Extensive online research has highlighted the places where passengers face the most cases of fraud and abusive behavior from taxi drivers.

The findings come from insurance company AllClear, which analyzed over 450 posts and a total of 30,000 user comments on Reddit, revealing the most problematic areas in the world regarding taxi driver behavior.

According to the results, about a third of the drivers mentioned in these discussions use unethical practices to extract more money from passengers.
Turkey topped the list, with more than 4,000 comments referring to incidents of fraud or deceptive behavior. India came in second with 2,301 similar comments, while Thailand came in third with 2,169 reports.

The list continues with Egypt (1,715), Australia (1,598), Mexico (1,367), Morocco (1,329), the USA (1,283), Canada (995), France (957), Colombia (924), the Philippines (840), Italy (832) and Norway (799).

Regarding the most common fraudulent practices, the research revealed that the most common were not using taximeters or the excuse that the latter was "broken".
Experts advise passengers to never get into a taxi without a functioning taximeter and, if they are in a place where this option does not exist, to agree on the price of the trip in advance.

Another common practice is the pressure exerted on passengers, where the taxi driver forces the customer to board quickly, “because of traffic”, or starts loading luggage into the trunk to avoid discussions about the price of the trip. Experts emphasize that travelers should not fall prey to such pressures, especially in crowded places such as airports, where these practices are even more frequent.

Also, the excuse of a “broken POS” is often encountered, forcing passengers to pay only in cash. In many cases, this is done intentionally, as after payment is made, drivers say they don't have change and keep the entire amount.

Also, not providing a receipt remains a common practice in many of the countries listed. One of the most common forms of fraud that was recorded in all countries is the deliberate choice of a longer route.

Drivers often assume that the passenger is unfamiliar with the geography of the area and take shortcuts or avoid tolls to extend the duration of the trip and, as a result, increase costs.

For this reason, the research advises that travelers have their phone activated and check in real time, through a map application, whether the route the driver is taking is the best.