Rogue cabbies have found another way to rip off their riders.
At least a dozen hacks have been caught hitting unsuspecting passengers with pricey tolls for bridges and tunnels that the cab never actually crossed, The Post has learned. 
Taxi and Limousine Commission officials are scrambling to determine how many more cabbies have pulled the scam. So far, the agency has looked at evidence spanning only the past six months.
The poster child for the ruse is rookie driver Emad Anwar Nochy Wanass of Queens, officials said.
He has overcharged at least 272 riders an average of $2.28 each time — netting himself $620, TLC officials charge.
Wanass, who has been licensed since December, is scheduled to appear at an administrative hearing today at a TLC facility.
“We have begun an expedited proceeding to revoke his license, and late [Monday] we referred the matter to the Department of Investigation,” TLC Chief David Yassky revealed yesterday.
Officials were tipped to the scam after an eagle-eyed rider noticed an illegitimate toll charge and logged a complaint against the driver.
TLC investigators then searched GPS records to pin down Wanass’ alleged rip-off, and in the process found another 11 drivers who likely used the same ruse on as many as 35 other victims, officials said.
“We are confirming these data, and if appropriate, will likewise seek to revoke their licenses,” Yassky said. “We will continue to comb the GPS data for any similar incidences.”
This is the third overcharge scam to rock the cab industry since 2010. The Post was also first to report that cabbies were charging riders the more expensive suburban fare withon city limits, and that drivers were improperly going through cash-toll lanes to increase wait times.
When a cabby wants to charge for a toll, he presses a button on the meter to indicate the charge.
The meter then adds the amount into the fare, whether or not the driver has actually paid.
Finally, the itemized toll charge appears on the printed receipt.
TLC investigators charge that Wanass manually entered tolls, officials said.
Additional reporting by David Seifman
Jennifer, why are black car allow to collect 6.50 on toll and yellow cab only allow to collect 4.80? if yellow cab charge 6.50 is an over charge. both have EZ pass and are under TLC plates and licence issue by TLC, please explain. I’ll bet you wordless…
In many cabs, the GPS is not entering the toll automatically to the taxi meter. I bet, many cabdrivers forgot to add the toll manually and didn’t collect the toll from the passenger. And that isn’t a headline news. The good news is 99.9 percent of the drivers are honest, hardworking people, not crooks.
The meter itself is a scam to cab driver, surcharge and MTA tax should be indicated as it seperately, not together call extras, passenger often took the extras as cabbies additional charges. Investigate that.
CreditCardCabbie you are right. Plenty of times I make a verbal adjustment in the rider’s favor for an error in judgement. I might say I should have taken X street, instead we are stuck in this traffic, and then I’ll tell them to pay X instead of the meter. This is just a matter of being happy with yourself although the rider may be a tourist I’ll never see again.
On the other hand, it is very sad there are cabbies who cheat me, another cabbie, right in front of my face. You know, if he’ll cheat me in front of my face while I know well how to report him, what does he do to the rider he stole who doesn’t know so well how to report him?
Also, maybe only once or twice, I have hit a button accidentally, and told the customer right there, ooops I hit this button by accidentf, just ignore it.
The Verrazano Bridge tries to charge both ways, it’s only supposed to be one way. There are glitches in the system, it could definitely be a mistake.
Disapoint; We are not black cars and we are not supposed to make money on tolls. How do you think a passenger feels being charged more than the toll? Make your money by giving good service and trying to earn your tip. You want to charge 6.50 for a 4.80 toll. You are for sure a moron. Where do you get this news about black cars?
I spoke to many drivers, and they said they have to break up the law in order to survive in New York. They don’t make any money, just chasing red lights for no reason. Immigrants or the big banks are paying the price of freedom in new york. I would suggest for all drivers to move out, too expensive to be free in new york city, all drivers I know got sick, and confused. Lost their houses and loans, they’re totally bankrupt. I dont recommand anyone to drive a taxi in new york. This job destroys the dream. Good luck everybody.
To Davi, and fellow drivers! – Sure, cab drivers not making lot of money, but they’re making some group of people very rich. Virtually, every cabbie work very hard for so little money. That’s why cabbies can’t save money for better things. Even so, barely they could survive, if they work more than 10 hours. One of the problems is, they’re low spirited, and believe they can’t change anything to make it better. They wanted to change the TLC, instead themselves. Imagine that, if all cabdrivers being customized to keep their cabs sparkly clean, and being nice to every passenger, what could be the results? …The right altitude is to happiness! Then things will change for the better for most of us, who cares about doing top-notch taxi services.
Meter Peter, I am here making a point between black car or limo on what they charge their passenger on tolls and never have this issue. i have been driving limo for years and know the operation well. my point is both yellow cab and limo are under TLC and I have not seen any complaint on limo charging the full toll. you can ask any limo driver on the street such as dial ,xyz ..etc……TLC should be enforcing this not only to yellow cab, but also limo.
what does a cab driver consider a good day and a bad day ?
how much should they aim to make a day ?
should a drive try to do only JFK fares ?
Don’t forget if this were a good paying job you would not have it. Who do you think the bosses would hire if they had a choice; Americans or Native New Yorkers? Thats right you would be out like you were years ago. So be happy with what you have and stop complaining about a passenger using a card and go the route they want and maybe you will make a few more $. And try to save gas. No need to race to a red light. Im just trying to give good advice to the dummies that don’t understand what a service business is. Most of you know this. This advice is not for you. A tip is an incentive to give good service,it is not a given.
yellow cab wheelchair scam $1000 to drivers for not accepting job fare dispatch from metro taxi ,….are driverrs going to fly in trafficv
How about the dispatchers at airport, who takes money for long distance ride. Are they allowed to such actions? Its never been an issue on headlines. Even the police officers infront of them dont care of such action. I was in suprise. When i refuse to give money to dispatcher, he delivered the long-ride passenger to next cabbie. When i yelled to dispatcher about the insident other cabbies behind me dont care too, cause they wanted too that long-ride by giving money… What is world of corruptions. So TLC gonna do on such corruption, or TLC itself is part of this corruption. ??????????
Who lives in New York and what they think about taxi drivers?
Irish.Sea captain. 300K annually.Drivers honk all the time , they must be all Irish.
Italian. Police captain. 250K annually. Don’t worry guys, when you finish paying one ticket I’ll give you another one.
Indian.doctor 600K annually.Brother do Kamasutra ,don’t do taxi.
Davi,you are correct.Driving taxi is a way to a self ruin and distraction. To make a living in NYC you mast make at least $1200 every week.
It’s “taxi drivers” – all bad. Somehow we all know Madoff, Bosky, Milkin – not just “stock brockers” .
Meter Peter you wrong. Everybody loose when there is a labor abuse.The value of human life diminishes, country becomes more succeptable to dictatorship ,devastating wars become the reality.