New Delhi, June 29 -- A Bengaluru man's so-called "risky hack" to reduce auto-rickshaw fares on ride-hailing apps has stirred debate online. In an anonymous Reddit post, the man claimed his method is the "ultimate" way to counter what he called the city's "auto mafia". To tackle high prices in a particular area, the user suggested repeatedly booking and cancelling autos without any intention of taking the ride.

"If you see exorbitant prices for autos, just keep booking and cancel them as soon as they reach your vicinity. For your safety, keep the pick-up location 1-2 min walk away," he wrote.

He further claimed this tactic manipulates the app's pricing algorithm.

"Just keep booking and cancelling them as soon as they reach your vicinit...