8 On Your Side has some tips for using ride-hailing services after a college student got into a car that she thought was her Uber and was later found murdered.
21-year-old Samantha Josephson attended the University of South Carolina. Police in Columbia, South Carolina say early Friday morning, Josephson called an Uber during a night out after being separated from her roommates. The senior jumped into a black Chevy Impala thinking it was her ride, but it wasn’t. 14 hours later, turkey hunters found her body in a field about 90 miles from Columbia.
On Saturday, a police officer saw the Chevy Impala and stopped the vehicle. Investigators say Josephson’s blood was found in the car as well as her cell phone. 24-year-old Nathaniel Rowland has been charged with kidnapping and murder.
If you use Uber or Lyft, there are safety tips you should follow:
- It’s recommended you wait for your ride indoors, so you don’t signal to other drivers you’re waiting to be picked up.
- Pay attention to the make, model and color of the car, as well as the driver’s name and photo. Make sure to match the license plate number on your screen to the one you see when it arrives.
- Map your own route during the ride so you can tell if the driver is leading you astray.
- You should ride in the back seat and always tell someone where you’re headed, your E.T.A. and who you are with.
- Keep in mind you can always cancel a ride if something seems fishy.
