ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A recent News 6 investigation has uncovered a troubling trend: rideshare drivers in Central Florida are being exploited as unwitting accomplices in money laundering schemes.
These drivers, often unaware, are being used as “money mules”—individuals who transfer illegally obtained funds on behalf of others.
Fortunately, an alert resident of Orange County managed to thwart one of these illegal transactions just in time.
During an interview at his home, News 6 spoke with Alejandro Ulate, who shared how his deep-seated faith influences his actions.
“My faith? It’s like the very air I breathe,” Ulate expressed.
He continued, “We strive to bring light into the world because, quite often, it can be a very dark place.”
Ulate owns a transportation company and drives for Uber.
He had just finished one ride when he accepted another-and immediately got a message.
“The person sent me a message saying this is just a package, that there was no courier service available nearby. So I thought that was odd, but I go ahead and took the ride,” Ulate said.
When he arrived at the location, he says an elderly man, who looked afraid, approached him and handed him an envelope that was wrapped with tape and stuffed with something.
“I was feeling the package, I said this feels like money,” Ulate said.
He opened it and found $11,000 in cash.
“And (the elderly man)… points to his phone. I said, ‘You’re being scammed, I believe.’ He’s like, I think so, too,” Ulate said.
Ulate called the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, which later told News 6 they’ve seen rideshare drivers used as money mules before.
“So what these scammers do is they’ll have the victims put money or valuables in a box or package, and then they’ll order an Uber driver,” Stephanie Earley, a spokesperson for the department, told News 6.
Just last month, News 6 reported how 80-year-old Patricia Toder lost nearly $150,000 when scammers tricked her into withdrawing cash and buying gold bars.
They sent a driver to pick it up.
“Meanwhile, these Uber drivers have no idea that they’re even being involved in a scam,” Earley said. “Throughout our investigations, it has been revealed that scammers ordering Uber drivers often use stolen identities.
Making it nearly impossible for Uber to track who they are, Earley said.
News 6 contacted Uber, which sent a statement: “Uber is committed to the safety of our communities. Drivers can decline to deliver a package without penalty if they feel unsafe or uncomfortable, and we encourage them to report suspicious activity to law enforcement. We take fraud seriously and continue to invest in technology to help prevent, detect, and address it across our platform. Our dedicated Global Investigations Team investigates these types of incidents and may proactively refer them to law enforcement,” an Uber spokesperson wrote.
Ulate urges other drivers to look out for the elderly and vulnerable.
“Would you want your family to be scammed and have money stolen from them?” he asked.
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