News Release

The Toronto Police Service is making the public aware of an ongoing taxi and food delivery scam being committed in the Toronto area.

It is reported that:

• a female approaches the victims and advises that the taxicab or food delivery driver does not accept cash, and will only accept debit
• the female then offers to pay the victim cash, if they can assist her to pay for the fee with their debit card
• the driver of the vehicle then claims the tap feature is not working and they will need to insert the card 
• the victim enters the PIN number for their debit card into a modified point of sale terminal
• the device records the card data and PIN number after the transaction is successful, the victim is given another bank card that resembles their own
• the suspects are now in possession of the victim's debit card and use the PIN to make a number of fraudulent purchases and/or withdrawals

Some tips to protect yourself include:

• do not leave your debit or credit card unattended inside a point-of-sale terminal
• be aware of taxi numbers and company names when using their services
• be aware of the driver's identification that is displayed to the customer in clear view in the rear of the cab
• if there is an error code, or the debit machine is not functioning, always REMOVE your debit card before returning the machine for assistance
• do not make payments for an unknown person, using your personal card, in exchange for cash
• inspect your card after each transaction and ensure it is your card
• cover your fingers when entering your PIN

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-5200, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), or at www.222tips.com.