Charged for Ola ride I never took

80 on 16/07/2019 - 11:29

So this is a bit of a weird one. I ordered an Ola at the weekend from Manly to Newtown. The app said there were no cars free. I cancelled and ordered an Uber instead. Took the Uber trip - about two minutes in I get a call from an Ola driver saying he was at my address. I must have not cancelled the Ola properly - I said sorry I thought I had cancelled the order. The driver said no problem and hung up. I was happy to pay the cancellation charge if applied, as it was my mistake.

However, when I got home I found I had been charged for the full Ola trip (as well as the Uber trip obviously.) The map shows the driver covering the route. The only possibility I can think of is that the Ola driver must have driven the route without me in the car.

I complained to Ola and explained, and have just received a reply that they will not issue a refund as the talked to the driver and confirmed with him that I did take the trip. They have closed the ticket. I have an Uber receipt that proves I was in an Uber on the exact same route at the exact same time - have sent this to them but not received a reply.

Has anyone else experienced anything like this? What are my options if the driver is not telling Ola the truth and they refuse to refund? Going to Fair Trading may be the only option but feels like overkill.

Cheers.

Travel

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Comments

  • idonotknowwhy on 16/07/2019 - 11:37
    +8

    Same thing has happened to me on 2 occasions with Ola (one of them, it said I was picked up and dropped off 10km away within 1 second, pretty fast eh?). I managed to get a refund each time by asking.

    I've since stopped using Ola, Uber is better. Remove your payment method, call your bank, get a chargeback, uninstall Ola. It's garbage.

    • OneIdiot on 17/07/2019 - 09:26

      Better to use DiDi or Uber

  • mbck on 16/07/2019 - 11:44
    +6

    give the driver a 0 star?

  • Baysew on 16/07/2019 - 11:53
    +4

    Could be just passengerless testing.

    • ESEMCE on 16/07/2019 - 12:01
      +7

      An even more profitable model than Driverless!

  • HighAndDry on 16/07/2019 - 12:21
    +4

    Call your bank, give them the information/receipts, chargeback.

  • aedeau on 16/07/2019 - 12:25
    +3

    call bank and tell them you want to dispute a transaction. I did that this morning for a GYG order that charged me twice through their app.

  • mshanann on 16/07/2019 - 13:16

    current affair would love this type of story

    get driver to state your race, approximate age, where you sat, what you talked about etc

  • Meho2026 on 16/07/2019 - 13:45
    +4

    Raising an issue through the app isnt usually successful. You can get a better result by emailing [email protected].
    In the email mention that the transaction is fraudulent, you have evidence you took an Uber at that exact time and if they dont refund the amount, you will instigate a chargeback through the bank.

  • [Deactivated] on 16/07/2019 - 13:46
    -8

    Use a taxi instead?
    Don’t use a company that keeps your CC details on file.

    • mbck on 16/07/2019 - 14:28
      +4

      Got knocked back twice because it was a short ride. No thanks

      • [Deactivated] on 16/07/2019 - 17:36
        -7

        Walk, bus, train, drive yourself, other taxi company. Better than paying twice.

        • mbck on 16/07/2019 - 17:48

          Usually I just communicate my issues and things get resolved. I don't avoid 'potential' issues because I understand things happen, not that you expect it to happen.

    • 80 on 16/07/2019 - 15:43
      +2

      I would but have found Syd taxi drivers to be just as bad, to be honest. Had several overseas friends ripped off coming from Syd airport being charged nearly double the proper fare. Also half the time on recent trips they spend the whole journey talking with their mate on an earpiece and barely communicate, which is pretty rude.

      • [Deactivated] on 16/07/2019 - 17:35
        -3

        But are you there to make friends or get where you want to go? And I’d say paying twice for the same trip is pretty rude and dishonest.

  • Daddyhere on 16/07/2019 - 13:48
    +1

    I was in the same situation.

    The different is they cant charge my card for some reason.

    Now they pass it to a debt collector for $18.

    I ignore.

  • 80 on 16/07/2019 - 15:41

    Thanks for replies. Will try chargeback on the card if I don't hear back from them in a day or so.

    Yeah, I've had several bad experiences with Ola - drivers turning up in a different car than was listed on the app on several occasions. I really should have stopped using them before this! Uber has always been more professional.

  • chumlee on 16/07/2019 - 17:41

    What's in the T&C's about not presenting when driver arrives?

  • Prince K on 16/07/2019 - 20:56
    +2

    Used Ola for the first time and have had nothing but problems. Fares 25% higher than estimation. Waited 15mins for a ride that was estimated to come in one minute.

  • Sweet3st on 17/07/2019 - 08:07
    +1

    I recently signed up with referral and got $20 credit voucher. Updated the app soon after and the voucher disappeared. Customer service has told me I should take a ride and they will refund $20. Based on reviews I have my doubts! Should I risk it?

  • wittyusername on 17/07/2019 - 11:30
    +1

    INteresting. I was absolutely hammered and ordered an Ola, but it said non available so I cancelled the ride and ordered an uber. However, the next morning I (filled with dread) went through my phone to see who I'd texted etc, and saw that I was charged a cancellation fee, despite not having any drivers available. I disputed it and they just paid straight up, but it sounds like the beginning of your story.

  • 80 on 17/07/2019 - 11:41
    +4

    So - I called my CC company (AmEx) and they basically said they would refund the charge and cover the cost themselves as a customer service thing. Very nice of AmEx, and I'm happy I got my $ back, but it still means Ola come out of this looking like a bunch of amateurs who don't give a toss about their customers. I have uninstalled and will never use them again. Thanks to all for comments.

  • Johnnybravo07 on 17/07/2019 - 21:53

    Same thing happened to me. Disputed the trip and got charged back almost 2 months later.

  • Savvysaving on 18/07/2019 - 19:00

    Ola always rejects rides if they don't like where you are travelling to. Didi is better but it is not in Sydney.

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