Until now, I've passed on SB's who didn't have a car and who would not arrange their own transportation.  I've happily paid for taxi fare and reimbursed rideshare fees, but declined to send an Uber/Lyft.  I love Uber/Lyft and pre-Covid used the services frequently.  My hesitation stems from creating another trail of evidence that leads back to my real identity.

However, an increasing number of SB's request that I send a car and now I'm exploring the option in order to remain relevant to certain demographics.  Question to the married SD's....how do you manage these accounts?  Has anyone used a Google number as primary phone link for the account?  Have a credit card tied to my business with paperless statements.  Tips and suggestions much appreciated.

Yes, I've thought of the obvious which is increasing the sugar to cover transportation costs.  I get the sense that some SB's like the idea of their SD sending a car.

My number two in my rotation doesn’t have a car (NYC) so I will always send a Lyft to pick her up and drop her back off. It’s usually about $25-30 each way and it’s never really bothered me. I haven’t done it for an initial meet or first date but more because they have never asked. I travel extensively so  I usually have 50-75 rides a month so it just gets mixed in with all my other ones.

So first, paper trails...  

 
Uber will allow you to use multiple payment options. This includes credit & debit cards, as well as Apple Pay (iPhone) and PayPal.  Uber also lets you attach PayPal, Uber Gift Cards, Venmo, and CVS Gift cards. All of these offer opportunities to pay by something other than your joint bank account and credit accounts.  Lyft also offers credit, debit and gift card options, as well as PayPal. The gift cards are obvious. Buy  the card and attach it, then reload or attach a new card as needed. I'm not an expert on Uber Gift Cards, but I suppose you can also provide a card to a POT or current SB so they can fund their own Ride Share account.  Of course you still need one face to face meeting to give her a physical gift card. Lyft also has something called "Lyft Cash". I've not used it, but it looks like a stored value wallet you can pre-load with funds in a lump and deplete per-ride without ride charges showing on your bank/card account.  

 
Before I talk about PayPal, let's take in the following info:   You can apply for and maintain a separate bank checking account with a debit card at a small, local bank or credit union.  You are not required to add your spouse to the account or even tell the bank you are married. If you decline the credit card offer that will be linked to that account there will be no credit checks and no reports on your credit bureau. So you can attach the debit card to the ride share account and deposit cash into the extra bank account as needed.  

 
Now on to PayPal. Using the checking account and debit card you got from the "extra" bank, you can open a PayPal account and fund ride share payments from either the checking account (DDA debit) or the Debit card.  PayPal does not mail monthly statements, and you can designate a separate mail address (i.e.: Not your home address) to receive any physical mail they are required to send by some laws or regulations.  

 
So basically, it sums up like this:  
1. Open a ghost bank account in your name only and get a debit card, and/or  
2. Buy appropriate gift cards with cash, and/or  
3. Open a PayPal account with the bank from #1, and  
4. Attach one or more of these ghost payment types to your ride share account.  

 
But that's not all! You still have to understand the other risks from sending a car:  
1. Once your POT or SB gets into the car, they can control the destination, as well as allowing additional passengers to ride along.  You can monitor the drivers' course, but you'll have to contact the driver through the app if the car goes off course, and then try to negotiate some resolution.  For example: A scammer gets you to send a car for a short $15 ride. The car arrives and "she" and her buddies pile in and ask to be dropped off at a friends place much further away, maybe a $60-80 ride fee.  It's going on your bill.  
2. Also, the rider can cause any type of damage in the car and you might be on the hook to pay for it.

 
What I've done, especially for a M&G is to ask her if she has her own Uber account, and what general area she's coming from. Then I set up a ride from her to me JUST to see the projected price. Then I DO NOT book the trip. Instead, I tell her "hey looks like it will cost you $18 to get her, I'll give you that plus tip money when you get here." After that 1st meeting, I'll offer to send an Uber or pick her mu myself if I feel the trust.  

 
So there you go. Do a bit more research on your ride share app of choice and look online for free or low-cost and low-minimum balance checking accounts.  Then pull out some cash (as little as $100 or so) and fund the ghost payment methods of choice.  Do this and you find that...

 
Life is good

 
The Cat

Herbcat, you are The Man!  Thank you.

I suppose SuagrFinTech is my thing.  

 
...wonder if I should add that as a skill on my LinkedIn profile...?  :p  

 
Life is good

 
The Cat

HC, it’s LinkedIn so the proper use is “strategic financing and logistics expertise”...

I had an SB in Philly that I use to send an Uber to pick up before she felt comfortable driving to my location.  I did not do it on the first date though. lol.  At first, I sent her the codes off of a Uber gift card.  For some reason it was hit or miss doing that.  I even photo'ed the card and sent it to her.  I think she was not the best at deciphering tech. lol.  Anyhow, I ended up sending a car to pick her up.

You figure a $50 Uber/Lyft card as a gift for the first date is small potatoes if you feel she is worth it.

I have run across the Uber problem before...

If there is not a credit/debit card that has money on it tied to the Uber account, that is likely why her Uber gift card did not work -- remember these girls are usually flat broke with no credit, or no available credit -- the Uber system may make an authorization on that card, so that's why it needs to have funds/credit available. This could be why some girls ask you to send a car. Uber probably needs enough to cover any damage fees or overages for the ride to be booked. Looking online, it appears that it may help to turn location services on, if they are set to off.

It happened once to me, not a big deal, but I monitored the trip and saw the detour.  I asked and she said I picked up a friend to go out.  Never again.  I'll give them extra money upfront for the ride, but I'm sure there are guys who had the SB take them for a long and expensive ride!