A woman from Kerala was left shocked after receiving an unsettling WhatsApp message from an Uber driver, asking her about the perfume she was wearing. The driver, identified as Muhammed Mishal, initiated a conversation by asking, “Do you remember me? Can you just say which spray are you using?”

The woman, Smriti Kannan, who had booked the driver’s cab for a ride to a nail shop in Edappally, Kochi, found the message intrusive. Concerned about privacy, she took to social media to highlight the issue.

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Unexpected Message Raises Privacy Concerns

The conversation began when Kannan received a simple “Hy” from an unknown number. Curious about who was trying to contact her, she responded with a question mark. The driver then revealed that he had recently dropped her at a nail salon after accepting her ride from Kathrikadavu.

Sensing discomfort, Kannan blocked the driver. However, he responded immediately, urging her to block him as if he was unfazed by the action.

Social Media Outrage Over Passenger Privacy

Kannan shared screenshots of the conversation on X (formerly Twitter), tagging Uber India and questioning its privacy measures.

“WHAT THE F** @Uber_India, how bad are your privacy settings? An Uber driver messages me on WhatsApp and asks me creepy questions. Seriously, how safe are women?”* she wrote.

Her post quickly gained traction, amassing over one lakh views, with social media users expressing concern over passenger privacy and safety.

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Netizens Demand Uber’s Response

Many users condemned the incident, calling for stricter privacy policies and immediate action from Uber India.

“This is absolutely unacceptable. Passenger privacy and safety should be a top priority. Uber needs to act immediately,” a user commented.

Another user criticized the ride-hailing service, stating, “Uber India seems to have hired maximum creeps. I have stopped using it. It’s almost like they have a reservation for perverts.”

As of Wednesday morning, Uber India had yet to respond to the growing concerns.

Divided Reactions

While the majority of users called out Uber’s privacy settings, a few suggested that the driver might have had innocent intentions.

“Maybe he was just trying to return a lost perfume bottle found in his car. Public shaming without full context isn’t fair,” one comment read.

Another user wrote, “I get asked about my perfume all the time. It doesn’t have to be creepy.”

Need for Stronger Privacy Measures

This incident has reignited the debate on ride-hailing apps’ security and privacy measures, especially concerning female passengers. Users have urged Uber to implement stricter policies to prevent drivers from accessing passengers’ personal details after a ride is completed.

As concerns over safety continue to grow, all eyes are now on Uber India to see how it addresses this pressing issue.