Boston police are investigating three reports of indecent assault on female victims allegedly carried out by rideshare employees or individuals posing as rideshare employees.

All three assaults were reported in the early hours of Sunday morning, December 14, at 12:58 a.m., 2:34 a.m. and 2:50 a.m. The victims in each reported incident provided officers with similar accounts of indecent assault, involving drivers they believed worked for a rideshare service.

The first victim alleged she was assaulted after requesting pick-up in the area of Dorchester Avenue and Columbia Road. She told officers that when she got in the car, the driver offered her money and touched her inappropriately. During this time, the victim told officers, she received a text on her phone from her actual driver stating that he had arrived. She told the driver of the car to stop so she could get out and call the police.

The second victim told police she requested a ride from 1030 Commonwealth Avenue back to her home. She told police, once inside the car, her driver tried to touch her inappropriately. The victim refused her driver’s unwanted advances and asked the driver to stop the car so she could exit.

The third victim said she fell asleep in the car while being driven from Faneuil Hall to an unknown Dorchester location. She told officers that she awoke to find her driver indecently assaulting her.

Boston police are investigating the facts and circumstances surrounding each reported incident. No specific rideshare company was named in any of the police reports.

The BPD has provided a list of safety tips for community members to consider when using a transportation service:

• Have a plan on how you will get home before you go out.
• Travel with friends if possible.
• Whenever possible, schedule a designated driver.
• Have credible and regulated cab company phone numbers saved to your phone ahead of time.
• Use only licensed cabs or clearly identifiable livery or rideshare service vehicles that you call to your location.
• Before entering any vehicle, ask to see the operator’s license and any information confirming the driver’s employee status with the service hired.
• Make note of taxi medallion numbers or license plates.
• Once you are in a hired vehicle, call a friend or someone you know and let them know your ride has arrived and you’re en-route.
• Do not get into an unmarked taxi or livery car.

This is a developing story; we will update this article with details as they become available.

Screenshot via bpdnews