How to Avoid the Taxi Scam

The Toronto Police Service and Investigators from the Financial Crimes Unit want to help so you #DontGetScammed by the Taxi Scam. Two people are involved in this scam. One person poses as a passenger and the other as a taxi driver. The fake passenger claims the taxi driver won’t accept cash as payment. They ask you to pay their fare using your debit or credit card and they will give you cash in return. You’re a good person and you want to help. Next, the fake taxi driver takes your payment card and inserts it into a modified point-of-sale terminal. The machine records your PIN. They swap your card and give you back a fake one. The scammers can now withdraw money from your account with your card and PIN. Protect yourself by: • Never making payments for people you don’t know • Using contactless payment options, like tap, whenever you can • Examining your card when it’s returned after payment to make sure it’s yours, and, • Making sure you’re personally inserting your own card into a point-of-sale terminal If you are a victim of the Taxi Scam, report the fraud to police. Visit https://www.tps.ca/fraud/ for more information and tips, so you #DontGetScammed