# Uber Stealing Tips?



## Maven (Feb 9, 2017)

Is Uber withholding a percentage of in-App tips from drivers? Supposedly, Uber passes 100% of tips through to the driver without deducting any fees. How can drivers possibly know if this is true or not? Perhaps, part of the real reason that Uber finally implemented in-App tipping (in addition to being forced by the courts) was to create another profit-center.  Transforming payments withheld from drivers into pure profit is nothing new for Uber.

Uber is well-known for "losing" tolls, surcharges, and other fees contractually owed to the driver that are supposed to be automatically reimbursed. 

If the driver does not notice a discrepancy then Uber keeps the money that rightfully and contractually belongs to the driver.

If the driver does notice the discrepancy and complains then Uber often demands proof that the driver's claim is valid, even though Uber supposedly maintains a full GPS record of ever trip.

Only again, if the driver fails to provide the required proof then Uber keeps the money that rightfully and contractually belongs to the driver.

To top it all off, if the driver fails to make the initial claim within 48 hours or provide the required proof within 10 days then Uber keeps the money that rightfully and contractually belongs to the driver.
Can Uber do better with Tips? Has anybody ever tested Uber's claim t0 pass 100% of passenger tips through to the driver? Have you heard of a way? If so, please tell us. I have an idea for empirical testing by willing drivers. This will *only *work in the cities (121?) where in-App tipping has been activated.

Whenever you give friends a ride, ask them to add a large tip then see if you (the driver) receive that tip or not. You can reimburse the friend for the tip since you are supposed to receive 100% back from Uber. Do this 10-20 times for a good sample. A description of how in-App tipping is supposed to work is here.

If the tip does not appear in a reasonable time then email a complaint to Uber and let's see how they respond. What percentage of the time is there a problem?

The current Uber tipping application places strict limits on the amount of the tip. The current options for UberX are $1, $2, $5, as well as a custom tip, which currently allows a maximum of $10. I'd expect a higher limit for premium services. Many times I have received cash tips over $20. This is not possible with Uber in-App tipping.  Although in-App tipping should work consistently all-the-time, it is possible that in-App tipping works differently

for different services: X, XL, Premium, Black, Pool, Eats, etc.
from city-to-city
depending on time-of-day or day-of-week
depending on GPS distance between driver phone and PAX phone.
The same questions apply to Lyft, which implemented in-App tipping well before Uber. Lyft has a better reputation for driver relations then Uber, but have Lyft's claims of passing 100% of tips to drivers ever been tested?

_*Please reply and let the forum know what happens.
*_
Related: https://uberpeople.net/threads/uber-tried-to-pocket-my-tip-last-night.192664/


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## June132017 (Jun 13, 2017)

I didn't know about the $10 limit. Well, great now were just doomed.


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## Trafficat (Dec 19, 2016)

I have had new riders who wanted help with the app. I showed them how to rate a passenger *driver* and add a tip at the end. They put in the tip and I got exactly the amount they put in the app. Of course, they were in my car when they did it. Uber is smart enough to know if the GPS position of the driver and the pax are very close. It is possible, although in my opinion improbable, that they could have a different course of action if the pax and driver are far away in GPS terms. Seems to me though that Uber would get caught too easily.

Personally I feel if any tips go missing it is because of Uber incompetence and a glitch in the system, not because of any Uber plot to skim the tips.


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## Maven (Feb 9, 2017)

Trafficat said:


> I have had new riders who wanted help with the app. I showed them how to rate a passenger and add a tip at the end. They put in the tip and I got exactly the amount they put in the app. Of course, they were in my car when they did it. Uber is smart enough to know if the GPS position of the driver and the pax are very close. It is possible, although in my opinion improbable, that they could have a different course of action if the pax and driver are far away in GPS terms. Seems to me though that Uber would get caught too easily.
> 
> Personally I feel if any tips go missing it is because of Uber incompetence and a glitch in the system, not because of any Uber plot to skim the tips.


Interesting that in the same reply you have:

Suggested a more effective methodology (distance requirement) for skimming tips that would make detection even more difficult.
Cited a single case where in-App tipping worked from less than 5-feet away. A much larger sample is needed for any useful statistical analysis.

Provided a "it's technology" excuse for something that we do not yet have any evidence is actually happening.
Provided a "it's too easy to get caught" defense for something we do not yet have any evidence is actually happening.
I'll remind you that in the "Losing tolls" case, the problem has existed ever since Uber began reimbursing tolls. In all those years, this self-professed technology company has been unable to improve, let alone fix a technology issue. Uber acknowledges the problem, but is remains unresolved. Who believes the lack of progress has nothing to do with the fact that Uber profits significantly from the continuation of this problem? A plot is not required to prioritize resources to more critically important projects, like maybe bigger management incentive bonuses.


