---
title: "A ride app driver keeps calling and texting me from different..."
description: "After a trip, the driver sends messages like 'Hi' or 'call me' on SMS or WhatsApp, from more than one number. Your rights, how to fight it step by step, and..."
url: "https://dpdpr.in/rights/scenarios/ride-driver-contacting-me/"
canonical: "https://dpdpr.in/rights/scenarios/ride-driver-contacting-me/"
site: "dpdpr.in"
updated: "2026-11-02"
disclaimer: "Independent reference, not legal advice. Not affiliated with the Government of India or MeitY."
---

# A ride app driver keeps calling and texting me from different numbers after the ride

Plain-language help for ordinary people. General information, not legal advice. Helplines, portals and screen names were checked against official Government and regulator pages on 1 November 2026. Portals change: if a screen looks different, follow the words on the screen and the official guide linked in each step.

You took a cab or bike taxi through an app. You paid the driver directly by UPI, by scanning their QR code, for a small amount. Days later you get messages on SMS and WhatsApp, from different numbers, saying things like 'Hi', 'call this number' or using a pet name. You never gave the driver your number.

**Safety first.** Threatened or in danger: call **181** (women) or go to the nearest police station. Lost money: call **1930** at once.

## Your rights

- **Right to privacy of your number.** Ride apps use number masking for in-app calls. Uber, for example, says it anonymises the contact details of you and your driver and does not share them without prior consent.
- **Right to a Grievance Officer and a 24x7 call centre** (Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2025, clauses 9.10 and 14.13), and to a reply within one month under the E-Commerce Rules (acknowledgement in 48 hours).
- **Right to police protection against stalking.** Under section 78 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, a man who repeatedly contacts a woman despite clear disinterest commits stalking: up to 3 years for a first conviction. Women can call **181** at any hour.
- **Right to compensation for deficiency in service.** Under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 you can claim compensation before a Consumer Commission. File within 2 years.
- **DPDP rights from 13 May 2027.** You can ask what data the company holds and who it shared it with (section 11), ask for correction or erasure (section 12), and complain to the company, then to the Data Protection Board (sections 13 and 27). The company answers for its processors (section 8(1)).

## How to fight it, step by step

One action per step. Each step says what to write, what to attach, what you get back, and how long to wait before the next step. If the person turns out to be fake, skip to [If it is fake](#fake).

1. **Save the evidence before you block or delete anything.**
What to write: A short note with the date, time, number used, and exactly what was said or what details they knew.
What to attach: Screenshots of the call log, SMS, WhatsApp chats (with the number visible), and any payment screen.
What you get back: A record that cannot later be denied.
How long to wait: Do this the same day.
2. **Report it in the app for that trip. In Uber, its help page says: open the Account tab, tap Trips, and choose the trip. Other apps have a similar help option for each trip.**
What to write: Trip ID, the dates and numbers that contacted you, and: "The driver of this trip has been contacting me on my personal number since the trip. I did not consent. Please suspend the driver and confirm in writing."
What to attach: Screenshots of the messages.
What you get back: A ticket number in the app.
How long to wait: 48 hours for acknowledgement.
3. **Write to the Grievance Officer named in the app or on the website.**
What to write: Letter 2 below, with the trip ID, asking for suspension and written confirmation.
What to attach: Ticket number and screenshots.
What you get back: Acknowledgement within 48 hours.
How long to wait: One month at most; ask for a faster answer because it is a safety issue.
4. **Send one written follow up to the Grievance Officer.**
What to write: Your complaint number, the date you complained, and: "I have had no reply (or an incomplete reply). Please reply in writing within 7 days, or I will escalate to the police, the National Consumer Helpline and your State transport department."
What to attach: Your first complaint and its acknowledgement.
What you get back: Proof that you gave the company a fair chance. Regulators and Commissions ask for this.
How long to wait: 7 days, then go to the next step.
5. **If you are a woman and feel unsafe, call 181, or file a police complaint for stalking under BNS section 78.**
What to write: A signed complaint to your local police station: the trip, the messages, the numbers, and that you showed no interest.
What to attach: Printed screenshots, the trip record and the UPI record.
What you get back: An FIR copy or a written acknowledgement.
How long to wait: Act at once if you feel unsafe. Do not wait for the company.
6. **Complain to your State transport department (the licensing authority for aggregators).**
What to write: That the aggregator did not act on your complaint about its driver.
What to attach: Your complaints and replies.
What you get back: A reference number.
How long to wait: The Guidelines let it suspend an aggregator's licence after a complaint and inquiry (clause 24.1).
7. **Call the National Consumer Helpline on 1915, or file on consumerhelpline.gov.in.**
What to write: The company's name, your complaint number with it, what went wrong, and what you want (for example: action against the person, written confirmation, compensation).
What to attach: Your complaint, the company's replies, and screenshots.
What you get back: A docket number. The helpline takes your complaint up with the company. It is free and comes before a court case.
How long to wait: Give it a few weeks. If nothing changes, go to the Consumer Commission.
8. **File a consumer case for deficiency in service on e-Jagriti.**
What to write: Who you are, the company, what service you used, what went wrong, the loss and distress caused, and the compensation you claim.
What to attach: Everything above: evidence, letters, replies, helpline docket.
What you get back: A case number and hearing dates. You can argue the case yourself. The District Commission hears cases where the value of what you paid is up to Rs 50 lakh, the State Commission up to Rs 2 crore, and the National Commission above that (2021 Rules).
How long to wait: File within 2 years of the problem.
9. **Get a lawyer if the stakes are high.**
What to write: Nothing yet. Take your full file to the lawyer.
What to attach: All of the above.
What you get back: Advice on a legal notice, a claim before your State's IT Adjudicating Officer, or a civil suit for damages.
How long to wait: Before you send any legal notice or file a suit. This page is not legal advice.

