Dallas police are warning people who use apps like Uber and Lyft for rides to be aware of impostors, especially as New Year's celebrations approach.
Passengers have been robbed, assaulted and more from impostors, so police say have a plan and make sure that the car you're jumping into is the car you ordered.
The apps are pretty self-explanatory.
The Uber and Lyft apps are pretty self-explanatory. Request a ride, see an image of the driver and vehicle, watch them arrive via GPS and in minutes you're on your way. But after a long night of partying, all those steps may not seem so important, and that's where police say people get into trouble.
"You could be taken advantage of, robbed, assaulted," said Dallas Police Maj. Jimmy Vaughan.
"I make sure my phone is fully charged so I can double-check to make sure that the Uber or Lyft driver that's driving is the same one that's on the app," said customer Darielle Reed.
Police say they are all good precautions, but there are more ways to protect yourself.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
"Should you choose to take a picture of the car with the license, feel free to do so and then let your friend know, 'Hey, I'm in the presence of the Uber or Lyft driver,'" Vaughan said.
Officials with both Uber and Lyft are reminding customers to be vigilant ahead of the new year. Lyft released a statement saying, in part, "Passengers and drivers should always use the call feature to confirm their exact pickup location – especially when in crowded areas."
Uber also released a statement that read, in part, "Riders should double-check their driver's car model and license plate in the app before hopping in their ride."
