Local South Etobicoke man warning others about a fake taxi scam this time at Sherway Gardens.
An area resident say he is now paranoid after getting into a struggle with the driver of a fake taxi in the Sherway Mall area in a scam that is becoming more prevalent.
The man said in an online posting that he was approached by a young woman for a loan on his credit card after the taxi driver claimed he does not accept cash.
The incident occurred on February 24 around 4:10 p.m. at a HomeSense store, at 1840 The Queensway, the victim said.
Police say dozens of fares have been ripped off thousands of dollars by fake taxis and people must be wary.
He wrote that he had the credit card terminal in his hand to add a tip, after passing the driver his card to make the transaction.
“He (driver) took out the card (from the terminal) and gave it to me and I noticed it wasn’t my card so I said this isn’t my card, instantly my heart dropped,” the victim wrote on a South Etobicoke website.
“He shuffled under his seat and I saw multiple cards and he passed me another card which looked like mine but I wasn’t sure,” the man continued. “He (driver) got aggressive and said give me my machine back and I was already panicking trying to read what the receipt said.”
Police said the first red flag is that all legitimate cabbies accept cash.
The victim said the girl got into the car and he vowed to call the police.
“He (driver) said ‘go call the police but give me my machine back’ and yanked my arm into the window of the passenger side and I dropped my card,” according to the victim.
“He grabbed the machine while starting to drive while I’m still in the window halfway,” the man explained. “I was screaming for help and said ‘give me my card and he said no’ and drove off so fast. Thankfully I didn’t get hurt.“
He described the cab as being dark navy or dark grey sedan in colour with a Co-op sign on the top that ‘looked legitimate.’
Users are warned to keep an eye on their cards and never let it out of sight.
Toronto Police said their Financial Crimes Unit has received over 60 reports of varying taxi scams since June 2023 totalling over $40,000 in losses.
Police in a January 30 release said they were looking for Steven Chambers, 25, of Brampton, for fraud over $5,000, attempt fraud under $,5000, three counts of assault and two counts of fail to comply with a release order.
He is sought for a similar fake taxi scam.
Detectives are warning potential fares not to leave their debit or credit card unattended inside a point of sale terminal; be aware of taxi number and company names when using their services and be aware of the driver’s identification that is displayed in the rear of the cab.
Police said if there is an error code, or the debit machine not functioning, always remove your card before returning the machine for assistance; inspect your card after each transaction and ensure it is your card and cover your fingers when entering your PIN.
The post drew dozens of comments from readers, many who said they have had similar incidents with fake cabs.
“This also happened to me months ago in front of Winners, exactly the same scenario, I felt guilty for walking away,” wrote Angela Colacitti. “I’m sorry this happened to you!”
Halina Bernadette said all legitimate cabs accept cash. “That is your first red flag.”
“This same thing happened to our neighbour here,” said Kristen Burton. “Absolutely terrible but no cab driver doesn’t accept cash.”