Taxi Scam? (long)

[audrey2580]

Not sure if this was a scam.

We took a taxi from Carribean Beach to Universal's Royal Pacific. The cabbie from Mears ushered us into the van and then loaded all of our stuff (10 bags including a build a bear box, and a few disney reusable grocery bags with stuff). I watched from inside to make sure it all got in and nothing was left on the bell hop cart. The cabbie took one of the grocery bag things from my nephews feet and put it in the back. Weird because I have never had a cabbie move things from your personal area to the back. My nephew 7 was not having it and reached back and got it after he closed the van (it had his dino in it). The cabbie was all over us about calling his cousin the next day to go to MCO since it was his day off. He wanted my number but I refused and he gave me his cousins cell. He unloaded us at Royal Pacific Hotel and I noticed there were no cabs, only a hired company with sedans and suvs. The next a.m. we noticed the build a bear box was missing. In the confusion with 2 kids and 10 bags it was gone. I called lost and found and security. Nothing. I called the "cousin" which I happened to still have the number on the table in the room. He had it and would bring it to us when he took us to the airport. When he arrived I asked for the build a bear and told him we would take one of the Hotel's SUV's (it was $2 more). He said if we did he would charge us $50 for bringing back the box. We took him to the airport because I didn't want to fight. He said we were lucky his cousin didn't through it away and this happens all the time.

What do you think - should I call Mears? Was it a scam to get us to us them?

 

[bumbershoot]

I would call Mears, yes. I doubt if their company wants their drivers to hold customers' items hostage like the driver tried to do.

 

[6elginfans]

I agree, call Mears, something is very fishy about this.

 

[kathie859]

Good golly!! Do you really have to ask, OP? Of course report this incident to Mears. This has "scam" written all over it!

 

[goofy4tink]

Absolutely let Mears know about this. This type individual banks on vacationers not wanting to either argue at the time, or once at home, calling to complain. It needs to be reported.
It also should be reported that the driver gave you another driver's number to call!! Not sure if that's truly kosher!!!

This is why I try not to take cabs...if going any kind of distance, I would much rather use a car service.

 

[chartle]

I'm in the business and its not allowed to hold someone's stuff hostage. Now whether he specifically didn't unload the build a bear box I of course couldn't say, but you would be surprised the amount of lost and found we have.

I mean stuff that people need like wallets, huge sets of keys, Credit Cards, bags of clothes and shopping, coats, and of course cell phones I mean like pounds of phones a month.

Here is a little PSA (public service announcement) keep track of your stuff. Companies are not responsible for stuff left in cabs. Cabbies are almost all independent drivers and lease their cabs and keep whatever they make so they have to keep moving to make money and are not going to be the most observant people.

Also if they know that you are going to return or go to somewhere else they will try to get that business or give it someone in their group.

PS I'm not a cabbie but work for a cab company.

 

[TDC Nala]

Call Mears and report him. It's small potatoes as far as the worth but technically it is extortion, asking for money to give you your stuff back.

 

[seashoreCM]

Looks like a simple case of forgetting something when getting out of the taxi.

If the taxi company, or more specifically that driver with the cab he sub-leased from the company that day, has to make a special trip to return the item then there will likely be a charge for that.

But if coincidentally there is confluence of Driver A who has the build a bear box and Driver B who was already headed for a mutually agreed upon meeting place that you arrive at first, then the box should have been brought to said meeting place with little or no charge,

 

[bytheblood]

Let us know how it all works out. Best wishes.

 

[rwdavis2]

Some things are unclear and I'm not blaming you for anything. When you spoke to the cousin did you tell him you were not going to use him to take you to the airport? You post said:

"He had it and would bring it to us when he took us to the airport."

From his point of view it cost him time and money to get there with no payoff.

 

[bumbershoot]

I should have asked this before.

Is the build a bear box one of the things he loaded (and I assume unloaded) from the back, or was this in the bag that the 7 year old grabbed and kept with him? I was thinking it wasn't, because you said that the bag had a dino in it, but then I guess there's build-a-dino which could be a build-a-bear box...

Thinking about it, if it's the bag that the boy had with him and forgot, while I still feel it's wrong to charge you for its return, I can see it being a little more reasonable. But if it's something that was in the back of the van, that the driver loaded and, I assume, unloaded, it's more of HIS responsibility.

We just recently took a few taxis, and the drivers took control over all the stuff going into the trunk, and he took control of unloading too. I did keep a count to make sure it was all out, but since HE was the one looking into the trunk, if HE forgot something back there i would put it more on his side of the responsibility meter than mine.

 

[goofy4tink]

I should have asked this before.

Is the build a bear box one of the things he loaded (and I assume unloaded) from the back, or was this in the bag that the 7 year old grabbed and kept with him? I was thinking it wasn't, because you said that the bag had a dino in it, but then I guess there's build-a-dino which could be a build-a-bear box...

Thinking about it, if it's the bag that the boy had with him and forgot, while I still feel it's wrong to charge you for its return, I can see it being a little more reasonable. But if it's something that was in the back of the van, that the driver loaded and, I assume, unloaded, it's more of HIS responsibility.

We just recently took a few taxis, and the drivers took control over all the stuff going into the trunk, and he took control of unloading too. I did keep a count to make sure it was all out, but since HE was the one looking into the trunk, if HE forgot something back there i would put it more on his side of the responsibility meter than mine.

I believe she did say that the driver loaded the build a bear box...the ds reached back to retrieve a different bag.

BUT....the driver obviously assumed that he was driving you back to the airport..you said that he said he would bring it with him when he came to take you to the airport. Now...obviously, the driver felt he was taking you to the airport. And he finds out that you aren't planning on it?? I can understand his displeasure, but..he had no right to try and charge you $50 for the return of something his cousin forgot to unload!!! You could have taken the build a bear box, thanked him, and then handed him a $10 for his trouble and walked away. If he caused a stink, security can be called.
He was wrong to try and scam you. And I still think he should be reported.