Sponsored message
Audience-funded nonprofit news
radio tower icon laist logo
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Subscribe
  • Listen Now Playing Listen

This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

News

Uber Driver Demands $500 From Passenger Who Left Phone In Car

Truth matters. Community matters. Your support makes both possible. LAist is one of the few places where news remains independent and free from political and corporate influence. Stand up for truth and for LAist. Make your year-end tax-deductible gift now.

Earlier today we wrote about a woman who paid $357 for an Uber ride from the Westside to Hollywood, and since then we've been hearing a lot of not-so-pleasant stories about the ride-sharing service. One of those includes a woman who says that an Uber driver held her iPhone hostage when she left it in his car.Jennifer Gomez told LAist that she took a short Uber ride while barhopping on Thursday night, but afterward she realized that she had left her work cell phone in the car. Her friend who had requested the ride got in touch with the driver that same night and asked if he could bring it back to them. The driver named Emmanuel asked her friend how much he would be willing to pay, and then demanded $500.

Gomez got in touch with Uber. A representative for Uber wrote to Gomez, "Our driver operations team has deactivated his account until he returns your phone. I really hope this works."

But that didn't seem to help. Gomez continued calling Emmanuel and tried to negotiate with him. Eventually, she agreed to pay the money for the phone and meet up with him on Friday night, but he never showed. Emmanuel had two phone numbers, but he has since deactivated one of the numbers.

Gomez called the experience "upsetting" and said that she's working with Uber right now to see if they can reimburse her for a new phone.

Related:
Woman Says Uber Charged $357 For Ride From West L.A. To Hollywood

You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.

Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.

If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.

Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief

Make your tax-deductible year-end gift today

A row of graphics payment types: Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay and PayPal, and  below a lock with Secure Payment text to the right