The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has fined Ola's operator, ANI Technologies Pvt Ltd, ₹10 lakh for asking riders to pay extra before their trip was confirmed, and has told the company to switch the feature off immediately. The consumer regulator called the pre-ride "tip" prompt an unfair trade practice and a "dark pattern", the term for app designs that nudge users into choices they might not otherwise make.
What exactly did Ola's app do?
While the app was searching for a driver, it showed messages such as "Adding a tip might help increase the chances of getting a ride faster". The company had renamed the feature from "tip" to "add-on", but the CCPA found that its purpose and working had not changed. The authority also flagged pre-set payment amounts, the lack of any option to close the prompt, and wording such as "Generous Add On!" as design choices that pushed riders to pay.
What did Ola's own data show?
According to the order as reported by Hindustan Times and BusinessLine, requests carrying an add-on were accepted by drivers less often, not more. For 1 to 15 June 2026, the acceptance rate in Delhi was 38% for requests with an add-on and 62% for those without. In Bengaluru it was 40% against 68%, and in Mumbai 39% against 68%.
The CCPA said this contradicted the message shown on screen. It also noted that Ola had argued that add-ons did not influence ride allocation, even as its app suggested that paying extra could get a ride sooner. Riders were not told that the platform's own numbers pointed the other way, nor how the suggested amounts were worked out. The authority treated this as concealment of material information under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
Why a tip before the ride is a problem
The order says a tip is normally a voluntary payment made after a service is delivered. Asking for it before the journey turns a gratuity into a pre-service payment. The CCPA also found the practice contrary to Clause 14.15 of the Motor Vehicles Aggregators Guidelines, 2025, which allows a tipping option only after the journey is complete.
BusinessLine reports that Ola kept showing the prompt even after the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways clarified on 11 August that such prompts could not appear before a ride ends.
Under the Dark Patterns Guidelines, 2023, the authority described the prompts as "confirm shaming", meaning that riders who chose not to pay were made to feel they might wait longer. The CCPA said riders booking from hospitals, railway stations, bus terminals and airports could be especially vulnerable, including elderly people, patients, solo travellers and those travelling at night.
What Ola has been told to do
Ola must stop all pre-journey payment prompts, whether they are called tips, add-ons or additional fares, and comply with consumer protection and advertising rules. Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said on X that the order was a firm step against dark patterns, unfair practices and misleading claims.
Hindustan Times reported that Ola's representative could not be reached for comment despite an email. We have not seen a company response and will update this report if one is issued.
Other cab apps are under watch
The CCPA has also begun action against other aggregators over similar practices. It has already imposed a ₹10 lakh penalty on Rapido, while proceedings against Uber and Namma Yatri are under investigation, according to the reports.
What riders should know
If you see a prompt asking for extra money before your driver is confirmed, you are not required to pay, and the regulator's order says it should not be shown at all. A tip, where offered, is meant to come after the trip. Riders who believe an app is misleading them can complain on the National Consumer Helpline at 1915 or through the consumer affairs portal.
The next thing to watch is whether Uber and Namma Yatri face similar orders, and whether Ola challenges the penalty.
