BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – Two Broward County men were arrested this month on accusations that they scammed Uber out of more than $1 million.
According to Broward Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Miranda Grossman, detectives discovered during an eight-month-long investigation that Trayon Morgan, 21, and Roy Blackwood created fake accounts and used phony and stolen names during the scam.
She said the fraud began in January 2022 and occurred mostly in Broward and Palm Beach counties.
“Morgan used the Uber Eats software application and would act as the customer and the courier,” Grossman said Friday in a news release. “He would place a grocery order as a consumer for pickup under a fake account, then accept the order as the courier. Uber would then provide Morgan with a preauthorized and preloaded credit card to make the purchase. Morgan could purchase up to $700 during a single purchase. Then, as the consumer, he would cancel it and proceed to purchase a gift card with the Uber credit card.”
Grossman said Blackwood drove Morgan to multiple Walgreens locations on several occasions to commit the fraud.
She said detectives conducted a surveillance operation on Jan. 24 and saw the two men traveling to 27 different Walgreens store. She said the fraud from that day alone led to more than a $5,000 loss for Uber.
“Morgan created several fake accounts to keep the fraud going,” Grossman said. “He would often use stolen and fabricated identities of Uber drivers, using their license information and altering it with his own photo. With help of Uber and other investigative techniques, detectives were able to confirm Morgan’s involvement with the fake accounts.”
Grossman said arrest warrants were issued for both men on Aug. 7.
She said Blackwood was arrested by Palm Beach Gardens police officers on Aug. 16 and Morgan was arrested in Tamarac on Tuesday.
Both face charges of organized scheme to defraud and grand theft.
As of Friday afternoon, Morgan remained held at the Paul Rein Detention Facility in lieu of a $50,000 bond. Blackwood was released from jail the day after his arrest after posting a $50,000 bond.