Getting a ride from a stranger has always been a safety issue on Uber: How can you know for sure that you’re getting in the right car?
That’s where Verify Your Ride comes into play. It’s a safety feature in the Uber app that helps verify that the right person gets into the right car.
To enable the Verify Your Ride PIN system in the Uber app:Tap Account > Settings > Then tap Verify Your Ride.
Find the PIN option in your Uber app settings
Uber’s ‘Verify Your Ride’ PIN system
“Verify Your Ride” is an app option that helps make sure you get in the right car by verifying your ride with a PIN.
After you request a ride, the app generates a unique PIN that you must share with drivers before the ride can begin.
Tell the PIN to your driver when they arrive and they will input it into the driver app. If the PIN is a match, your will give you a confirmation message.
If the PIN isn’t a match, you will get a warning and the driver won’t be able to begin the ride.
Wireless verification
Some cities offer wireless verification for the PIN system. When you enable wireless verification, your PIN will be transmitted wirelessly once you are close enough to the driver’s phone.
You won’t have to tell your PIN to your driver, and they won’t have to enter it into their phone.
The Uber app will let you know when your PIN successfully transmits.
How to enable the Verify Your Ride PIN system
To enable PINs for Uber rides, tap Account > Settings > Verify Your Ride.
Inside the Verify Your Rides area, tap “Use PIN to verify rides” to enable the option.
You can choose to enable the PIN system for every ride, or only for rides at night (9pm to 6am).
Wireless verification is another option that is available in some cities.
Enable PIN verification in your app settings
Need a PIN for Uber Eats deliveries? Here’s why
You may need to enter a PIN for some Uber Eats deliveries. Usually Uber requires a PIN if you frequently report problems receiving deliveries.
How PINs work for Uber drivers
When a passenger has Verify My Ride enabled, the Uber driver app will prompt you to enter a PIN before you can begin trips. Drivers have 5 attempts to enter the correct PIN.
You won’t be able to begin the ride if you enter the incorrect PIN 5 times, or the passenger doesn’t have a PIN.
If the passenger doesn’t understand the PIN system, ask them to open the Uber app and look for the PIN.
The PIN will be in a large, obvious popup on the home screen of the passenger app.
Verify your ride PINs are not the same as airpot PINs
At some airports, the Uber app uses a PIN system to match riders with drivers.
The airport PIN system works like a taxi line. Passengers at airports that use this system aren’t matched with a specific driver.
Instead, after requesting a ride, passengers get a PIN and give it to the driver at the front of the rideshare line. The PIN uploads the passenger’s account info and destination to the driver app.
Airport PINs aren’t the same as Verify Your Ride PINs. With airport PINs, passengers can’t get into the ‘wrong’ car because they weren’t matched with a specific driver to begin with.
With Verify Your Ride PINs, the passenger PIN will only work with their previously matched driver.
RideCheck: Notifications from Uber after an unexpected stop
RideCheck notifies you when a ride isn’t going as expected
Uber has another safety feature called RideCheck that sends a notification to passengers when an unexpected stop occurs on the trip.
RideCheck is intended to alert passengers if their driver has gone far out of the expected route, or if they stopped longer than normal.
If the system detects an irregularity, the RideCheck notification to passengers will say “Your ride’s been stopped for awhile. Is everything OK?”
A prompt in the app gives passengers the option to mark themselves as OK, and offers quick links to safety tools such as a 911 button, a button to call Uber safety, and options share your location.
To enable RideCheck: tap Account > Settings, then scroll to the Safety area and tap RideCheck.
More reading for Uber users
- How Much Does Uber Cost?
- How to Contact Uber Customer Support
- What’s the Difference Between Uber X, XL, Comfort, etc?
Shaun R says
It is really disappointed me as a rider. I am a British national who works in KSA as a lecturer in KSA -Riyadh. I do not drive and user UBER taxi for most of the time. However, on the 5th of March at midnight I went to the local supermarket to do some shopping. I finished shopping and arrived at my apartment by uber taxi. I unloaded my shopping and I realized my phone was in the front seat where I was sat. I put the hand and shout out saying hello to the driver and he drives off so fast. Then I call my number, by the time he switched off just after 7 minutes. I sent a message to my phone and asked to return back. I call the 12 times UBER customer care 24 hours line and every time they registering the case, taking my query. Nothing happened until now, two days gone. As they said lost item team calls you shortly. I am waiting for today and nobody didn’t contact me. I DONT BOTHER ABOUT THE PHONE, ALL MY PRIVACY, BANKING, FAMILY CONTACT FRIENDS NUMBER ETC. This the standard for multinational companies. Then I log on to online and try to contact the driver directly through the uber system. Requested the call. Every time hangup after one dial. Why? I tried 15 times. How Can I trust this service any more? It is said that he can’t use my phone and its UK phone and unlocked and blocked by the provider apart from the UK. I am surviving without my family and all banking on the phone.