MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, FLA. (WSVN) - A Texas couple on vacation in South Florida was left in shock after they were charged more than $700 for a cab ride from the airport.
Carol and Eugene Barrington said they hopped into the most expensive cab of their lives while in the taxi line at Miami International Airport, back in September.
Carol spoke with 7News by phone from her home in Texas about the credit card statement she read days after the pricey ride.
“Lo and behold, here was a charge of $777.44,” she said.
Carol said the charge was $700 more than what the couple saw on the yellow cab meter when they arrived at their Hollywood Beach hotel. The trip between their hotel and the airport added up to about 20 miles.
The price was especially upsetting, Carol said, because the driver refused to give them a receipt after swiping their credit card on a square device attached to her cell phone.
Such a device is illegal, and cabs are required to have a credit card processing machine in the back of the vehicle when operating out of MIA.
“All of our billings show the word ‘yellow,’ and that’s about it,” said Carol.
The couple still doesn’t know which yellow cab company took them for the ride, but Carol said documents have revealed the unregistered business, called Yellow, is linked to a Miami duplex.
Meanwhile, their credit card company has rejected their fraud claim.
“If she was driving for Yellow, what cab? What company? That cab doesn’t just suddenly appear at her curb with the keys in the ignition,” said Carol. “Somebody was directing this. Somehow, someone produced a bogus invoice.”
Carol has not given up. She hopes her credit card company will not leave her with the bill.
She advises other taxi users take pictures of “everything” when entering a cab.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.