Taxi firms accused of 'ripping off' vulnerable passengers

Disability and consumer advocates say taxi drivers are ripping off vulnerable passengers.

It comes after Freda Jonas - who lives with dementia - was charged exorbitant fares for short distances in Melbourne, arousing suspicion from her family.

Every time Danny orders a taxi for his wife he tells the automated booking service to leave this message for the driver.

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"Please treat my wife with respect as she suffers from dementia," he asks.

It's always the same short trip from Freda's home to a nearby community centre and back again.

But Danny recently discovered the fares can differ drastically, and he fears his wife is being taken for a ride by opportunistic drivers.

"I think it has to be the lowest of the low type of behaviour," he said.

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The fare should be around $20 before Freda's subsidy.

But sometimes it's been as high as $46 one way.

It's a 10-minute trip from Carnegie to Bentleigh, a distance of 5km.

Consumer advocates claim it's a case of overcharging and it can be common practice when a passenger is vulnerable.

"All they see is dollar signs,"  Consumer advocate Adam Glezer said.

"Taxis are blatantly trying to take advantage of people with disabilities,"

If you hail a taxi the driver is legally required to use the meter.

But it's looser when it comes to booked trips.

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Fares are unregulated, meaning the company can set the price.

At no stage was Danny ever quoted a fare over the phone.

He's complained multiple times but only received an automated response.

"I've not heard from one person," he said.

His message to others is simple.

Always check the receipts to catch out over charging early.

"We're not the only one," he said.

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