Passengers leaving from LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy airports are vulnerable to identity theft and price gouging. Uber said the fake drivers have been stealing cash and credit card information from people before they use the app to request a ride. The drivers are allegedly colluding with fixers who linger near arrival areas and aggressively solicit passengers. It is illegal for drivers to schedule or accept rides at airports without using the official Uber app.

The company conducted a 15-day review of the situation at the two airports, saying it has “reached crisis levels.” They found that scammers are making as many as 2,300 illegal rides each week.

Uber filed an official complaint with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which manages the metro-area airports. Company spokesman Josh Mohrer wrote a letter requesting the department to investigate the problem, saying, “In recent weeks, the conditions at the terminal have noticeably worsened.”

Identity theft, credit card fraud and related crimes are serious charges that require skilled defense. An experienced attorney can fight on the accused person’s behalf to avoid jail time.

A Manhattan federal jury found Larry Davis, 65, and his company guilty of defrauding the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. His company, DCM Erectors Inc., won contracts to work on the World Trade Center site destroyed by the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Davis pretended he was promoting a minority-owned businesses in order to obtain almost $1 billion for the construction.

Prosecutors claimed that in 2007 Davis was awarded contracts that required him to allocate millions of dollars to hiring subcontractors that were minority or women-owned businesses. Davis set up two fake firms to help him obtain contracts. He paid bribes to have documents signed for submission to the Port Authority. Meanwhile, DCM or other firms affiliated with the contractor carried out the construction.

The scheme earned him $256 million for work on the Freedom Tower and a $330 million contract for the World Trade Center Transportation Hub. Prosecutors claimed the amount paid to Davis’s firm ultimately surged to nearly $1 billion when he claimed more funds were needed to complete the construction. The Mississauga, Ontario, resident was arrested in 2014. He will be sentenced on November 15 and faces up to 40 years in prison.