Lyft Overcharged Me

Using Lyft to get a ride can be convenient, but that doesn’t mean the app is perfect. If you use the app enough, you may eventually find they overcharge you for something.

Before you stress too much about the charge, consider what it’s for. Then, you can determine what to do about it.

Why Did Lyft Overcharge Me?

Lyft may overcharge riders if the ride costs more than the initial estimate. One specific reason for this is if the driver took a less efficient route. If you or another passenger damages the car, you’ll have to pay. Service fees, tolls, and credits or discounts also affect the charge.

Depending on the charge, you may be able to dispute it with Lyft. Then, you can keep from having to pay more than you expected for a ride.

Reasons for Extra Lyft Charges

Lyft may overcharge riders for various reasons. In some cases, the charge isn’t a true extra charge, but it might be more than you expected to pay.

However, other fees may be overcharging, so you can dispute them. Before you rush to contact Lyft support, consider why the company might charge you more than you planned.

Service Fee

Whenever you take a Lyft, you’ll need to pay a service fee. The charge covers things like background checks, insurance, and other safety features.

Your service fee covers other general operating costs as well, which helps Lyft keep running. That way, you can continue to take more rides.

Toll Fee

If you ever take a Lyft and the route involves a toll, you can expect to pay a toll fee. Sadly, it can be hard to estimate these fees before the ride as toll fees vary.

You can avoid taking rides that will go through a toll booth. Another option is to ask your driver to avoid tolls, but they still can choose an alternate route that may involve a toll.

Damage Fee

When riding in a Lyft, be as careful as possible not to damage the car. If you do, the driver can report that damage to Lyft.

Then, Lyft will charge a damage fee to your default payment method. This fee applies if you cause cosmetic or physical damage to a vehicle. You’ll also need to pay this if any other passengers on your ride destroy the car.

Cancellation or No-Show

If you cancel a ride after the cancellation window, Lyft will charge you a fee. The same is true if a driver is on time to pick you up within five minutes.

You’ll also incur a fee if you cancel at least three rides within 15 minutes. Even if you don’t cancel a ride, you may also owe a fee if you don’t show up for the ride.

These fees help pay drivers for their time and the gas they use to get to you. So make sure you request a ride when you need it and that you’re there on time.

Lyft Credit or Discount

Lyft credits and discounts aren’t fees, but they can affect how much a ride costs. You might have to pay more than you expect if a credit or discount won’t apply to a particular ride.

This can happen if a discount expires or if you can only use the promotion in a specific location. If you tend to travel internationally, you may find you can’t use a credit that’s in a different currency.

Lyft will apply any credits or discounts it can to a ride. So if you’ve used up all of your credits, your next ride may cost more than previous routes.

Pending Charge

In some cases, you may see a pending charge that’s separate from your main ride charge. Lyft will charge you a separate charge when you first create your account.

You’ll also see a similar charge if you ever update your payment details. When you request a ride, you can also get this charge, and it’s a temporary thing.

Lyft does it to verify that you can afford to pay for the ride. In about a week, you should see the pending charge go away.

Poor Route

You won’t have to pay a special fee for a poor route, but Lyft can charge you more. A driver may choose to take a longer route to avoid traffic or construction, for example.

If they do so, you may need to pay more, depending on the length of the actual route. You can ask a driver to take a shorter route, but it’s still up to them.

A good driver will do their best to follow your requests. After the ride, you can rate them and include if they followed the best route or not, which can help Lyft filter out drivers who try to take advantage of the system by driving longer distances.

How to Dispute Lyft Charges

If you find that Lyft overcharges you, you can dispute the charge. You’ll need to contact Lyft support and explain the situation.

Consider having a copy of your bank statement on hand. You can also review your ride history to see if there are any rides that you simply don’t remember.

Then, you’ll be able to work with support to get a refund if you deserve one. Unfortunately, you may not always be able to get your money back if the charge is genuine.

Why Does Lyft Overcharge You?

Lyft may overcharge riders due to toll fees, damage fees, or inefficient routes. Fortunately, if you aren’t at fault for the extra charge, Lyft may offer a refund. Contact customer support to review your options for getting money back.