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Women Sue Uber For Alleged Negligence After 9 Assaults By Fake Uber Drivers

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Mary Margaret Olohan Social Issues Reporter
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Three women anonymously sued Uber for negligence, claiming the company failed to warn customers about alleged sexual assaults committed by fake Uber drivers.

The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday, claims the women were raped or assaulted by individuals who pretended to be Uber drivers, according to CNN Business. The women are suing Uber for negligence, saying the company knew about these fake drivers targeting women who had been consuming alcohol but failed to warn passengers.

“The unwitting public, and in particular women looking for a safe ride home, have been lulled into believing that the Uber App summons a safe means of transportation,” the lawsuit said. “Instead, once the Uber app has been engaged, single female passengers leaving crowded nightclub/bar/restaurant locations become vulnerable to the fake Uber scheme.”

Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department allegedly told Uber at least five times about sexual assaults committed in a popular Los Angeles night club area, according to court filings revealed by CNN Business. Law enforcement also reported these crimes before the first Jane Doe was allegedly assaulted June 18, 2017.

The lawsuit claims Uber “egregiously” chose to hide dangerous issues involving “young, intoxicated female passengers, the very demographic targeted by Uber’s safety marketing campaigns,” according to CNN Business.

In a statement, Uber said it has been coordinating with law enforcement for years on how to better protect its passengers.

“In 2017, we launched a national campaign to remind riders to make sure they get in the right car by checking the information, like the license plate and car make and model, shown in the app,” said an Uber spokesman. “These important reminders have been part of our safety tips, and our law enforcement team regularly discusses this issue with agencies across the country.”

The lawsuit comes after 21-year-old Samantha Josephson was kidnapped and murdered in South Carolina in March after getting into a car she thought was her Uber. (RELATED: South Carolina Student Killed After Getting Into Car She Thought Was Her Uber: Police)

The Los Angeles Police Department declined to comment to The Daily Caller News Foundation, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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