Uber Driver Scam

In the “gig economy,” there are lots of legitimate ways to make extra money but this scam is targeting ride-share drivers.

Who Is It Targeting: Freelancers, gig economy workers

What Is It: Phishing email

What Are They After: This scam appeared as an email in an ITRC staffer’s inbox. It offers the recipient the chance to earn mega-bucks on the side as an Uber driver, but the email is so ridiculously bad. It’s literally a photo of an actual email from ride-hailing service Uber, pasted into another email that definitely doesn’t come from Uber. Clicking any of the associated links could install harmful software on your computer, and at the very least, interacting with the sender could lead to identity theft.

How Can You Avoid It:

• If you’re looking for a job, avoid the scammers and go directly to the source.
• Gig economy and freelance work is definitely available, but you have to play it safe.
• Avoid scams by thoroughly investigating any opportunity before sharing sensitive information or financial data.

If you think you may be a victim of identity theft, contact the Identity Theft Resource Center for toll-free, no-cost assistance at (888) 400-5530. Find more information about current scams and alerts here.

Read next: Top Scams of the Year

Contact the Identity Theft Resource Center for toll-free, no-cost assistance at (888) 400-5530. For on-the-go assistance, check out the free ID Theft Help App from ITRC.