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Police are warning the public about a card skimming scam using fake taxis in Winnipeg.
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Vehicles with taxi signs on their roofs have been cruising around high-traffic areas such as mall parking lots, looking for unsuspecting people whose bank account they can drain, Winnipeg Police Service said in a news release.
A fake passenger hops out of the fake cab and approaches a bystander with the story that the taxi doesn’t take cash. They ask the person if they’d use their debit card to pay the fare in exchange for cash, police said.
Once the victim’s card is acquired, skimming techniques are used to withdraw far more money than the alleged fare amount. The public is asked to be mindful of this emerging fraud.
WPS said its financial crimes unit is working with the City of Winnipeg body overseeing vehicles for hire, such as local taxi companies and ride-sharing services, to create awareness of this emerging fraud.
People are reminded that all licensed taxis have a legitimate name decal on their doors (Duffy’s, Unicity, Blueline) as well as a three-digit taxi identification number inside and outside the vehicle, and all taxi companies accept cash.
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