Meituan Returns Old Mobike Bike Deposits
Numerous Chinese users are reporting successful refunds of their 299 yuan Mobike bike deposits paid years ago. Meituan customer service confirmed these refunds are legitimate.
Many Chinese users have recently reported receiving refunds of 299 yuan (approximately $40 USD) for deposits originally paid when signing up for Mobike bike-sharing services years ago. Meituan, which acquired Mobike in 2018, has confirmed these refunds are being processed.
Screenshots circulating on social media show the 299 yuan reimbursements, which Meituan customer service has verified correspond to historical Mobike deposits. The company stated that receiving these past deposit refunds does not impact users' current ability to cycle without a deposit on Meituan or Mobike-branded bikes.
Customer service also clarified that deposits related to Ofo bikes are not handled by Meituan, as there is no affiliation between Ofo and Meituan's cycling services. The Mobike brand has since been integrated into Meituan and is now known as Meituan Bikes.
Founded in January 2015 as Beijing Mobike Technology Co., Ltd., Mobike was an early leader in the bike-sharing industry, utilizing GPS and IoT technology for its smart locks. Meituan acquired the company in April 2018, leading to the gradual consolidation of the brand. The process for retrieving these deposits is reportedly available through the Meituan app.