Fake Lyft Ride Credits Expiry Scam
Fraudsters impersonate Lyft to send fake ride-credit expiry warnings, directing victims to phishing pages that steal Lyft account credentials and saved payment information.
Part of: Fake Loyalty Points Redemption Scams
Last reviewed: 8 June 2026
Lyft offers promotional ride credits, referral bonuses, and occasional discount codes to its riders. Scammers mimic these genuine benefits to send fraudulent expiry warnings aimed at triggering quick action before the victim thinks to verify independently.
Lyft riders who have accumulated credits from referrals or promotions are naturally attentive to the possibility that their balance could expire — making them receptive to an email or text warning that their $30 in credits will lapse by midnight unless they tap a link to redeem them.
Lyft's real ride credits are visible in the 'Payment' section of the Lyft app under 'Promos & credits'. Genuine expiry notifications from Lyft include a specific credit name and a redemption mechanism within the app — never an external link requiring fresh credential entry.
How this scam works on the Lyft brand
The phishing message imitates Lyft's pink and magenta brand colours and arrives from a domain like 'lyft-promo-alerts.com'. It claims: 'You have $[amount] in Lyft credits expiring tonight — tap here to apply them to your next ride before they are gone.'
The embedded link leads to a Lyft sign-in lookalike. After the victim's credentials are captured, they may be redirected to the real Lyft site, reducing suspicion while the scammer quietly changes the account email and drains any stored credits or gift card balance.
Some campaigns combine the credits angle with a driver-rating or safety dispute, claiming the user is owed compensation from a poor experience and must log in via a link to claim it.
Common red flags
- Email or text arrives from any domain other than '@lyft.com'
- The credit amount or promotion name does not match anything shown in your Lyft app's 'Promos & credits' section
- You are asked to sign in via an external link rather than simply opening the Lyft app
- The sign-in page URL is not lyft.com
- An urgency claim that credits expire within hours — legitimate Lyft promotional credits have clearly published expiry dates visible in-app
- The message requests card re-entry or additional personal information beyond a standard app login
How to protect yourself
- Open the Lyft app and navigate to 'Payment > Promos & credits' to check your real balance and any genuine expiry dates
- All real Lyft promotional credits can be viewed and applied within the app — no external link is needed
- Enable two-factor authentication on your Lyft account via account settings
- If you signed in through a suspicious link, change your Lyft password and review your saved payment methods
- Delete any suspicious texts and forward them to 7726
- Contact Lyft support through the in-app 'Help' section if you believe your account was accessed
How to report it
- Report account fraud through Lyft's in-app Help centre under 'Charges and payments > I was charged incorrectly'
- Email Lyft's safety team at [email protected] for phishing reports
- File a complaint with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov
- Alert your bank if payment card details were entered
Frequently asked questions
Do Lyft promotional credits expire?
Some Lyft promotional credits have expiry dates, but these are clearly shown in the app. Lyft does not typically send last-minute expiry warnings via text requiring immediate action through an external link.
What if someone else used my Lyft credits?
Contact Lyft support immediately through the app's Help section. Document which credits were used and when, and change your password and any linked payment details.
How do I apply Lyft credits to a ride?
Credits are applied automatically when you request a ride using the Lyft app — there is no separate redemption step required. Any message asking you to 'activate' credits via a link is fraudulent.