‘I have no other choice’: Man orders Uber during snowstorm. Then the driver ‘extorts’ him

Uber has revolutionized the way people get around, making transportation more accessible with just a few taps on a phone.

But as the company has grown, so have reports of issues with drivers—including some downright sketchy behavior.

That’s exactly what happened to TikTok user Sean Patrick  (@itshardlyworking), whose Uber ride took a turn for the worse during a snowstorm in Montreal.

His video, which has racked up over 413,100 views, details what he calls an “extortion” attempt by his driver.

A ride that went all wrong

“Get ready with me to get extorted by my Uber driver,” he starts.

According to Patrick, he booked an Uber late at night in the middle of a snowstorm and got paired with a driver named Aymene. 

Everything seemed normal at first—he put his bag in the trunk and got in the backseat. But then, the driver started complaining.

“This guy proceeds to complain the entire way about not getting paid enough and asks me relentlessly, ‘How much did you pay for this ride?’” Patrick says.

The driver reportedly kept repeating that Uber was taking too much of his cut, which already felt like a red flag. But things got worse once they were just a few blocks from the hotel.

“He says, ‘I’m ending the ride,’” Patrick recalls. “And he does.”

From there, the driver allegedly told him to give a five-star rating and leave the highest possible tip before he would take him the rest of the way.

“At this point, I have no other choice,” he explains. “I need to get into my hotel and out of this guy’s car.”

Feeling unsafe, he gave in, rating the driver five stars and tipping him. The driver even made sure the payment went through before letting him go.

“Thankfully, he opened the trunk, because he could have easily just left with all of my stuff,” Patrick says.

How common is this?

Rideshare scams aren’t new, and this kind of behavior isn’t unheard of. 

Other drivers have been reported for extorting customers over forgotten belongings, dumping out passengers’ belongings, or even lying about tips to squeeze out more money.

According to Uber’s official policies, drivers are not allowed to demand additional payment outside of the app, nor can they end a trip early and request a new fare.

Any passenger who experiences this should report it immediately—just as Patrick says he did at the end of his video.

How did Uber respond to the customer’s complaint?

In a recent video update about the incident, Patrick says he heard back from Uber.

Patrick alleges that Uber apologized for the experience and stated they were investigating the incident.

However, they didn’t ban the driver or refund his ride. Instead, they added $5 CAD to his Uber account for future rides and assured him they would never pair him with that driver again.

Patrick was not happy with this outcome, saying, 'This is not the same as taking action… it’s essentially like doing nothing at all.'"

Commenters are appalled

In the comments, users were horrified by what happened to Patrick. Some shared similar Uber experiences and frustrations with the company, while others offered advice on how to handle situations like this.

“U think that’s bad?! My uber driver dropped me off to the airport and drove away with my bag in the boot,” shared one user. “He then proceeded to extort me 200 to be sent to he’s account before he would drop it back!”

“Uber takes ZERO accountability ever,” wrote another. 

“Honey boo. You call the cops,” advised a third. “Not uber support.”

Uber’s official TikTok account also commented on the video, writing, “Support Team here - we’re so sorry this happened, Sean. We understand your concerns and have escalated these details to a specialized team for investigation.”

The Daily Dot has reached out to Patrick and Uber via email for official comment. 

@itshardlyworking Get ready with me to get extorted by my Uber driver. This driver is unsafe do not ever take a ride with him. #horrorstory #uberdriver #uber #rideshare #sharethis ♬ original sound - The Hardly Working Podcast

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