TAMPA, Fla. — Taking Uber of Lyft have become go-to ways to get around. 

• Safety precautions to take when using ride-share services
• Ask questions
• Use apps' safety features

And the ride-sharing services see even more ridership during the holidays. Which is why passengers need to be aware for scams and dangers using the services.

Reports of fake Uber and Lyft drivers have made the news in recent months with kidnapping and robberies of unsuspecting passengers. 

To stay safe, officials advise to follow a few simple precautions. 

First, always make sure the Uber or Lyft emblem is prominently displayed in the windshield of the driver’s car—but that’s not enough—because—just about anyone can print the logos online. 

Be sure to use safety features built into the app, like the "driver arrived" notification. 

Also, verify the license plate number of the vehicle and the make and model of the car. 

And before you get into a vehicle, never give up your name first.  Instead, ask these questions to confirm you have the right car and driver:

"Who are you here to pick up?" 

"What’s your name?"

But even that may not be enough - pay close attention to the driver's picture. 

And if you still end up in the wrong vehicle, against your will, police say call 911 immediately. 

"Call 9-1-1 and don’t hang up the phone," said Tampa police officer Roy Paz. "A lot of people will call 9-1-1 and say 'I need help,' and then, hang up the phone. Stay on the phone."

"We’ll be able to hear what’s going on, even if you can’t talk at the time and we’ll try to get help to you right away.

Overwhelmingly most of the time, Uber and Lyft are safe and easy ways to get where you’re going but you can’t be too careful.