In this very comprehensive WSJ report on Uber China's fight for supremacy in China, there was one aspect that we have not reported on before: drivers scamming for bonuses. Uber China China has been offering very generous bonuses to lure drivers to their platform, but this has clearly not come without its problems as drivers now book fake rides, known as "brushing". In brushing, the scammer will pose as both driver and rider, essentially paying themselves multiple times to build up enough fake business to win a bonus, as the bonus has become more lucrative than the regular pay. Rings of scammers use specialised software bought online to rack up fake rides while they sit at home, and others get calls from people offering to help them scam Uber China for a fee.
In this very comprehensive WSJ report on Uber's fight for supremacy in China, there was one aspect that we have not reported on before: drivers scamming for bonuses. Uber China has been offering very generous bonuses to lure drivers to their platform, but this has clearly not come without its problems as drivers now book fake rides, known as "brushing". In brushing, the scammer will pose as both driver and rider, essentially paying themselves multiple times to build up enough fake business to win a bonus, as the bonus has become more lucrative than the regular pay. Rings of scammers use specialised software bought online to rack up fake rides while they sit at home, and others get calls from people offering to help them scam Uber for a fee.