The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has fined ride-hailing platform Rapido ten lakh rupees for using misleading prompts and design tricks that push riders to pay more money. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution issued this penalty after finding that Rapido employed unfair practices when collecting advance tips from users booking rides.
The action is part of a wider check on how ride-hailing and bike-taxi apps across India handle advance tipping and pricing practices.
What Rapido was doing
When a rider booked a trip at a quoted fare, Rapido’s app would then display messages such as “Higher the price, higher the chance of getting a ride” or “Captains aren’t accepting at ₹60. Try adding +10, +20, +30”. These prompts appeared while the booking was still being processed, after the rider had already committed to the transaction.
CCPA found two specific dark patterns, or deceptive design tricks:
- Confirm Shaming: The prompts created false urgency and fear of losing the ride unless the rider paid extra at the exact moment when they had limited power to negotiate.
- Interface Interference: A colour-coded price slider steered riders toward higher amounts. Increasing the price showed green text saying “higher chance of getting a ride”, while lowering it triggered red or orange warnings. The slider also gave more room to raise prices than to lower them.
CCPA noted that the original fare quote already accounted for distance, time, traffic and tolls. Asking for additional payment afterwards—presented as a voluntary tip—was unjustified. The authority also pointed out that Rapido provided no evidence proving that paying extra actually increased the chances of getting a ride.
What this means for you
If you use Rapido, the platform must now stop using these misleading prompts and design tricks. Under the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines 2025, tipping can only be offered after a ride is complete, not before or during it. Similar notices have been issued to Uber, Ola and Namma Yatri, with investigations into those platforms still ongoing. If you face misleading ads or unfair practices from any ride-hailing app, you can file a complaint through the National Consumer Helpline at 1915.