Police in various Ontario cities, including Toronto, have issued warnings about this scam.
The scam typically involves two individuals – one posing as a taxi driver with a taxi sign on their vehicle, and the other as a passenger. The passenger approaches a victim claiming the cab driver doesn’t accept cash and offers cash in exchange for using a debit or credit card to pay the fare.
Once the victim agrees, the fake taxi driver swipes the card to steal the victim’s PIN, which is then used to withdraw cash from their account.
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TPS has identified ongoing scams in the South Etobicoke area involving suspects using vehicles such as a blue Honda Civic, a blue Honda Accord, a silver Chevrolet Malibu, and a black Honda Accord.
If you have fallen victim to this taxi fraud, it is recommended to contact the authorities.
These vehicle taxi signs can be purchased on Amazon.ca in various sizes and colors, priced between $25 to $60.
The CTA has urged Amazon to cease selling these taxi signs. While Amazon acknowledges the legality of selling these signs, they pledge to monitor the situation.
“Safety is a top priority at Amazon, and we require all products offered in our store to comply with applicable laws and regulations,” a spokesperson informed The Epoch Times via email.
Safety Tips
TPS is offering tips to help protect the public from falling victim to this type of fraud. These include:
- Do not let your debit or credit card out of your sight, including when it is inside a point of sale terminal.
- Be aware of taxi company names
- Look for taxi driver’s identification on display inside the vehicle
- If there is an error code or a debit machine is not working, take your card out before handing the machine back to the operator
- Do not make payments for strangers, even in exchange for cash
- After each transaction, carefully examine your card to be sure it is the one you used and not a fake
- Cover your fingers when you are entering your PIN
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