Woman Charged S$6 Waiting Fee After Error In Grab’s In-App Instructions, Gets Refunded

Woman Claims Grab App Misled Her To Different Pick-Up Point, Charged S$6 Waiting Fee

When booking private hire cars, issues can sometimes occur due to glitches in the app. As a result, we may end up paying unnecessary charges.

This was the case recently for a woman in Singapore who claimed that Grab led her to a different pick-up point from her driver’s.

She subsequently had to pay S$6 as a waiting fee charge and didn’t receive a refund when she was promised one.

Grab has since stated that after investigating the matter, they found that their in-app instructions were inaccurate. They have rectified the issue and provided the OP with a S$6 refund.

Woman alleges that Grab took her to different pick-up point

Taking to TikTok, the OP shared that she booked a ride with Grab at Changi City Point a few days ago.

As she was unfamiliar with the area, she referred to the instructions available on the app and went to the exit near Jollibee to wait for her driver.

However, the driver wasn’t there, even though he had indicated that he arrived on the app.

When she sent him a picture of the location, he said he was also at the pick-up point.

“We don’t see each other,” the OP shared. “Turns out he is at another pick-up point at Changi City Point… somewhere else.”

Due to the driver stating that he had arrived, the waiting fee during their conversation built up to a total of S$6.

After about 15 minutes, the OP was able to meet her driver.

Driver says she was at the wrong pick-up point

The OP shared that while the driver didn’t blame her for the incident, he pointed out that she was at the wrong pick-up point.

“I literally followed the direction where Grab asked me to go,” the OP argued, adding that she had sent an image of her location. “I can’t, and I don’t know that place well enough to go and find… the other pick-up points.”

In response, the driver said she had merely sent him a picture of where she was waiting.

He had then stated that she expected drivers to “know where [they] are and go find [them].”

Despite her misgivings about the situation, the OP decided not to pursue the matter further with the driver.

She pointed out that she didn’t blame him, as Grab could have directed him to a different pick-up point.

Instead, she chose to contact Grab’s support service during the trip. With 30 people in the queue ahead of her, she was only able to contact them after a long period.

While the ride was still ongoing, the OP also decided to transfer all the money in her GrabPay wallet to her bank account to avoid unnecessary charges.

Due to the app crediting the S$6 waiting fee to her Grab Pay wallet, she was ultimately also charged an additional overdue fee of S$6.

Grab customer support says waiting fee charge is valid

After hearing the details of the incident, Grab informed her they could only waive the fee if she paid the S$6. They would then refund her for it.

“They claim that if I don’t pay it right, they have no other way to give me back the S$6,” she said.

After confirming she would receive the refund, the OP paid the amount.

Following the transfer, Grab informed her they would follow up on the issue via email.

“You told me to pay, I paid,” the OP pointed out, visibly perplexed.

Grab eventually informed her through an email that they had checked with their internal team and found that the waiting fee was valid.

“They didn’t want to return my S$6,” the OP said.

The thing was, I transferred the S$6 because Grab told me they will refund it back to me. If not, I wouldn’t even have transferred the S$6.

Grab added that the driver had waited at the correct pick-up point. This was in spite of the OP going to the pick-up point the app directed her to, she added.

“If I don’t wait there, where else am I supposed to wait?” the OP asked. “I was literally at the place where Grab asked me to go.”

She related that after getting the email, she contacted Grab further but received no response.

Grab refunds woman, admits in-app directions were inaccurate

Speaking to MS News, a Grab spokesperson stated that they investigated the matter and found that the in-app directions the passenger received were inaccurate.

“We have since rectified this and are doing quality checks across all venues to minimise the occurrence of such incidents,” the spokesperson said.

“In the event passengers spot any inaccuracies in our in-app directions, they can submit their feedback via the feedback form within the app.”

The spokesperson added that they have apologised for the inconvenience caused to the OP and driver. They have also refunded her with the S$6 charge.

Also read: S’pore Grab Driver Calls Passenger ‘Rubbish Indian’ For Being Late, Suspended By Platform

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Featured image adapted from TikTok.