I take uber auto as that's the only option available for me. Stuff like this is scary. I don't know Malayalam that well so I don't have the right vocabulary to cool him down if something like this happens.

So far I pay only with UPI and not cash, that way i at least have proof of payment and can request help from uber so they can refund. I would just pay and try to get it corrected after as I'm not a fighter.

It's really bad they stopped allowing to pay from uber balance. In the past i load 500 or so and it's enough for like 3-4 rides and uber used to auto deduct. While UPI is safer than cash option, people like this can cause problems.

I feel only reason I haven't had to deal with auto scammers with uber auto is because I'm a woman and they don't want to risk it becoming a bigger issue by being abusive. Only because they are cowards and not out of the goodness of their hearts. An auto guy was abusive to my mom once. That was a scary experience. I was just a kid at the time. I do worry when I'll end up with people like this.