## What people tried and what worked

- People reported in the app, to the police and on social media.
- Drivers were suspended in reported cases.

Based on reports on public forums, and the news reports listed below. Paraphrased, with no usernames or personal details. What worked for one person may not work for you; the numbered steps above are the official route.

### News reports

- [A Kerala woman said an Uber driver harassed her on WhatsApp.](https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/quot-how-safe-are-women-quot-uber-driver-harasses-kerala-woman-on-whatsapp-7691073) (ndtv.com)
- [Ola suspended a driver for harassing a woman.](https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/ola-suspends-cab-driver-for-harassing-woman/article21285746.ece) (thehindu.com)
- [News report](https://www.medianama.com/2016/03/223-what-happens-when-a-taxi-app-driver-tracks-you-down-later-factordaily/) (medianama.com)
- [News report](https://www.indiatoday.in/lifestyle/society/story/are-indrive-uber-ola-rapido-bike-taxis-really-safe-women-share-horror-stories-2583435-2024-08-17) (indiatoday.in)

## Related situations covered on this page

- **A cab driver keeps messaging on WhatsApp after the ride.** Same steps: report the trip in the app, then the grievance officer, then the police if it continues.

**Not legal advice.** This page explains the rules in plain words so you can act. Consult a lawyer before you sue anyone or send a legal notice. Laws and portals change; check the linked official source.

## How they may have got your number

- **In-app calls are masked.** Uber, for example, says drivers do not see your personal number when you call or text through the app; they see a temporary number, and if a driver saves it and tries later, the call will not connect. Check your own app's help page for how it handles this.
- **A direct UPI payment can reveal you.** When you pay a person by UPI, the payment shows in their app's history. If your UPI ID is built on your mobile number, or an app showed full numbers, the driver may have seen it.
- **NPCI now requires masking.** NPCI's UPI Consolidated Circular says mobile numbers, and UPI IDs containing mobile numbers, must be masked on all user facing screens, with only the last four digits visible (clause 4.7). Apps must also let you create a UPI ID that is not your mobile number (clause 4.2). An app that has not yet complied, or an older payment, may still have shown more.
- **Other routes:** a number you typed into the driver's phone, a call you made from your own dialler, or a leak from the platform. Ask the platform in writing which applies.

## Prevent it next time

- Pay in the app (card, wallet or the app's own UPI option) where it offers this, instead of scanning a driver's personal QR code.
- Create a UPI ID that is not your mobile number, and make it your default. NPCI requires apps to allow this (clause 4.2).
- Call the driver only with the app's call button, never from your own dialler.
- Share your live trip with a trusted contact. The Aggregator Guidelines require apps to offer this (clause 14.7).

