FBI investigates if Uber used software to interfere with rival Lyft
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is probing to see if Uber had used software to illegally interfere with its competitors, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday. The investigation is focusing on an Uber programme, internally known as "hell", that could track drivers working for rival service Lyft, the WSJ said, citing people familiar with the investigation. Under the programme, which was discontinued in 2016, Uber created fake Lyft customer accounts to seek rides, allowing it to track nearby Lyft drivers and journey prices, the Journal said. This also allowed Uber to obtain data on drivers who worked with both the car-ride providers and could have allowed it to lure drivers to leave Lyft with cash incentives, WSJ added. Uber was not immediately available for comment. The key question for investigators was whether the programme involved unauthorised access of a computer, the newspaper reported. The investigation was being led by the FBI’s New York office and the Manha...
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