CCPA imposes ₹10 lakh penalty on Rapido for pre-ride “pay more” prompts held to be dark patterns

The order

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), headed by Chief Commissioner Smt. Nidhi Khare and Commissioner Shri Anupam Mishra, has imposed a penalty of ₹10 lakh on Roppen Transportation Services Private Limited, which operates the ride-hailing platform Rapido. According to the Ministry of Consumer Affairs release of 15 September 2026, the penalty is for misleading advertisements, unfair trade practices, unfair contract and dark patterns in the way riders were prompted to pay more before their rides were confirmed. CCPA has also directed Rapido to discontinue the misleading prompts and practices that steer consumers towards paying more.

What CCPA found

Why an advance “tip” was not accepted

CCPA noted that the fare shown at booking already takes into account distance, time, traffic, tolls and the amount payable to the captain. It found no justification for then suggesting an additional amount for the same ride before the ride had begun. A tip, it observed, is ordinarily a voluntary payment made after a service has been rendered and should not be presented as a condition for the service.

The Authority also referred to the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2025, which require that any tipping feature be made available only after completion of the ride — not at booking or during the ride.

Rapido’s defence

Rapido argued that tipping is voluntary, that its matching algorithm continues to operate whether or not the rider pays more, and that the prompts reflected real-time negotiation similar to an offline conversation between rider and driver. CCPA rejected these submissions. It held that the timing and design of the prompts put pressure on the rider at the moment the rider was most dependent on the platform, and noted that Rapido had placed no data on record to show that paying more actually increases the likelihood of getting a ride. The claim was held to be unsubstantiated and misleading.

Sector-wide scrutiny

The action follows CCPA’s examination of cab and bike-taxi aggregator platforms on pre-ride tipping and dynamic pricing. CCPA had earlier issued notices to platforms including Uber, Ola, Rapido and Namma Yatri, directing them to comply with the Dark Patterns Guidelines, 2023 and submit self-declarations. Its examination of Uber and Ola is ongoing.

What platforms and consumers should note

For app-based businesses, the order shows that both the wording and the visual design of a prompt can be treated as a dark pattern, and that a claim made in the interface needs data to support it. Consumers with complaints about misleading advertisements, unfair trade practices or dark patterns may register them with the National Consumer Helpline at 1915.