Picture it: Your phone’s on 1%, your rideshare app’s blinking like a slot machine, and Uber slaps you with a fare so high you’d think they hired a limo. A viral screenshot claims Uber straight-up admitted to low-battery surge pricing. While Uber denies it, they do track your battery level. That’s right—the app knows when your desperation level matches your battery percentage.

A viral post ignites suspicions

This all started with a fake screenshot captioned, “Your phone’s battery is low, so we increased prices.” It originated from a satirical account but spread across Reddit and Threads faster than a 2x surge rate. Users piled on with comments like, “Better plug in before you book!”

The rumor isn’t new. In 2016, Uber’s head of economic research admitted the company tracks battery levels. He told NPR, “One of the strongest predictors of whether or not you are going to be sensitive to surge…is how much battery you have left on your cellphone.” But he quickly added, “We absolutely don’t use that to push you a higher surge price.” Uber has repeated this denial for years.

But experiments like one in Brussels—where a low-battery phone reportedly got a higher fare—keep the rumors alive. Cleveland’s WKYC tried the same thing and found identical fares for two phones. The mixed results only fuel more skepticism.

Uber’s real surge pricing strategy

Uber says its surge pricing adjusts fares based on supply and demand. They call it a “relief valve,” but many riders see it as opportunistic. Add in the fact that Uber collects battery data, and it’s easy to understand why trust is at an all-time low.

So, does Uber really charge more for dying phones? The viral screenshot is fake, but the mistrust isn’t. Keep your skepticism sharp and your phone fully charged—just in case.