City police warn of fake taxi scam
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This article was published 11/09/2024 (452 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Winnipeg police are warning of a recent scam in which con artists are posing as taxi drivers and passengers to drain money from victims’ bank accounts.
Drivers with fake “taxi” signs on the roofs of their vehicles are roaming high-traffic areas, such as mall parking lots, to look for potential victims.
Police said a fraudster pretending to be a passenger gets out and approaches a bystander, telling them the taxi doesn’t accept cash.
The bystander is asked to use their debit card to pay for the fare in exchange for cash.
The con artists use card-skimming techniques to withdraw far more money than the supposed fare amount, said police.
Financial crimes unit detectives and the City of Winnipeg are investigating the scam.