New Delhi: The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a penalty of ₹10 lakh on ANI Technologies Private Limited, which operates the ride-hailing platform Ola, for soliciting additional payments from consumers before their journeys through its Ola Pre-Ride Tip feature.
The Authority has directed the company to immediately discontinue the practice, ruling that the advance payment prompts mislead consumers and constitute an unfair trade practice and a dark pattern.
The order was passed by the CCPA, headed by Chief Commissioner Smt. Nidhi Khare and Commissioner Shri Anupam Mishra, following an examination of Ola's pre-ride payment feature.
The feature encouraged consumers to make an additional payment while the app was searching for a driver, suggesting that doing so could improve their chances of securing a ride faster.
Although Ola subsequently renamed the 'tip' feature as an 'add-on', the underlying practice remained unchanged, the Authority observed.
Ola Pre-Ride Tip Prompts Created Misleading Impression of Faster Ride Confirmation
The CCPA examined different versions of the Ola app interface and found that messages displayed to consumers suggested that making an additional payment could help them secure a ride faster.
The messages included:
"Adding a tip might help increase the chances of getting a ride faster"
"Tip now to boost the chances of getting a ride sooner"
"Improve your chances of quicker ride confirmation!"
These messages appeared while the app was searching for a driver and directly above pre-set payment amounts. According to the CCPA, the interface created the impression that paying extra could accelerate the booking process.
The Authority observed that using qualifying words such as 'might' and 'chance' did not change the overall impression conveyed to consumers through the Ola Pre-Ride Tip feature.
The CCPA also examined Ola's own booking data for June 1–15, 2026, which did not support the suggestion that additional payments improved ride acceptance rates.
Ride requests carrying an add-on were accepted less frequently than those without an add-on across the three cities examined.
| City | With add-on | Without add-on |
|---|---|---|
| Delhi | 38% | 62% |
| Bengaluru | 40% | 68% |
| Mumbai | 39% | 68% |
The Authority highlighted the contradiction in Ola's position. While the company stated that the add-on did not influence ride allocation, its app interface suggested that paying extra could improve consumers' chances of getting a ride sooner.
Furthermore, consumers were not informed that the platform's own data showed lower acceptance rates for requests carrying an add-on. The company also did not disclose the basis on which the suggested payment amounts were generated.
The CCPA held that these omissions amounted to concealment of material information under Section 2(28)(iv) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
CCPA Rules Ola's Advance Tipping an Unfair Trade Practice
The CCPA observed that a tip is ordinarily a voluntary payment made after a service has been provided. Soliciting a tip before the journey effectively converts a voluntary gratuity into a pre-service payment.
The Authority clarified that merely renaming the feature from 'tip' to 'add-on' did not change the nature of the practice.
It also highlighted several concerns associated with Ola's pre-ride payment prompts:
Additional payment after upfront fare: Consumers were asked to make an additional payment after booking a ride at an upfront fare. This fare already accounted for peak pricing and the driver's distance to the pick-up point.
Seeking another payment on account of the same supply constraints amounted to charging an additional premium.
Undisclosed basis for suggested amounts: The platform generated the suggested payment amounts without disclosing the methodology. These amounts increased from ₹10–₹40 in May 2025 to as much as ₹140, while the interface allowed payments of up to ₹499.
Lack of information on driver availability: Consumers could not independently verify whether an additional payment was necessary because information about driver availability was controlled by the platform.
Concerns over unfair contracts: Making an additional payment appear necessary for timely acceptance of a ride that had already been booked also raised concerns about an unfair contract.
The Authority further found that the practice was contrary to Clause 14.15 of the Motor Vehicles Aggregators Guidelines, 2025. The provision allows a tipping feature only after completion of the journey.
The CCPA noted that Ola continued displaying the payment prompt even after the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways clarified on August 11, 2026, that such prompts could not be displayed before the completion of a ride.
Under Section 2(47) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, an unfair trade practice includes the use of unfair or deceptive methods and false or misleading representations regarding the benefits or usefulness of a service.
The CCPA held that Ola's additional payment prompts fell within this provision, making the Ola Pre-Ride Tip practice an unfair trade practice.
Ola App Interface Used 'Confirm Shaming' to Encourage Additional Payments
Apart from examining the practice as an unfair trade practice, the CCPA assessed the Ola Pre-Ride Tip feature under the Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023.
The Authority found that the prompts appeared while consumers were waiting for a driver to accept their bookings.
By suggesting that an additional payment could improve their chances of getting a ride, the interface implied that consumers who chose not to pay could face delays or might not get a ride.
The CCPA held that this created a sense of fear among consumers and amounted to 'Confirm Shaming', as specified under Clause 3 of Annexure 1 to the Guidelines.
The Authority also identified other elements of the app interface that encouraged consumers to make additional payments:
Pre-set payment amounts: The amounts displayed below the prompt anchored consumers to higher payment figures.
'Generous Add On!' message: The message further encouraged consumers to make an additional payment.
No option to close the prompt: The interface did not provide consumers with an option to dismiss the prompt.
Limited information during booking: The prompt appeared after the ride had already been booked, when consumers were waiting for confirmation and had limited information about driver availability or the likely impact of making an additional payment.
The CCPA also noted that Ola's booking data reflected such requests from hospitals, railway stations, inter-state bus terminals and airports.
According to the Authority, consumers such as patients, elderly persons, travellers carrying luggage and individuals travelling alone or at night could be particularly vulnerable to these prompts.
CCPA Directs Ola to Discontinue All Pre-Ride Payment Prompts
Following its examination, the CCPA issued directions to Ola to discontinue the practice and ensure compliance with consumer protection regulations.
The Authority has directed the company to:
Immediately discontinue all pre-ride payment prompts: Ola must stop displaying all prompts, messages, pre-set payment amounts and interface designs that solicit any payment over and above the upfront fare before completion of the journey.
This applies to payments described as a tip, add-on, additional fare or by any other name.
Ensure regulatory compliance: The company must strictly comply with the Consumer Protection Act, 2019; the Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023; and the Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisements and Endorsements for Misleading Advertisements, 2022.
Pay a penalty: ANI Technologies Private Limited has been directed to pay a penalty of ₹10 lakh.
CCPA Also Takes Action Against Rapido, Uber and Namma Yatri
The CCPA has also initiated suo motu action against other cab aggregator platforms concerning the same practice.
It has previously passed an order against Rapido, operated by Roppen Transportation Services Pvt. Ltd., imposing a penalty of ₹10 lakh.
Proceedings against Uber and Namma Yatri are currently under investigation.
Consumers who encounter such practices or face difficulties in accessing services can register their complaints through the National Consumer Helpline at 1915 or write to com-ccpa[at]gov[dot]in.
The Final Order is available on the CCPA website.