## Step 1: stay safe and find out who it is

1. Do not reply. Do not call back.
2. Match the messages to your trip: date, driver name and vehicle number in the app's trip history.
3. Check whether the timing and content point to that driver.
4. If you feel unsafe at any point, call 181 (Women Helpline, 24 hours, all States and UTs except West Bengal) or go to the police.

## If it is genuine: hold the company accountable

### Which rules this may break

- **Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2025:** Grievance Officer (9.10); passenger and journey data stored as the law requires, including the DPDP Act (14.5); 24x7 call centre (14.13); police verification of drivers (11.1); the State licensing authority can suspend an aggregator's licence after a complaint and inquiry (24.1).
- **E-Commerce Rules, 2020, rule 4(4) and 4(5):** acknowledge in 48 hours, resolve in one month.
- **BNS section 78 (stalking):** repeated contact with a woman despite clear disinterest.
- **Note:** a phone number alone is not sensitive data under the 2011 Rules, so IT Act section 43A rarely fits. If the driver saw your bank or card details, ask a lawyer whether it applies.

### Who is liable

- **The driver personally:** repeated contact with a woman despite clear disinterest is stalking under BNS section 78 (up to 3 years on first conviction, up to 5 on a repeat). Switching numbers after being ignored strengthens a complaint.
- **The platform:** answers for its driver under its own rules, the Aggregator Guidelines and consumer law now, and under DPDP section 8(1) from 13 May 2027.

### What the company must do, and by when

- Answer you through the 24x7 call centre and the Grievance Officer.
- Investigate the driver using its trip and call records.
- Suspend the driver while it investigates. The Guidelines require immediate off-boarding pending inquiry only for drug or alcohol complaints (clause 14.10), but nothing stops the company doing the same here; ask for it.
- Confirm in writing what it did.
- From 13 May 2027: answer for processing by its partners (DPDP section 8(1)) and stop use of your data beyond the trip (sections 4 to 6).

### Letter 1: ask them to confirm who the caller is

Send it through the official channel. Keep a copy and the acknowledgement.

To: The Grievance Officer, \[Ride app company name\] Subject: Please confirm whether this person works for you Dear Sir or Madam, I am your customer. My trip ID: \[number\]. On \[date\] at \[time\] I received a call or message from \[phone number\]. This is not an official number. The person said they were \[name\], \[role or employee ID\], from the ride app. They knew my \[list the details they knew\]. Please confirm in writing within 7 days: 1. Whether this person is your employee, agent, driver partner or partner. 2. If yes, their name, role and the agency they work for. 3. Whether you allow staff or agents to contact customers from personal numbers. 4. If they are not connected with you, please say so, so I can report the number. Name: Registered mobile number: Date:

### Letter 2: ask how your data got there

To: The Grievance Officer, \[Ride app company name\] Subject: How did my personal data reach a personal phone? Complaint number \[if any\] Dear Sir or Madam, On \[date\] a person connected with you, \[name if known\], contacted me from a personal number \[number\] and knew my \[details\]. \[Describe what they did.\] Please tell me in writing: 1. What personal data about me this person could see, and through which system or app. 2. Whether you shared my data with any agency, driver partner, partner or processor, and their names. 3. How my data reached a personal phone or account outside your official systems. 4. What action you have taken against the person or agency, including suspension while you investigate. 5. What you have done to stop this happening again. 6. Whether you have suspended the driver while you investigate. Under the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2025 the aggregator must appoint a Grievance Officer who resolves all grievances (clause 9.10) and run a 24x7 call centre for issues about the journey or the driver (clause 14.13). It must also have each driver's character and antecedents verified by the Police before onboarding (clause 11.1). From 13 May 2027, sections 8 and 11 of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 also apply. Please reply within one month (acknowledgement within 48 hours). If I do not hear from you, I will escalate to the National Consumer Helpline and the Consumer Commission. Name: Registered mobile number: Date:

### Evidence to keep

- Trip ID, date, driver name and vehicle number from the app.
- The UPI payment record, showing the payee name and UPI ID.
- Screenshots of every SMS and WhatsApp message, with the sender number visible.
- A list of all numbers used, with dates and times.
- Your note of how you showed no interest (no reply, blocking). This matters under BNS section 78.

