Police are warning of fake taxis preying on Christmas shoppers.
Its Christmas time and people are on the move busy shopping or celebrating with family or friends.
Toronto Police have issued a warning about a number of taxi scams preying on shoppers and loved ones.
Police said fraudsters are using fake debit terminals to steal your PIN.
“Beware if a driver refuses cash and insists on card payment,” according to fraud squad officers. “Always check the terminal, if it seems suspicious do not enter your PIN.”
Taxi scams are increasingly prevalent outside of venues such as theatres, arenas, transit hubs and areas where taxi drivers are typically waiting for customers, police warn.
In another taxi scam, a second person, posing as a passenger, may also ask you for help paying with a debit or credit card in exchange for cash.
Police say red flags should go up if a cabbie refuses to accept cash and only accepts debit or credit cards.
“The goal is for the scammer to obtain the customer’s PIN by entering it into a fake payment terminal,” police said. “The driver then switches the customer’s card with another one.”
Fake debit terminals appear to be older, without a tap function, and typically have a grey screen with no backlight. Newer terminals have a bright blue or green screen.
To avoid being scammed, detectives warn if you think the terminal may be fake, input the wrong PIN. A fake terminal will always display ‘payment approved’ – even after entering in the wrong PIN. A legitimate terminal would say “invalid PIN, please try again.”
If you think you have been asked for payment from a fake terminal, take the card out and keep it for fingerprintin; never challenge the driver and immediately exit the taxi for your safety; if safe take pictures of the taxi and taxi number and call your bank or login to your banking app to lock or cancel your card.