Rideshare safety: app features, scams and what to do

PIN verification, audio recording, women-driver options and fake airport drivers: what to turn on in rideshare apps and how to act if something goes wrong.

2026-10-31

Rideshare and delivery apps make city travel safer: no waiting on the street, a recorded route and a known driver. They also attract scammers, from fake airport drivers to requests for codes outside the app.

Which safety features should you turn on?

Feature	What it does
PIN verification	The trip starts only after you give the driver the code in your app (“Verify Your Ride” in the US since 2020, per CBS)
Share trip / trusted contacts	Sends your route live to people you choose
Audio recording	Encrypted; accessed only if you attach it to a safety report (Brazil, per Uber)
Emergency button	Calls 911/190 from the app
Stop and route checks	Asks if you're OK after unexpected stops or detours

In Brazil, Uber began rolling out women-driver options nationwide in June 2026 after tests from October 2025 (MacMagazine).

What does Uber's US safety data say?

In August 2025 Uber said more than 99.9% of trips end without incident and serious sexual assault reports fell 44% from 2017 to 2022. These are company figures.

What is the fake driver scam?

Impostors approach travelers at airports offering cheaper rides off the app. Atlanta police warned about this at Hartsfield-Jackson in 2024 (SAN). Their tip: ask the driver who they are picking up instead of giving your name.

Checklist

Match plate, model and driver photo before getting in.
Use the PIN and share your trip.
Wait indoors or in a well-lit spot, phone out of sight.
Never accept street offers or cash “off the app.”
For delivery, chat only in the app and give the confirmation code only once the order is in your hands (Canaltech).

If something happens

Use the app's emergency button or call 911, report in the app with any recording, and file a police report. If your phone was taken, see stolen phone settings; if you were forced to transfer money, see express kidnapping and Pix. More in Tips.

What else do apps offer?

In Brazil, Uber lists a 24/7 safety team, masked phone numbers for riders and drivers, a verified-rider badge and personal accident insurance of up to R$ 100,000 per trip. In some Brazilian states the emergency button also sends live location and vehicle details to police. You can pre-set all of these under “Safety preferences” so you don't have to remember them in a stressful moment. Uber also says it uses a risk-based matching algorithm in the US and bans accounts after multiple safety reports, even for less serious incidents.

Whatever the app, the principle is the same: keep the trip, the payment and the conversation inside the platform. Anything that pushes you off the app is a red flag.