The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has fined ride-hailing platform Rapido’s operator, Roppen Transportation Services Pvt Ltd, ₹10 lakh for allegedly using misleading advertisements, unfair trade practices and “dark patterns” that encouraged riders to pay more before their rides were confirmed. The regulator identified practices including “confirm shaming” and “interface interference” in Rapido’s booking interface and directed the company to discontinue prompts that steer consumers towards higher payments. The action followed a wider examination of advance tipping and dynamic pricing practices across ride-hailing and bike-taxi platforms.
Prompts That Encouraged Riders To Pay More
The CCPA said Rapido would initially quote a fare, but after a rider accepted it, the app could display messages suggesting that paying more would increase the chances of securing a ride. Examples cited by the regulator included, “Higher the price, higher the chance of getting a ride” and “Captains aren’t accepting at ₹60. Try adding +10, +20, +30.” According to the CCPA, such prompts could create the impression that refusing to pay extra might result in losing the ride or waiting longer. The regulator classified this as “confirm shaming”, a dark pattern recognised under India’s 2023 guidelines.
‘Set Your Price’
The CCPA also examined Rapido’s “Set your price” feature, which allows riders to adjust the amount they are willing to pay for a ride. The regulator found that the way these options were presented could steer consumers towards offering a higher fare. When a rider increased the amount, the interface displayed “Higher the price, higher the chance of getting a ride” in green, creating a positive visual cue around paying more. In contrast, reducing the amount triggered red or orange warnings, signalling a less favourable outcome. The CCPA also noted that the slider gave riders more room to increase the price than to reduce it.
The authority classified this design as “Interface Interference”, one of the dark patterns identified under India’s 2023 guidelines. In simple terms, the concern was not merely about the words displayed on the screen, but about how the overall layout, colours and available choices could influence a rider’s decision. The CCPA said the interface visually directed consumers towards paying a higher amount, even apart from the accompanying message.
Rapido, however, told the authority that the additional payment was voluntary and that its matching algorithm continued to work regardless of whether a rider offered more money. The company also argued that the prompts reflected the kind of real-time fare negotiation that can happen between riders and drivers. The CCPA did not accept this explanation, pointing to the timing of the prompts: riders were already waiting for their booking to be confirmed when they were encouraged to increase their payment.
The regulator also questioned Rapido’s claim that paying more increased a rider’s chances of getting a ride. According to the CCPA, Rapido did not place sufficient data or evidence on record to demonstrate that an additional payment actually improved the likelihood of a ride being confirmed. The authority therefore considered the claim unsubstantiated and misleading. It also noted that the fare initially generated by Rapido already accounts for factors such as distance, time, traffic, tolls and the amount payable to the driver.
The CCPA’s concern extended beyond the interface itself to Rapido’s practice of suggesting an additional payment before the ride had begun. The authority said a tip is ordinarily a voluntary payment made after a service has been rendered, rather than something presented during booking as a way to improve the chances of receiving the service. It also referred to the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2025, which provide that a tipping option should be made available after completion of the ride, rather than during booking or the journey.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Digital platforms increasingly shape everyday decisions through interfaces that consumers may not always scrutinise closely. When an app makes a higher payment appear necessary, urgent or more desirable, transparency becomes particularly important. The CCPA’s action also highlights the need for consumers to understand when an additional payment is genuinely optional and when interface design may be influencing their choice.
The regulator has directed Rapido to discontinue the practices and submit a compliance report within 15 days, while its examination of similar practices involving platforms including Uber and Ola is continuing. As digital services become part of everyday life, how can companies design convenient platforms while ensuring consumers remain fully informed and free to choose?
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