A Toronto Uber Eats driver had his account suddenly deactivated, depriving him of his sole income. Here’s what he says happened

(AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)

A former Uber driver is speaking out after he says his profile was permanently deactivated by the company with little explanation, depriving him of his sole source of income.

Nan You, 28, has worked as an Uber Eats courier for more than four years, completing around 14,000 deliveries and maintaining a satisfaction rate of 98 per cent.

But on Monday, he said that he received notice in the Uber app that his account had been duplicated and would be deactivated as a result. A duplicate account on Uber is when one individual appears to have multiple profiles on the app, and couriers and drivers are only allowed to have one.

“I’m feeling really bad because first, I lost my job, and then second of all, this is my source of income,” You said. “I work 80-plus hours, minimum, 80 hours a week.”

After seeing that his account had been permanently deactivated, You called Uber for support. Over the phone, You said he was told another profile existed on their platform with the same address.

“When I asked who the other profile belonged to, they said they couldn’t tell me because of privacy rules, and instead asked whether anyone in my family had created an Uber account,” You said.

You is currently living with his brother, though his parents had been living with them up until recently. According to You, his father had been working for Uber, though his profile has not been active for months.

“I explained that my dad briefly tried Uber about seven months ago, for roughly one week, and then stopped and went back to China,” You said.

After appealing the decision, You received a message from Uber, saying it found “multiple pieces of feedback” suggesting someone else might be using his account to complete trips on its platform.

“We’ve determined you’re no longer eligible to use the Driver app and your account has been permanently deactivated,” the message to You, reviewed by CTV News Toronto, reads.

“We understand that this news may be upsetting and appreciate your understanding.”

This prompted You to drive to Uber’s greenlight hub in Scarborough, where he says he waited in the frigid cold to further plead his case. He said that he brought personal identification, like his banking statements, car ownership, proof of insurance, and driver’s licence, but received no help.

“They said that it’s just because the address (is) different, but my dad has a different car too, and a different name … (just) the address is the same, everything is different,” You said.

“So, I don’t know why they said it’s a duplicate account in the first place. They said that it’s because the profile picture looks alike.”

‘Under a lot of stress’

Uber Canada would not directly comment on You’s case, citing privacy concerns. Instead, it pointed to the policies the platform has enacted to ensure the safety and security of all who use Uber.

“This includes ensuring that each account belongs to and is operated by the person approved to use it,” Keerthana Rang, corporate communications lead for Uber Canada, said in an email.

“Duplicate or shared accounts—particularly when they involve identity documents that have been fraudulently altered or belong to a different person—pose safety, security, and fraud risks, which is why such activity is reviewed carefully and may result in temporary or permanent deactivation.”

To verify a user’s identity, Rang said Uber relies on a number of processes, including real-time identification checks. These checks include in-app identity verification through real-time photos, and if a photo is flagged as potentially not a match, it is submitted for human review.

The United Food and Commercial Workers Union, which represents deliverers and drivers with Uber Canada, also declined to comment as You’s case is “still in progress.”

For his part, You said that he just wants Uber to reinstate his account, holding onto hope that the delivery platform will, as he has relied on the work as his primary source of income for years.

“I am starting to look at other jobs, but it’s very difficult,” You said.

“That’s why this sudden deactivation has hit me so hard. I’ve been under a lot of stress and worry about how I’m going to support myself, especially with the cost of living right now.”