Uber driver ‘demanded $80 for lost bag return’

An Uber passenger has claimed her driver tried to demand up to $80 from her after she accidentally left her bag in his car.

Libby Clanchy was feeling unwell and caught an Uber ride home from her doctor - but she said she immediately felt uncomfortable.

She said she felt the driver, Luqman Mahmood, was driving too fast, and talked about speeding to evade police.

And when she was dropped off, she claims she was "rushed out of the car" and realised a few moments later she had left her bag behind.

"It was (distressing) because I did because I did have my purse in there, you know, my license, my cards, my Go card, how I get to work and uni most days," she told A Current Affair.

Uber told her the fastest way to get her bag back would be to arrange it with the driver.

She left her number on Luqman's voicemail and got a call back the next day.

"He was just rude through the phone, demanding money to be able to get my bag back," she said.

Uber's website stipulates a $15 return fee for lost items, which is deducted from the customer's account and paid in full to the driver.

However, Libby claims Luqman wanted "$50 to $80".

Uber's online fair calculator estimates a passenger would be charged between $50 to $70 to travel from Luqman's suburb to Libby's home on Brisbane's bay side.

Libby said she felt she had to agree - only to receive a phone call from Luqman soon after saying the $30 she had in her bag wasn't enough to make it worth his dropping it off.

She contacted police, who indicated they knew Luqman from a previous case.

He was accused of rape in 2014, but after the charge had been set down for trial, the alleged victim withdrew the complaint. 9News does not suggest Mahmood was guilty of rape, only that he was charged and that those charges were dropped.

Two days after notifying the police, Libby was told by Uber her handbag had been returned to Uber offices and would be free to collect.

However, she claims the $30 she had in it was missing.

Mahmood says he did not take the money and that he was not trying to demand money from Libby.

"I said two options, you go to the Uber office, otherwise if I come to your place tomorrow morning, you pay something. Easy," he said.

"I don't demand anything."

He claimed he returned the bag to Uber offices the day after he was notified it had been left behind.

In a statement, Uber said they began immediately looking into Libby's case after she notified them.

"The driver dropped the item off at our Brisbane location the following day," the statement read.