Fort Lauderdale

Uber Upcharge Under Fire

She said the car service's app told her that the 15-minute ride would cost $53, but the bill more than tripled to $165 at the end of the trip.

A college student is speaking out about a Halloween night Uber ride that she says cost her far more than she bargained for, due to the company's "surge" pricing.

Erika Cuculiza and her boyfriend didn't want to drive to a Halloween party, so they opted to use Uber for the first time.

"I thought, 'tonight's a good night to try Uber,'" Cuculiza said. "Boy, was I wrong."

She said the car service's app told her that the 15-minute ride would cost $53, but the bill more than tripled to $165 at the end of the trip.

When demand is high, Uber puts what they call "surge pricing" into effect. This temporarily hikes up fees until more cars are available.

"They're robbing us of our money," Cuculiza said.

Uber sent a statement to NBC 6, which said, "Uber ensures a safe, reliable ride, wherever and whenever, and dynamic pricing allows us to remain the reliable choice, even on the busiest days and nights of the year. Our in-app features ensure dynamic pricing is repeatedly communicated and approved by the rider before any trip is confirmed."

Cuculiza said she agreed to the surcharge, but not for $164.

"I've been in an email feud with them disputing the charges, and they refuse to refund me my money," Cuculiza said. "I can't afford to pay this company, this greedy company, $164 that they don't deserve."

Uber says if a price surge occurs due to high demand, the app will notify the user in bold print. They also point out that users can be alerted on their phones once fares go back down. 

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