More in the [evidence checklist](https://dpdpr.in/rights/evidence-checklist/).

### Can you sue? What realistically happens

- **Consumer Commission:** the most practical route for compensation. Cheap, no lawyer needed, file within 2 years.
- **IT Act section 43A (until 13 May 2027):** if the company was negligent with *sensitive* personal data (passwords, bank or card details, health records, biometrics) and that caused wrongful loss or gain, it must pay compensation. Claims up to Rs 5 crore go to your State's IT Secretary acting as Adjudicating Officer (section 46); larger claims go to a court. Appeal within 45 days (section 57). Your phone number and address alone are not sensitive data under the 2011 Rules.
- **Civil suit for damages:** possible, but slow and costly. Section 61 of the IT Act bars civil courts from matters the Adjudicating Officer can decide.
- **Police:** only where there is a crime, for example a person who disclosed your information in breach of a contract to cause wrongful loss or gain (IT Act section 72A, up to 3 years), identity theft (66C), cheating by impersonation (66D), stalking or threats.
- **Realistic outcome:** most people get results from a firm written complaint and the regulator or ombudsman. Courts take years. Consult a lawyer before suing.

### From 13 May 2027: the Data Protection Board

From **13 May 2027** the DPDP Act's duties apply. The company is responsible for processing done by it or by anyone processing on its behalf (section 8(1)), may use a processor only under a valid contract (section 8(2)), must protect your data with reasonable security safeguards (section 8(5)), and must tell you and the Board about a breach (section 8(6)). It may use your data only for the lawful purpose you agreed to (sections 4 to 6). Section 44(2) removes IT Act section 43A from that date. Complain to the company first; if it does not resolve it, complain to the Data Protection Board. The Board can impose penalties up to Rs 250 crore, but **penalties go to the Government (the Consolidated Fund of India, section 34), not to you**. For money, use the ombudsman or the Consumer Commission. Appeals from the Board go to TDSAT within 60 days (section 29).

## If it is fake: urgent steps

1. If the messages ask for money, a link click or an OTP, it may be fraud rather than the driver. Do not respond.
2. Call 1930 if money was lost.
3. Report the numbers on Chakshu.

Step by step guides:

Report a fraud call, SMS or WhatsApp on Chakshu (Sanchar Saathi)

### Report a fraud call, SMS or WhatsApp on Chakshu (Sanchar Saathi)

Chakshu is run by the Department of Telecommunications. Use it for calls or messages that try to cheat you, such as fake KYC, fake police, fake customer care, job or loan offers and sextortion. It is for numbers that tried to cheat you. If you already lost money, call 1930 first.

**Keep this ready before you start:**

- A screenshot of the call log or message. The form asks for one.
- The number or SMS header that contacted you.
- Date and time (within the last 30 days).
- Any phone numbers or links mentioned in the message.
- Your own mobile number, to get an OTP.

1. Open [sancharsaathi.gov.in/sfc](https://sancharsaathi.gov.in/sfc/), or open the **Sanchar Saathi** app (Google Play or App Store).
2. On the website, under **Citizen Centric Services**, choose **Chakshu - Report Suspected Fraud Communication**.
3. Under **Report Suspected Fraud**, click **Proceed**.
4. Choose how it came: call, SMS or WhatsApp.
5. Choose the category. The list includes: KYC and Payment related to Bank / Electricity / Gas / Insurance; Impersonation as Police, CBI, Customs, Aadhaar, RBI; Fake Customer Care Helpline; Online job / lottery / gifts / loan offers; Sextortion; IVR / Robo Calls; Malicious link / website; Investment, Stock Market and Trading; Impersonation as DoT / TRAI; Impersonation as a relative / friend; Any Other Suspected Fraud.
6. Attach the screenshot. The portal may fill some details from the image. Check them.
7. Type the number it came from. For an SMS with a name instead of a number, choose **With header** and type the header.
8. Enter the date and the time in HH:MM AM/PM format.
9. In **complaint details**, write at least 30 characters. Say what they asked for and what they claimed.
10. Add any phone numbers and links that were in the message.
11. Enter the mobile number on which you got the call or message.
12. Type the captcha. Click **Verify Mobile via OTP**. Enter the OTP. Click **Verify OTP**.
13. Tick the declaration. Click **Preview**. Check it. Click **Submit**.
14. Take a screenshot of the thank you message. The Department says it will not send you individual results, for privacy reasons.
15. If it came on WhatsApp, also report the chat inside WhatsApp. The portal asks you to do this.

