A local Uber driver is demanding answers after she says her fuel card was hacked.
Sandy Roberts was looking for a side job — a way to make extra cash on her own time. She decided to give Uber a try after a recommendation from a church friend.
"On Saturdays I'll get up, I'll go out and start working," said Roberts. "I'll start off here in Lewisville and I might wind up out in Weatherford."
After completing 100 trips with the rideshare company, she learned she was eligible for Uber's fuel card. It allows drivers to save up to 15 cents per gallon on fuel at nearly any gas station. Drivers can spend up to $200 a week on the charge card, and what they spend is deducted from their uber earnings.
But, two recent charges worried Roberts: one for $73, the other for $98. Both were charged in Houston, but Roberts said she's hasn't been to Houston in years.
"I was stunned. I didn't know what to do," said Roberts.
An Uber representative told her, in part, "your card was swiped and your pin was entered."
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That person said they'd file a formal dispute on her behalf with the card provider, but also said it was unlikely her complaint would be considered valid because a "unique pin was used."
"I felt like they were treating me like I was trying to pull something over on them or something," Roberts said. "Like I was guilty. That's exactly how I felt."
After doing some of her own research, Roberts discovered an online forum for Uber drivers and found others who had the same complaint.
The NBC 5 Responds team has learned Uber's fuel cards are provided by Fleetcor, a Georgia-based technology company. We called and e-mailed Fleetcor for weeks and still haven't received a response.
We asked Uber about Roberts' account and those other claims of fraudulent charges on the fuel cards.
A spokesperson told us, "drivers are our customers, and we are committed to helping them get the most out of their experience with Uber and the fuel card. We work closely with Fleetcor to ensure any concerns we are hearing from drivers about their experience with the fuel card are elevated and addressed."
Uber eventually put $175 back into Roberts' account.
"It makes me feel like I'm not crazy," Roberts said. "Something needs to be done. They need to be held accountable for this."
Uber told NBC 5 tens of thousands of drivers use the Uber fuel card every week. The company says fraudulent charges, while rare, are credited back by Uber to partners immediately after they are identified.
In the meantime, Roberts says she will continue to drive with Uber, but is reconsidering whether to use her fuel card at all.