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## Mars Troll Number 4 (Oct 30, 2015)

Personally....

I suspect that people are SAYING they are going to tip and not following through,


It's not like they are running the credit card processor on a Point of sale Terminal in your car and signing a receipt.

Or handing you a $20 and telling you to keep the change.


I'm not saying that uber isn't stealing tips, BUT.... the customer adding a tip after the fact... that's way to easy to change your mind after you are out of sight and not tip.


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## humblyballin (Apr 5, 2017)

I have had about 5 people tell me they would tip me in app in the last week, and none of them have. Other passengers that dont mention tips have tipped me in app. I am still making more when ppl tip in cash , lots of $5 bills & $10 bills


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## Tomahawk21 (Apr 3, 2017)

Had the tip symbol after a ride but couldn't find it and after pestering support a few finally got the we have noticed a problem with in-app tipping for some drivers and are working hard to resolve this matter.

That's crap to me because I had received the other in app tips from earlier that day. Boom caught you with your hand in the cookie jar.


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## Maquis (Jul 6, 2017)

Looking at my Ride totals, seems to me every time I get a tip Uber is charging a higher Service Fee.


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## Taxi2Uber (Jul 21, 2017)

"Whenever you give friends a ride, ask them to add a large tip then see if you (the driver) receive that tip or not."

Why would it have to be a large tip? Uber would be smarter to steal the $1-2 tips, because the driver will never notice it.


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## Uber-licious (May 22, 2015)

June132017 said:


> I didn't know about the $10 limit. Well, great now were just doomed.


That's not true. The tip maximum is a function of the cost of the ride. I've been tipped more than $10


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## Maven (Feb 9, 2017)

We know that Uber is not always automatically paying the in-App tips that drivers are owed. 
If you have any proof or evidence of this then please document it at 
https://uberpeople.net/threads/documenting-uber-stealing-tips-from-drivers.194507/


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## tryingforthat5star (Mar 12, 2017)

Had a guy tip the other night showed up under the ride as $24.xx plus $3 tip. 30 min later I get home go back into my app and I notice my total payout for the night is down $3 and the ride is now $3 less at $21.xx plus the $3 tip. I should have got a screen shot of this. So I look at the service charge for 7 miles its nearly $7.xx while other similar rides are less for the same mileage.

So is this what were trying to prove that they up the service charge later on then steal the tip with that?

The next tip I get I'll screen shot it all then see if we can catch them in the act.


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## JD Converse (Feb 10, 2017)

I picked up a passenger in Manhattan today. He had a 10 gallon fish tank with him that had sand and some water in it. He had already had one driver cancel on him, so he was grateful for the ride with his fish gear. I'm going to tip you $20, he said. I emptied most of the water to prevent an incident, and we shared a great discussion about many things on the way to Brooklyn. Afterwards he announced, I am going to tip you $25 how do I do it. I showed him how to tip and watched him tip $25. Normally my tips post soon after the ride has ended. It's been over 4 hours. I still haven't received any tip from that ride.


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## Maven (Feb 9, 2017)

JD Converse said:


> I picked up a passenger in Manhattan today. He had a 10 gallon fish tank with him that had sand and some water in it. He had already had one driver cancel on him, so he was grateful for the ride with his fish gear. I'm going to tip you $20, he said. I emptied most of the water to prevent an incident, and we shared a great discussion about many things on the way to Brooklyn. Afterwards he announced, I am going to tip you $25 how do I do it. I showed him how to tip and watched him tip $25. Normally my tips post soon after the ride has ended. It's been over 4 hours. I still haven't received any tip from that ride.


If you have still not received the tip then contact Uber support and complain. Include the pickup date/time/location and trip-ID. Better if you had taken a photo of the rider's cell phone. Warning: check if there is an unusually high "Service fee" for that trip.


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## Sueuber (Jul 29, 2017)

20 trips in a row and no tips and my 5star trips keeps going up.Its unbelievable!


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## Mars Troll Number 4 (Oct 30, 2015)

Sueuber said:


> 20 trips in a row and no tips and my 5star trips keeps going up.Its unbelievable!


Are you in a college town?

if you are i wouldn't be suprised to get no tips...


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## Maven (Feb 9, 2017)

Sueuber said:


> 20 trips in a row and no tips and my 5star trips keeps going up.Its unbelievable!


Many drivers have evidence that Uber consistently and systematically "loses" a small percentage (1%-5%) of Tips. Multiplied by the number of tips given to all drivers nationwide over a period of time, this may easily add up to $Millions.

If you are not getting 100% of tips then there may be something else, perhaps a configuration problem. In either case, there is an easy way to test, that has worked for others, described in paragraph 4 here. Also see this. You will then have specific examples to use when contacting Uber. Please let us know what happens.


