Taxi Scam at Riga Airport

I wanted to let everyone know about a new taxi scam at Riga Airport. There are the usual Baltic Taxis and the Red Taxis and now there are many private taxi companies lined up right where tourists arrive at the airport. They are even in better positions than the major taxi companies.

I went to the first taxi in line, Yandex Taxi, and told him where I wanted to go and he said no. (This is actually illegal in Latvia). The next private taxi driver asked me if I wanted a taxi. I got in and when I told him where I wanted to go he sighed in disappointment. But I was already in so he took me home about 10 minutes away speeding all the way. When we arrived he told me the bill was 18 euros. The usual fare from the airport is between 4 to 8 euros to my house. Baltic Taxis are usually the most expensive at 8. 

I told the driver that I was not going to pay 18 euros for a short taxi ride but he would not come down to a normal price. I told him that the usual price was 4 to 8 euros and he told me that “This is an expensive taxi”. I took pictures in the dark of his taxi company name and license number. I have reported this scam to the airport administration and others. The company name is SIA “VK Company 2013”. Registration number: 40103690239. The phone number of the company is: +37125525075

I am attaching pictures of the name of the company and the license plate of the car. This guy and most of the other scammers charge 3.50 just to get in the taxi and 2.50 per km. Much higher than the normal rates. I did not even look at the door of the car in the dark so had no idea this was going to be his fare.

Please be careful at Riga Airport and do not take any of these private taxis. Someone at the airport is making a great deal of money from payoffs from these taxi companies. It is actually not legal for them to be at the airport to pick up passengers. The driver I had even charged me 3.50 euros as his ‘parking fee’.

Please also share this with everyone flying into Riga Airport. Share this with anyone in Latvia who is in a position to stop this scam. It is very bad for Riga and Latvia.