“What’s My Name?” — A Partnership That Hits Home

I’ll never forget it.

It was an ordinary morning during high school. I was sitting at the kitchen table, eating breakfast, when the news came on. A college student named Samantha Josephson had been kidnapped and murdered after getting into a car she thought was her Uber.

She was just 21 years old.

Her story shook me. Not just because she was close in age or because she was from Robbinsville, New Jersey—right near where I grew up—but because it was a terrifying reminder of how vulnerable young people can be in everyday situations. I remember my parents being visibly upset and stressing how dangerous rideshares could be, and to always double-check who you were getting in the car with and check the license plate and ask “What’s my name?” before getting in.

At the time, I didn’t know how deeply Samantha’s story would stay with me. I didn’t know that a few years later, I’d be a student at the University of Miami, taking five or more rideshares a week in one of the busiest cities in the U.S. And I didn’t know I’d go on to create 3rd-i—a social safety app designed to make all forms of transportation and ridesharing safer through live and recorded video, audio, and real-time location sharing with in-app discreet emergency features never done before.

Now, I’m incredibly proud to share that 3rd-i has officially partnered with the #WhatsMyName Foundation, a nonprofit founded by Samantha’s family in the wake of her tragic death. The mission of the foundation is simple but vital: to ensure no other family has to experience the unimaginable loss the Josephsons did.

Their message is now seen on signs in airports, college campuses, and cities around the country. It’s a constant reminder to Stop. Ask. Match. Inform. Or simply: SAMI.

• Stop before you get in a car.

• Ask the driver, “What’s my name?”

• Match the license plate with the app.

• Inform friends of your ride.

Samantha was just months away from starting law school at Drexel University on a full scholarship. Her future was bright—and it was stolen in a senseless moment that could have been prevented with more awareness and safety tools. That’s why this partnership means so much to me personally.

A few months ago, I attended the #WhatsMyName Gala with my strategic advisor, Billy Snider. Hearing Samantha’s story directly from her family was emotional, powerful, and motivating. Their strength, turning tragedy into a national movement, is nothing short of inspiring.

And this problem is still very real.

Just recently, a friend of mine was leaving a club in Miami. A car outside claimed to be a rideshare. Thinking it was safe, he got in. Moments later, he fell asleep, only to wake up after being thrown out of the car in a bad neighborhood. His phone, jewelry and wallet were gone. Thankfully, he wasn’t hurt. But it was another gut-punch reminder of why 3rd-i exists and why this foundation’s work is so important.

As part of this partnership, we’ve now integrated the #WhatsMyName Rideshare Safety Guide directly into the Settings section of the 3rd-i app. It offers practical, easy-to-follow tips that riders, especially students and young adults, can access anytime to help stay safe.

We’re humbled to stand with the Josephson family, to amplify the #WhatsMyName message, and to help rewrite what safety looks like in the rideshare space.

Because no one should ever have to ask, “What if that had been me?”

Instead, let’s make it second nature to ask, “What’s my name?”

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Learn more about the #WhatsMyName Foundation: https://www.whatsmyname.org

Download the 3rd-i app and access the Rideshare Safety Guide in Settings.

#WhatsMyName #3rdi #RideshareSafety #SAMI #SocialSafety #SamanthaJosephson #StopAskMatchInform #NeverForgetSami