'Fake taxi, fake driver, fake passenger': Richmond, B.C., police warn of debit card scam
Police in Richmond, B.C., are warning about a scam where a young man says he needs help paying for a taxi before leading them to a fake cab with a fake driver.
The RCMP say they have received four reports in the last five days involving seven would-be Good Samaritans who used their debit card to help the man -- only to wind up saddled with hundreds of dollars worth of charges for purchases they did not make.
They described the scam as targeting people in "busy parking areas" in a news release Wednesday.
"Upon agreeing to help, the victim is told by the taxi driver that he does not take cash due to COVID, nor does he accept credit cards. The unsuspecting victim then provides the driver with a debit card to pay for the transaction electronically," the statement from the detachment says.
"The driver then claims the tap function on his electronic payment machine does not work. He then takes the victim’s card, pretends to make a transaction, has the victim put in their PIN number, and gives a bogus card back to the victim. "
The "fake passenger" is described as a Middle Eastern man also in his early 20s. The "fake driver" is described as a Fijian or South Asian man in his early 20s. The "fake taxi" is described as a white Toyota Camry with a white taxi sign on top.
"This scam appears to be a new one for the City of Richmond," writes Cpl. Ian Henderson, saying an investigation is ongoing but a police thought the scam warranted a public warning.
Anyone with information is urged to call the Richmond RCMP at 604-278-1212.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.