With the holiday season upon us, and Art Basel taking place this weekend, thousands of South Floridians will use ride sharing apps like Lyft and Uber to get around South Florida.
Farris Kaloti, 28, was taken to jail after police said he posed as an Uber driver and kidnapped women.
The alleged incidents happened at the University of South Carolina, but Kaloti was tracked down at a Whole Foods grocery store in Pinecrest.
Police said Kaloti has a lengthy criminal history, including violence and sexual offences.
There are precautions riders can take to avoid being taken advantage of by fake ride sharing drivers.
- Verify the identity of the driver before you get in.
- Wait inside of your home or office until your driver arrives.
- Keep in touch with friends and family – Uber says you can share your status in its app, which will share your driver’s name, photo, license plate and location with a friend or family member.
- Take note of the driver’s rating.
Police also want you to trust your gut. They say if something doesn’t feel right, get out.
