Hyderabad Cab Horror: Drivers Misusing Personal Numbers to Harass Women

A woman in Hyderabad was reportedly harassed by a cab driver who accessed her personal contact number after she booked a ride. She alleged that the driver contacted her on her number and misbehaved with her.

In light of a growing number of such complaints, Hyderabad Police has urged citizens—particularly women—to avoid sharing personal contact details and instead call the drivers via the app to ensure that phone numbers are masked for added privacy.

According to reports, several women have complained that cab drivers have saved their personal numbers and later sent them inappropriate messages, images, or videos via WhatsApp.

There have also been instances where customers are unable to reach drivers using the app's calling feature. In such cases, drivers share their personal contact information in the app's chat box. Customers directly call drivers from their personal numbers, effectively bypassing the system and compromising their privacy.

To counter this, cab aggregators like Uber, Ola, and Rapido employ number masking technology, a form of cloud telephony that protects the phone numbers of both riders and drivers.

How Number Masking Works

When a rider or driver makes a call through the app, it is routed via a secure cloud telephony system. Instead of displaying real numbers, the system shows a temporary, virtual phone number, ensuring that neither party has access to the other’s actual contact information.

All such calls are logged and monitored for security and audit purposes. Number masking plays a critical role in protecting user privacy and preventing harassment, making rides safer for both passengers and drivers.