Dear Jerry:

Before we leave on Christmas vacation, my wife and I would appreciate your resolving an “Uber issue.” During our holiday trip, we will be traveling to several high-density cities and using Uber drivers at each location. Most of the time, my wife and I will be together. On some occasions, we will be accessing separate Uber drivers. The latter situation (i.e., my wife traveling in a separate car) particularly concerns me. Here is why.

When an Uber car arrives, my wife has this habit of instantly identifying herself by name to the driver. I believe she should wait for the driver to identify my wife by name. That way, my wife knows the person is a legitimate Uber driver and not a random stranger posing as an Uber driver.

Am I obsessive-compulsive? Or is my wife overly trusting?

– Justin S., Aurora, Colo.

While I cannot give a general answer to your questions, I will address the Uber issue emphatically. You are correct. Your wife is incorrect. For the purpose of this topic, the terms “Uber,” “Uber car,” “Uber customer,” “Uber driver,“ etc. are being used generically. They apply equally to Lyft, taxis, and virtually any type of arranged car service.

In a perfect world, the Uber customer could innocently follow these steps.

1. Reserve your transportation via Uber.

2. Receive a mobile-phone communication when the Uber driver approaches your point of departure.

3. Walk outside to board your car.

4. Identify yourself to the Uber driver.

5. Get into your Uber car.

6. Proceed to your destination.

In the real world, Step No. 4 is an exceptionally dangerous practice. Instead, it should be replaced with the following two-part step.

4A. Wait for your Uber driver to identify you by name.

4B. Check the license plate number on the Uber car to be certain it is the same license plate number you received from Uber in your mobile-phone communication.

In the absence of Step No. 4A and Step No. 4B, no customer should set foot in the car. Unfortunately, criminals posing as Uber drivers enter areas where prospective Uber customers are likely waiting for Uber cars. An Uber customer identifies himself or herself, the criminal nods “Yes,” and the Uber customer (now a victim)) boards the car.

In high-density areas and during the busy holiday season, it is especially easy to find such a victim. Regrettably, there are known cases where criminals found victims this way and murdered them. Although such cases may be a small percentage of Uber transactions, please do not play “Uber Roulette” with your life. Should you not already be doing so, omit Step No. 4 from your Uber repertoire. Substitute Steps 4A and 4B. Even if an alleged Uber driver looks like a church choir boy, make no exception.

Stay safe. Enjoy the holidays. And remember yet again, prevention is easier than correction.

Jerry Romansky is a syndicated columnist. Readers are invited to write in English or Spanish: Ask Jerry, Post Office Box 42444, Washington DC 20015. E-mail askjerry@earthlink.net and (because of spam situation) write the name of your newspaper in subject heading. Questions of popular interest are answered in the column. Unpublished letters cannot be answered individually.