The Winnipeg Police Service is warning the public of a fake taxi scam starting to circulate in the city that could leave you paying for more than the cost of a regular fare.
According to police, vehicles with fake taxi signs on their roofs are roaming high-traffic areas, such as mall parking lots. One person claiming to be a passenger will exit the fake taxi and approach a bystander, saying the taxi does not accept cash, and asks if they can use their debit card to pay the fare in exchange for cash.
“Once the victim’s card is acquired, surreptitious skimming techniques are used to withdraw far more money than the alleged fare amount,” police said in a news release.
Winnipeg police say all legitimate taxi services have a name decal on their doors and a three-digit taxi identification number inside and outside of the vehicle, and all taxi companies accept cash. They warn people to not allow strangers to borrow their debit or credit cards, even with the promise of cash in return.
Officers add the financial crimes unit is raising awareness of this fraud with local taxi companies and ride-sharing services.
Frauds can be reported to the Winnipeg Police Service online.