Fake taxi fraud drains helpful bystanders’ bank accounts in Winnipeg, police say

Posted on September 11, 2024 by Peggy

An emerging taxi fraud in Winnipeg swindles bystanders into helping cover a fake ride fare and then drains their bank accounts in a card-skimming operation, police warn.

Fraudsters posing as taxi operators and passengers are roaming high-traffic areas in the city, such as parking lots, in vehicles displaying fake taxi signs on their roofs, police said.

The fraud starts when a person posing as a taxi passenger exits the car and approaches a bystander, telling the person the taxi driver is not accepting cash for the fare.

The passenger then asks the bystander to use their debit card to pay for the ride in exchange for cash.

Once the card is handed in for the payment, skimming techniques are used to withdraw “far more” than the alleged fare amount, police said.

Authorities in other Canadian jurisdictions have also warned of similar taxi scams targeting residents in Edmonton and Calgary in Alberta, as well as in southern Ontario, including Kingston and Ottawa.

Police in Winnipeg remind the public that all taxis in the city accept cash for fares.

All legitimate taxis also have decals with the company’s name on their doors as well as three-digit identification numbers outside and inside the car, police said.

Police ask residents not to allow strangers to borrow their credit or debit cards with the promise of cash in return, given that the security pin can be acquired and repeatedly used afterward.

Any suspicious transactions or fraud attempts can be reported to the police or through the city’s complaints line at 311.