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| Uber has deactivated some drivers on the grounds that they were manipulating their GPS locations. Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images |
For many gig workers, their phone’s GPS is their livelihood. But a new Uber crackdown on drivers accused of faking their locations is creating chaos — and in some cases, cutting off income for drivers who say they’ve done nothing wrong.
A Sudden Deactivation
In July, Andre, an Uber driver in Los Angeles, woke up to a startling message: his account had been deactivated. The reason? Uber claimed he had manipulated his GPS location.
Andre insists he never did. “I don’t know what this is. I didn’t GPS-manipulate anything. I’m not smart enough to do that,” he said.
For Andre, the deactivation wasn’t just an inconvenience — it meant losing his main source of income. With bills and rent looming, he turned to Lyft for work and began arbitration proceedings with Uber, hoping to get reinstated.
Why GPS Manipulation Matters
Some gig workers do attempt to “spoof” GPS locations, using apps that trick platforms into believing they’re closer to a pickup or in a busier zone. The incentive is clear: more profitable rides, better delivery offers, and higher pay.
Uber says its crackdown is necessary to protect riders, customers, and the integrity of its platform. A spokesperson explained: “Removing a driver from our platform isn’t a decision we take lightly. We do it when we need to — to ensure the safe and reliable functioning of our platform.”
The company says it relies on multiple signals — including GPS data and cell tower triangulation — to determine whether fraud is likely.
When GPS Isn’t Accurate
The problem, drivers say, is that GPS data isn’t always reliable. Phones lose signal in tunnels, bounce between towers in crowded urban centers, or lag when internet connections are weak.
Andre recalled one trip where his iPhone showed him at the Crypto.com Arena, even though he was actually driving through a tunnel. By the time the app updated, it looked as though he had “jumped” two miles across Los Angeles.
“I’m convinced Uber’s automated system detected that I was here, then suddenly over there, and assumed I was faking my location,” Andre said.
Another California driver who primarily delivered Uber Eats orders described similar issues. He often found himself marked as being half a mile away from the restaurant he was standing inside. Weeks later, he too received an email saying his account was shut down for GPS tampering.
A Growing Fear Among Gig Workers
On driver forums and Uber-focused subreddits, screenshots of similar deactivation emails are piling up. Many say they’ve been wrongly accused. At Los Angeles’ Greenlight Hub — Uber’s in-person support center — Andre met other drivers who claimed the same thing happened to them.
For gig workers, this trend isn’t new. Over the years, drivers and delivery couriers for companies like Uber and Instacart have raised concerns about sudden, unexplained account deactivations, often with little chance of appeal.
Sergio Avedian, a part-time driver and contributor to The Rideshare Guy, says the pattern reflects Uber’s push to eliminate fraud. “Several years ago, spoofing apps were popular among drivers I knew. Uber has cracked down harder since then, and these deactivations show they’re doubling down.”
When Algorithms Are the Boss
For drivers like Andre, the most unsettling part is the lack of human oversight. The decision to cut him off seems to have come from automated systems that flagged “suspicious” jumps in location data.
“This is what happens when your boss is a robot and AI, and not an actual human being,” Andre said.
He continues to fight his case through arbitration, but in the meantime, he’s left scrambling to pay bills. The experience, he says, feels “dystopian.”
The Bigger Picture
Uber’s crackdown highlights a central tension in the gig economy: balancing fraud prevention with fairness for workers.
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Fraudulent activity hurts trust in the platform.
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Automated systems can mistakenly punish honest drivers.
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Appeals are often slow, bureaucratic, or ineffective, leaving families without income.
As rideshare and delivery companies lean more heavily on automation and AI, workers warn that innocent mistakes and technical glitches can cost them their livelihoods overnight.
