The Taxi Council of Queensland has warned would-be Uber passengers they were putting their lives at risk by using the popular app.

"Cashed up companies like Uber use warm and fuzzy words but in reality they are about one thing – making money by exploiting uninsured drivers, exposing the public to risks and lying about their operations," TCQ chief executive Benjamin Wash said.

The Queensland government reversed its initial tolerance for the "ride-sharing" company in July and issued Uber with a cease and desist order.

Mr Wash hit back at claims the taxi industry's pushback against Uber was driven by a desire to maintain the taxi companies' stranglehold on the industry.

Instead, Mr Wash said, its opposition was a matter of public safety.

"These apps are illegal," he said.

"The government has told these companies not to operate but they are ignoring this.

"Queensland taxi drivers undergo daily criminal checks, but rideshare drivers don't.

"You simply don't know who is behind the wheel."

The TCQ campaign slogan "Don't risk your life - Rideshare apps are unlawful, unsafe and uninsured" has appeared on inner-city electronic billboards in recent weeks.

The strategy has Uber crying foul and insisting its business model appealed to Queenslanders who were "unhappy with the status quo" of the taxi industry.

Uber's Australia and New Zealand spokeswoman Katie Curran said each Uber trip was covered by its $US5 million contingency liability cover, "in addition to each partner driver's own full insurance policies".

Ms Curran said Uber drivers had to pass a "rigorous" criminal background and driving history review process and the identities of both the passenger and the driver, along with the trip route and time, were logged.

"We have seen (the TCQ's) strategy and nowhere in it does it talk about improving their own services to compete with Uber," she said.

"Their whole approach is just to get rid of competition rather than up their own game."

In addition to the TCQ campaign, Fairfax Media understands taxi companies have sent global messages to drivers urging them to report Uber drivers to the authorities.

As of August, three Uber drivers had been fined for operating illegally in Queensland.

Transport Minister Scott Emerson said, since August, that number had increased dramatically.

"We have issued more than $170,000 in fines to 62 drivers for either driving without a driver authorisation and/or providing a taxi service without a taxi service licence," he said.

When asked if Uber paid the fines issued to Brisbane's Uber drivers, Ms Curran said: "Uber stands by its partners 100 per cent and always will."

Mr Wash said the TCQ had launched an online parliamentary petition to have legislation against ridesharing companies enforced and to ensure they remained illegal in Queensland.

The TCQ campaign came as Uber senior vice president Emil Michael faced a storm in the United States after he allegedly threatened journalists who gave the company negative press in that country.