An influencer called it highway robbery after Uber charged her $321 for a 3-mile ride, leaving her questioning the fairness of the fare.
A New Jersey influencer was shocked after receiving a $321 Uber bill for a 3-mile ride. The charge was nearly four times the original quote, sparking outrage and disbelief.
Influencer charged $321 by Uber for a short ride
On Tiktok, an influencer, Sophie Greene, who goes by sophiegreene__ left viewers shocked after revealing she was charged $321 by Uber for a short ride.
In the footage, she shared her frustration with Uber after hailing an Uber XL late Saturday to return home from celebrating her birthday at Flaming Saddles Saloon in Midtown Manhattan.
The ride, estimated at $89 for a 3.4-mile trip to Weehawken, turned into a costly ordeal.
Greene shared that the traffic was terrible, causing the journey to take almost two hours instead of the usual 20 minutes.
However, Greene later discovered she had been charged $321. “We didn’t have control over the situation,” she explained. “It’s not like we were making stops or doing things to slow it down.”
Traffic chaos and communication issues
Severe Midtown gridlock, a partial Lincoln Tunnel closure, and the chaos from SantaCon contributed to the delay. Greene, who prioritizes safety by avoiding public transit at night, felt trapped by the circumstances.
During the ride, Uber sent multiple messages asking if she was safe. However, they did not inform her about the skyrocketing fare. “They texted me, saying, ‘It looks like you’ve been stopped for a while. Are you safe?’ But there was no warning about the price change,” Greene said.
– Greene fought back against the bill after being charged a $321 fee for a 3-mile ride
Greene immediately tried to dispute after seeing the surprise charge.
However, She received no resolution until she shared her story on Instagram the following morning. Within 30 minutes of her post, Uber refunded the difference and honored the original $89 quote.
“They’re probably thinking a lot of people won’t notice,” she speculated, adding that the busy holiday season may lead customers to expect higher costs.
Social media reaction
Greene’s TikTok post attracted comments from other riders who had similar experiences.
@sophiegreene__ Anyone else??? #greenscreen #uberstories #uberride #nycstories #hasthishappenedtoyou #shareyourstory #ubernyc
In the comment selection, many shared their shock about Greene’s story, while another rider said Uber added $150 to her fare without warning.
Such incidents highlight widespread frustration with Uber’s fare adjustment policies.
One person said: Might as well just take a taxi, if rideshare increases it’s fares mid ride. At least you can see what you’re paying on the meter.
A second wrote: My brother was in California and was fasely charged for a clean up for throwup. They even had a picture. He never barfed!
While a third commented: You should see how much the drivers
Someone else said: 3 miles, she could’ve walked that
Another added: It was 2 hours!!! The princess could of hopped on the path train for 15 min and 8 bucks.
Someone else joked: She probably thought it was a collab lol.
Uber response to the incident
Josh Gold, an Uber spokesperson, acknowledged the issue, attributing it to Lincoln Tunnel construction delays. He confirmed that Greene’s case was one of several where riders faced higher fares due to extended trip times. “We understand riders’ frustration and have issued partial refunds,” he said.
Following the ordeal, Greene has become cautious about relying on Uber for late-night rides. “I definitely opened Lyft the next time we needed a ride,” she shared.