Kingston Police see increase in ‘Taxi Scam’ reports

The Kingston Police are once again warning the public of a taxi scam after seeing an increased number of reports about this type of scam.

In this type of scam, a scammer approaches a victim near a taxi or a ‘fake taxi’, claiming they cannot pay their fare because their bank or credit card was declined, or the driver refuses cash.

The scammer then asks the victim to use their own card to pay the fare in exchange for cash.

The scammer or in some cases the ‘taxi driver’ discreetly swaps the victim's debit or credit card for a fake or similar-looking card after it is swiped or manually enters the transaction while stealing the victim's PIN.

Scammers then use the stolen card and PIN at nearby ATMs or stores to drain funds from the victim’s account. In one instance a fraudulent cheque was deposited into a victim’s account and then money was withdrawn.

Police are reminding individuals to never allow anyone to physically handle their debit or credit card as well as their cell phone.

Anyone who believes they have been targeted by this type of scam can contact the Kingston Police at 613-549-4660 ext. 0. or file a report online via the online reporting portal.