Man gets into car that matches license plate on Uber app. It’s the wrong one. Then the driver refuses to let him out

A man says he climbed into what appeared to be his Uber. He claims it even had the correct license plate number. Then once they were moving, he says he realized that he was in the wrong car.

Peter (@voycebutler5) says the Uber app told him his driver had arrived, and the vehicle waiting for him was the same color and had the same license plate shown in the app. Even more convincingly, he says the man behind the wheel knew his name.

“And somehow I still got into the wrong vehicle,” Peter warns.

Peter says he was taking a short ride and initially had no reason to question his ride. “Naturally, I'm thinking this is my Uber,” Peter says.

Then he started noticing things that didn't make sense.

The app listed his Uber as a Toyota, Peter says, but he was sitting in a Nissan. The driver also didn't match the person shown in the app.

“Completely different person,” Peter says. “This is not the man on my Uber app.”

Peter says he asked the driver for his name, but the man wouldn't give it to him. He alleges that this is when the driver's “attitude changed.”

Then Peter's phone delivered an even bigger red flag: a notification saying his Uber driver had just arrived.

“If my Uber just arrived, then who the hell am I in the car with?” Peter recalls wondering.

Peter says he asked the driver to let him out, but the man refused. He also noticed no Uber navigation on the driver's phone and said the child locks were engaged.

The situation became more concerning when the driver started heading toward the freeway, Peter says, even though his destination was “down the street.”

Meanwhile, Peter says he was messaging his actual Uber driver through the app. According to Peter, that driver began following the vehicle he was riding in — and told him he could see that the other car appeared to have the same license plate.

At a red light, Peter says he managed to lower the window, reach outside, pull the exterior door handle, and get out while cars behind them honked. He then found the Uber driver he says was actually assigned to him.

“Two different cars. Two different drivers. Same plate,” Peter says. “And the fake one sees what's happening.”

Peter says the legitimate driver verified his identity, leaving both of them confused about how another vehicle apparently had the same plate — or how the other driver knew Peter's name.

Peter says he reported “everything” and now plans to use Uber's PIN-verification feature before future rides. He says the experience showed him how one matching detail can create a false sense of security.

“I don't know where the hell that man was actually taking me,” Peter said.

As of this writing, his video had more than 436,300 views.

Is matching the plate on an Uber enough to keep you safe? 

Uber itself acknowledges that matching the plate might not be sufficient to guarantee you're getting in the right car. In fact, the company tells riders to verify several details before climbing inside.

Once a driver accepts a ride, Uber says the app displays the driver's name and photo along with the vehicle's make, model, and license plate number. Riders are instructed to make sure the car and driver match all of that information before starting the trip.

Uber's safety guidance gets more specific, noting that riders should compare the license plate, vehicle make and model, and driver photo with what appears in the app. If any of those details don't match, Uber says not to get into the vehicle.

In Peter's case, he says the plate matched, but the vehicle itself didn't. His app showed a Toyota, while he said he was riding in a Nissan. He also says that upon further inspection, the driver didn't match the photo displayed in the app, and the men—both the real driver and the one who initially picked him up — were two different races.

Uber has a reporting process for situations where either the driver or vehicle differs from the information shown in the app. The company says reporting those discrepancies helps it address safety issues on the platform.

Peter says he now plans to enable Uber's PIN verification feature, enacted in 2022, which adds another check before a ride begins. When enabled, Uber sends the rider a unique PIN. The rider gives that number to the driver in person, and Uber says the driver cannot start the trip in the app until they enter the correct PIN.

Uber also says it GPS-tracks trips and offers in-app safety tools, including emergency assistance.

Safety advice from other Uber riders 

The comments quickly filled with safety tips along with questions about how Peter ended up in the wrong car despite checking the plate.

“Always share ur ride with ur friend or family when taking it,” one viewer advised.

“I'd call 911,” another wrote.

Some commenters said the experience was enough to make them avoid Uber altogether.

“I don't mess with Uber; I stick with Lyft,” one person said.

“Use Lyft,” another echoed.

Others focused on the mismatch Peter says he eventually noticed between the vehicle in the app and the car he was actually riding in.

“C'mon now, you didn't check the model/make of the car??? What? I never step foot inside until I know every single thing matches. I also use the PIN. Pay attention!” one commenter argued.

Another viewer questioned the timing of Peter's actual Uber driver appearing as he escaped.

“How the REAL Uber driver just so happen to pull up when you hopping out tho,” they wrote.

One person shared a reverse version of the same kind of confusion, saying a stranger once mistook their vehicle for a rideshare car.

“I was doing a delivery and was lost, pulled over, and someone tried getting in my car thinking I was their Uber,” they said.

Others were mostly relieved Peter got out safely.

“Thank God you alright and you were paying attention,” one viewer commented.

“Always carry some stuff with you,” another wrote.

One commenter also appeared to recognize the location, saying, “[Damn], this was in Houston.”

Subplot News has reached out to Peter via TikTok direct message for additional comment.

@voycebutler5 I got it to what I thought was my Uber because the license plate matched #FYP #Storytime #uber ♬ original sound – voycebutler5

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