Kingston police are warning residents about an ongoing taxi scam targeting people near Queen’s University.
Police say the scam typically begins with a person claiming they cannot pay their taxi fare due to a declined card or because the driver will not accept cash. The suspect then offers cash to a bystander in exchange for paying the fare with a debit or credit card.
During the transaction, the victim’s card is swapped with a similar one, allowing the suspect to keep the original card.
In another version, the suspect inserts the card into the machine and asks the victim to enter their PIN, giving them access to the account.
Two recent suspects are described as a woman aged 25 to 30 and a man aged 30 to 40. The vehicle is a grey Mazda SUV with a Capital Taxi sign.
Police urge residents not to pay for strangers’ fares and to report incidents.
Story by Alyssa Brush
