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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Mail Tribune 100, Oct. 30, 1915 ... Email shows Kitzhaber offered Hayes help securing funding ... Richardson will make another run ... Mail Tribune 100, Oct. 30, 1915 ... Email shows Kitzhaber offered Hayes help securing funding ... Richardson will make another run ... PORTLAND Portland woman picked up by imposter Uber driver Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Oct. 29, 2015 at 3:28 PM Posted Oct. 29, 2015 at 3:28 PM » Social News PORTLAND — A Portland woman says she was picked up by an imposter Uber driver after leaving a friend's birthday party at a bar in downtown Portland. Courtney Lage said she requested a ride through the popular ride-hailing service and watched on her phone as the app showed a car approaching. As it appeared to get close, she said a man pulled up and said "Uber?" She hopped in. The man started to drive away, and Lage said she started getting nervous when he asked for her address. Uber drivers typically get directions automatically from the firm's cell phone app, but the man said his was broken. Lage demanded to be let out when her actual Uber driver called to ask where she was, she told the Oregonian. The real Uber driver stayed on the phone with Lage and picked her up. "He didn't touch me, and he didn't threaten me," she said. "But I think the only reason you pretend to be an Uber is to harm someone." The incident Occurred Oct. 11. Lage said she called police after she got home. It's not clear a crime occurred, said Portland Police spokesman Sgt. Pete Simpson, because Lage got in the car voluntarily and wasn't harmed or threatened. A passing driver might have been able to guess Lage was waiting for an Uber because she was watching her cellphone, she said. Police officers who interviewed Lage also asked if someone might have overheard her telling friends she was going to take Uber home, she said. Uber said the company builds safeguards into its app. Riders are shown a picture of the car that will pick them up, its license plate number, a picture of the driver and the driver's first name. Uber spokeswoman Kayla Whaling said drivers are trained to address riders by their first name when picking them up to verify they're affiliated with Uber. And, she said, riders don't have to wait outside in view of passing drivers. "When you request a ride, you're notified when it arrives," Whaling said. "You don't have to wait on a street corner." Lage said she should have paid more attention to those safety features. But in talking to friends about the experience, she said, she found many have similarly hopped into Uber cars without double-checking. "I'm the very first to admit they do have some security measures I didn't pay attention to," she said. "If more women know this is a possibility, they won't make the same mistakes I did." MailTribune.com Writer Posted Oct. 29, 2015 at 3:28 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501