I also fell victim to a fraudster taxi driver. However, I was not as brave as the model from Ukraine

Kristina Petrochuk is a model from Ukraine who recently shared an outrageous story on her social media profiles. It was publicized, among others, by the Center for Monitoring Racist and Xenophobic Behavior, as well as by Alina Makarczuk, head of the Ukrayina.pl portal. On March 17, Kristina arrived in Warsaw by train. She had a backpack and two large suitcases with her. She wanted to order an Uber, but she noticed that taxi drivers were waving at her. So she decided to get into the car of one of them. When she asked about the fare, the man informed her that it would be PLN 20. Importantly, the hotel Kristina wanted to get to is located less than 2 kilometers from the station.

When he found out he was from Ukraine, he became aggressive

While they were driving, the man found out that Kristina was from Ukraine. Then he started being aggressive. When he stopped at the hotel, he demanded PLN 300 from her. The woman noticed that this was a higher price than a train ticket. The taxi driver started insulting her and blocked the door. – I started banging on windows, asking people for help. […] People passed me and didn’t react. […] Suddenly the driver drove away from the hotel, I didn’t know where he was taking me. He shouted at me and threatened to hit me, the girl describes.

In the end, Kristina didn’t pay at all because the man insisted on cash (and she didn’t have any). The taxi driver circled the hotel and finally threw the panicked passenger and her luggage out of the car. The Ukrainian woman wanted to report the matter to the police, but the hotel employee informed her that it would probably take a long time. That’s why she decided not to take this step. However, she publicized the matter on her social media profiles to warn others. You can read more about it here:

I also fell victim to a fraudster taxi driver in Warsaw

Kristina’s story reminded me of my experiences from eight years ago. When I arrived at the Central Station, it turned out that my train was leaving from Wschodnia for renovation purposes. 25 minutes left until departure. Panicked, I ran out of the building. I was in a hurry to get to the wedding, so I didn’t want to be late. A “taxi driver” noticed me and offered to take me. He added that we would definitely make it.

I also fell victim to a fraudster taxi driver Photo Adam Stępień / Agencja Wyborcza.pl

As we were driving, the man informed me that “this is not an ordinary taxi.” At first I didn’t know what it was about. However, he quickly explained to me that I had to pay PLN 50 just to get into his car. I pay the same fee for each additional kilometer. Ultimately, it would amount to PLN 400. Hearing these words, I began to fear. First of all, I was 23 years old then, still a student, and this amount was very large for me. Secondly, the man was aggressive. When he noticed the outrage on my face, he started shouting at me.

I was seriously scared. The man was vulgar and rude, and he looked like someone with a criminal past. And even though I know that you shouldn’t judge people by their appearance, in such situations such arguments cease to be important.

I didn’t have as much courage as Kristina to argue with the “taxi driver”. So I decided I had to do everything I could to get out of that car. I had worst-case scenarios in the back of my mind. Finally, I told the driver that I only had PLN 200 in my wallet. He agreed to this payment. I got out of the car terrified. I felt as if I had escaped from a criminal and avoided something really bad.

Even after so many years, the practice is still present

Since then I have been very careful. When I need to get into a taxi, I double-check to make sure it’s not a scammer. I must point out that the car of the man I was traveling with did not arouse any suspicions at first glance. However, when I got out of it, I took another look at it and noticed that it had no markings like a typical taxi. I was in a hurry to catch the train, so I didn’t have time to take photos. Besides, I was terrified and couldn’t think straight.

Many guides advise that in such situations, argue with fraudsters and not agree to pay an astronomical amount. However, when we are dealing with someone who is very aggressive and causes fear in us, saving our lives and freedom is more important than money. Finally, I would like to point out that I am outraged by the fact that despite so many years having passed and many reports about fraudsters, this practice is still present. And as the comments under Kristina’s entries show, many women have fallen victim to this type of scammers in recent years.