Corporate Accountability and Consumer Safety

A CBS News California Investigates report finds mounting allegations that stolen identities are being used to set up fraudulent Uber driver accounts, allowing unknown individuals to bypass the company’s background checks and raise fresh questions about passenger safety. The pattern emerged after people across multiple states received unexpected IRS Form 1099s showing thousands of dollars in Uber driver income even though they say they never drove for the company, including a Woodland Hills couple billed for nearly $7,000 in alleged earnings over two months. Victims describe repeated, often fruitless attempts to reach Uber and clear their records, while the company declined an on‑camera interview and did not answer detailed written questions submitted in late February. In a brief statement, Uber said it is investigating each report, permanently bans accounts it finds to be fraudulent and issues corrected 1099s showing $0 income so victims do not owe taxes, framing the problem as part of broader identity‑theft trends and insisting platform integrity and safety are priorities. The investigation adds to growing scrutiny of how gig platforms verify driver identities and respond when fraud appears to slip through, with consumer advocates warning that riders may be entering vehicles driven by people who have never passed Uber’s promised criminal‑background checks.