04, 2015

    So what Uber Tier would a brown Delta 88 put me in?

    • See 1 previous
    • Dtremit Dtremit on May 05, 2015

      @Drzhivago138 They do have a cutoff -- and in a year or two it'll hit the last of the LTCs. I predict mass panic.

  • Turf3 Turf3 on May 05, 2015

    Ah yes, fashion models, one of the useless tassels on the corners of society. Looks like just the ad to appeal to other-directed Millennials.

Next