Checked on 1 November 2026 against: [Chakshu: report suspected fraud or spam (Sanchar Saathi)](https://sancharsaathi.gov.in/sfc/), [Sanchar Saathi portal and FAQ (Department of Telecommunications)](https://sancharsaathi.gov.in/).

National Consumer Helpline, then the Consumer Commission

### National Consumer Helpline, then the Consumer Commission

The National Consumer Helpline (NCH) is run by the Department of Consumer Affairs. It forwards your complaint to the company and tracks the reply. If that fails, you can file a case before a Consumer Commission on e-Jagriti.

**Keep this ready before you start:**

- Bill, invoice, order ID or account number.
- Your complaint to the company and its reply, if any.
- Screenshots and dates.

1. Call **1915** or **1800114000** (8 AM to 8 PM), or WhatsApp **+91 8800001915**.
2. Or open [consumerhelpline.gov.in](https://consumerhelpline.gov.in/public/) and click **Register Grievance**. You can also use the NCH app or the UMANG app.
3. Describe the problem, the company and what you want.
4. Save the grievance number you are given.
5. Use **Track Your Grievance** to see the company's reply. Use **Upload Documents** to add proof.
6. If the company still does not fix it, you can file a consumer case on [e-Jagriti](https://e-jagriti.gov.in), the official portal for Consumer Commissions. It uses OTP registration, online fees and virtual hearings.
7. File the case within 2 years of the problem. This is the limit in section 69 of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.

Checked on 1 November 2026 against: [National Consumer Helpline (Department of Consumer Affairs)](https://consumerhelpline.gov.in/public/), [e-Jagriti: file a case before a Consumer Commission](https://e-jagriti.gov.in/).

## Related guides

- [\*\*Food delivery, ride hailing and gig apps\*\*Food and cab apps, drivers and delivery workers: safety, data and complaints.](https://dpdpr.in/rights/food-ride-gig/)

See also [when a platform shares your data with a third party](https://dpdpr.in/rights/platforms-and-third-parties/) and the [escalation ladder](https://dpdpr.in/rights/escalation-ladder/).

## Official sources

Checked on 1 November 2026. Company pages are labelled as the company's own words.

- [Ministry of Road Transport and Highways: Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2025](https://parivahan.gov.in/sites/default/files/NOTIFICATION%26ADVISORY/MV-Aggregators-Guidelines-2025%20-%20English%20and%20Hindi.pdf)
- [National Consumer Helpline FAQ: Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020](https://consumerhelpline.gov.in/faq-details.php?fid=E-Commerce)
- [Uber India: rider customer support and call anonymisation (company page)](https://help.uber.com/en/riders/article/india-customer-support?nodeId=9de54d31-c25e-4020-8873-62a3165b2bfd)
- [Uber: contact a driver without revealing your number (company page)](https://help.uber.com/riders/article/%E3%83%89%E3%83%A9%E3%82%A4%E3%83%90%E3%83%BC%E3%81%B8%E3%81%AE%E9%80%A3%E7%B5%A1?nodeId=0e0bbf4e-2a95-42b6-9bc2-2566e8bd98dc)
- [Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, section 78: stalking (India Code)](https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_5_23_00048_2023-45_1719292564123&orderno=78)
- [Ministry of Women and Child Development: Women Helpline 181](https://www.wcd.gov.in/women/help)
- [NPCI: UPI Consolidated Circular (UPI ID creation and masking rules)](https://www.npci.org.in/uploads/UPI_Consolidated_Circular_0641e910f7.pdf)
- [National Consumer Helpline (Department of Consumer Affairs)](https://consumerhelpline.gov.in/public/)
- [e-Jagriti: file a case before a Consumer Commission](https://e-jagriti.gov.in/)
- [Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (MeitY copy of the Gazette)](https://www.meity.gov.in/static/uploads/2024/02/Digital-Personal-Data-Protection-Act-2023.pdf)