Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Fake Uber Drivers Are Illegally Luring Travelers At LaGuardia, JFK
By
Gaby Del Valle
Published Oct 24, 2016
Modified Oct 24, 2016
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Getty Images
By
Gaby Del Valle
Published Oct 24, 2016
Modified Oct 24, 2016
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Uber has filed a complaint with the Port Authority after what they say is a surge in fake cabs and illegal driver activity at JFK and LaGuardia airports.
"In recent weeks, conditions at the terminals have worsened and reached crisis levels," Josh Mohrer, Uber's New York City manager, wrote in a letter to Port Authority's Executive Director. Mohrer asked the PA, which oversees both airports, to crack down on illegal drivers.
At both JFK and LaGuardia, TLC regulations stipulate that for-hire vehicles—which includes both yellow cabs and cars dispatched by ride-sharing apps—are only allowed to perform pre-arranged trips through a base station. That doesn't mean riders have to schedule a pickup far in advance; waiting on line at a yellow cab station, e-hailing an Uber driver, or calling for a car service as soon as you arrive is fine. And anyone who's ever flown into JFK or LGA knows there have always been drivers who skirt these rules.
But according to Uber, an increasing number of illegal cab operators aren't just looking for passengers at the airport—they're ripping off unsuspecting tourists and in some cases, even impersonating Uber drivers.
"In some cases, riders even report that drivers are using makeshift signs with the word 'Uber' on them to get travelers into their cars," Mohrer wrote. (I've experienced this firsthand: the last time I flew into LGA, a driver with an "Uber" sign pulled up to me and told me to get into his car. I checked his plate and realized he wasn't my driver—and perhaps wasn't an Uber driver at all—but he urged me to get in anyway. I declined.)
In other cases, drivers allegedly go into the airport to seek out passengers. An employee at LGA told the Post that Uber never sends its drivers into the airport.
"We're supposed to tell the supervisor, but because there's so many of them coming in at a time, you don't want to report it when there's so much heavy activity going on," the worker said.
TLC officers have issued 5,525 summonses and made 74 arrests for illegal street hails and unlicensed activity this year, TLC spokesperson Rebecca Harshbarger told Gothamist.
"Our visitors' first impression of NYC cannot be an illegal hustler trying to overcharge them for an unsafe ride when we have so many safe, licensed options," Harshbarger said. "Working together with the Port Authority on consistent enforcement to keep the pressure on and keep these poachers away from passengers is essential."
According to an investigation conducted by Uber, more than 2,300 illegal trips are happening between both airports every week.
The Port Authority did not immediately respond to requests for comment, but we will update when they do so.
Tagged
fake cabs
JFK
LGA
port authority
taxi and limousine commission
uber
Gaby Del Valle
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
NJ Transit riders face 5 weeks of schedule disruptions starting Sunday
NJ Transit and Amtrak riders should prepare for cancellations, schedule changes and longer commutes as work continues on the new Portal North Bridge.
By
Giulia Heyward
Published Oct 11, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. ET
For a Democrat in a traditionally red NJ district, how to woo Republican voters
The first-time Democrat says it’s still “a toss-up race” between her and incumbent GOP Rep. Tom Kean.
By
Mike Hayes
News
For a Democrat in a traditionally red NJ district, how to woo Republican voters
The first-time Democrat says it’s still “a toss-up race” between her and incumbent GOP Rep. Tom Kean.
By
Mike Hayes
2 pedestrians killed in Bronx crash after driver ran red light, police say
By
Brittany Kriegstein
and
Ann Givens
Rain could put a damper on NYC’s long weekend. Here’s when it will clear.
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Holy civics! NYC schools' own comic books in the spotlight at Comic Con
By
Jessica Gould
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .