What started as a 911 call about a fussy passenger ended with a Kennesaw woman in handcuffs and police pulling a small mountain of stolen plastic out of her car.
Officers say the woman, accused of posing as a rideshare driver outside local bars, had been quietly running what they believe was an illegal, unregistered pickup service that zeroed in on intoxicated patrons. When they searched her vehicle, police uncovered a stash of credit and debit cards and illegal drugs, setting off a fraud investigation that could eventually involve dozens of unsuspecting victims.
Kennesaw police identified the driver as Jessica Digby, who told officers she was a rideshare driver having trouble with a passenger. Officer David Buchanan told the station, "She's not a registered rideshare driver, but she's out like a rideshare driver, picking people up from bars." A search of Digby's vehicle turned up 110 stolen debit and credit cards, oxycodone pills, THC vapes and edible cannabis products, and investigators say she was driving on a suspended license. She was arrested on the license and narcotics violations. Detectives have opened a fraud probe to track down the cardholders and see whether they want to press charges, according to FOX 5 Atlanta.
A local problem with national echoes
Police say this is not some quirky one-off. Impostor and unregistered rideshare drivers have been flagged repeatedly around Atlanta, including undercover stings at Hartsfield‑Jackson that led to arrests and fresh warnings to travelers. Authorities and national reporting have described how solicitors at airports and along curbs try to lure riders away from official pickup zones, a move that can leave passengers vulnerable, according to Quartz.
How riders can protect themselves
Rideshare companies and safety guides say the first line of defense is simple: slow down and double-check. Before getting into any car, match the license plate, vehicle make and driver photo shown in your app. When available, turn on PIN verification so your driver has to confirm a code before the trip starts. Sharing trip details with a trusted contact is another basic safeguard. Those tools, as well as the recommendation to call local authorities if a driver seems suspicious or the car does not match what the app shows, are among the safety measures outlined by Uber.
Legal note
Digby was booked on a suspended‑license charge and for the narcotics recovered in the vehicle, and detectives are now trying to assemble a broader fraud case involving the seized cards, per FOX 5 Atlanta. Anyone who thinks their card may have been compromised should contact their card issuer immediately and report identity theft through IdentityTheft.gov, which outlines how to freeze accounts and file official reports.
