I don't know if Uber did this or not, but couldn't lyft have validated new users somehow. It is a lot of trouble to get a new device and a new credit card per user just to do these cancellations. I'm sure in their desire to grow and scale fast they may have overlooked some of these metrics or challenges.
That's not the question, the question is whether we want to allow practices like this that encourage companies spending time and energy figuring out how to screw each other?
We should allow practices that tend to make companies compete to produce the best product. Too many people will read this story and think how cool Uber was to come up with this strategy.
If Lyft could prove that Uber did this, shouldn't they be entitled to billions in damages?