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## Hihosilver (Sep 13, 2017)

I get a tip thru the app and the Uber service fee seems very high. Other day I had a ride, my end was $8.74 with a $5 tip and Service Fee was $$12.21


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## Sueuber (Jul 29, 2017)

I have a reason to believe UBER is pocketing drivers tip in the name of service charge.Attached her with is a screen shot of what rider paid and what I was paid.


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## WonderLeeWoman (Oct 6, 2017)

Sueuber said:


> I have a reason to believe UBER is pocketing drivers tip in the name of service charge.Attached her with is a screen shot of what rider paid and what I was paid.
> View attachment 166130





Sueuber said:


> I have a reason to believe UBER is pocketing drivers tip in the name of service charge.Attached her with is a screen shot of what rider paid and what I was paid.
> View attachment 166130


report that right away and post to as many places you can that's wrong they're now stealing our tips.... No!!!



Maven said:


> Many drivers have evidence that Uber consistently and systematically "loses" a small percentage (1%-5%) of Tips. Multiplied by the number of tips given to all drivers nationwide over a period of time, this may easily add up to $Millions.
> 
> If you are not getting 100% of tips then there may be something else, perhaps a configuration problem. In either case, there is an easy way to test, that has worked for others, described in paragraph 4 here. Also see this. You will then have specific examples to use when contacting Uber. Please let us know what happens.


They are not losing tips this STEALING


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## Sueuber (Jul 29, 2017)

We all know it is wrong but don't have the time and resources to fight against these giant companies who have best crooked lawyer on their side who will make our complains go in vain.


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## WonderLeeWoman (Oct 6, 2017)

Tomahawk21 said:


> Had the tip symbol after a ride but couldn't find it and after pestering support a few finally got the we have noticed a problem with in-app tipping for some drivers and are working hard to resolve this matter.
> 
> That's crap to me because I had received the other in app tips from earlier that day. Boom caught you with your hand in the cookie jar.


Ohh, don't even tell me Uber is taking our tips, let me tell ya that "strike" post is looking better and better before I quit!!

Yes Uber is taking more when there is a tip...I just went back and checked last 4 trips with tips and 3 out of 4 they've taken 50% of payment!!!



WonderLeeWoman said:


> Ohh, don't even tell me Uber is taking our tips, let me tell ya that "strike" post is looking better and better before I quit!!
> 
> Yes Uber is taking more when there is a tip...I just went back and checked last 4 trips with tips and 3 out of 4 they've taken 50% of payment!!!


I just sent uber 2 of the 3 and will see their response


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## Sueuber (Jul 29, 2017)

I have been waiting for their response for last 5 hours, no luck yet. oh, I remember one time they even close my ticket without any response.Anything can happen here:Its UBER WORLD!


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## JD Converse (Feb 10, 2017)

Maven said:


> If you have still not received the tip then contact Uber support and complain. Include the pickup date/time/location and trip-ID. Better if you had taken a photo of the rider's cell phone. Warning: check if there is an unusually high "Service fee" for that trip.


What a joke. I complained and stated that I watched the tip happen, so Uber sent some automated response about tips being up to the passenger. I complained again and told them they obviously didn't read where I said I watched it happen. The next agent said that he had confirmed that the passenger did not tip. Lies.


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## Maven (Feb 9, 2017)

WonderLeeWoman said:


> report that right away and post to as many places you can that's wrong they're now stealing our tips.... No!!!


If anyone has proof then I suggest that you post it here.


WonderLeeWoman said:


> They are not losing tips this STEALING


While I agree in principal, no one is prepared to argue that in a courtroom. Uber excels at covering itself legally.


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## WonderLeeWoman (Oct 6, 2017)

I will post mine and/or post if I'm wrong.... I haven't heard back yet re tips, I advise everyone else to do so as well. I also have had dues/fees recently taken out that I've also questioned, have no idea what that is... This is just ridiculous!


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## Judy2017 (Aug 17, 2017)

I am a new driver and I started noticing crazy things that were disturbing: missing rides - happened to more people, there is a post regarding this. So not everyone checks their rides...can u imagine how many trips "dissapear"? Ive also had discrepancies with fare calculation( they used a mileage of 2.5 miles versus 20 miles). Based on this blatant questionable behaviour, I am compelled to believe that tips are not making it to drivers. 

Uber was blocked in the UK - they refused to give UK regulators access to their app. . UK said that due to their lack of transparency, "there is no way to protect drivers and riders".


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## JD Converse (Feb 10, 2017)

Sueuber said:


> I have been waiting for their response for last 5 hours, no luck yet. oh, I remember one time they even close my ticket without any response.Anything can happen here:Its UBER WORLD!


They do that to me sometimes too


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