A fraudulent taxi cab operator is going around stealing people’s banking information, the Edmonton Police Service said in a warning issued Monday.
The EPS said it’s investigating ongoing reports of a scam involving a fake taxi operating in the city.
Since June 24, police said they’ve received several reports of the scam being operated by two men from what appears to be a taxi cab.
In the scam, police said the suspects reportedly work together to steal victims’ debit cards and personal identification numbers.
Police said the first suspect, a man sitting in the passenger seat of the taxi, beckons people over to ask if they would like to pay a cab fare with their debit card in return for cash.
The second man in the driver’s seat then processes the payment, getting the victims to enter their PIN into what appears to be a debit machine. Then, while the man in the passenger seat distracts the victim, the driver allegedly switches their debit card and returns a different one.
The suspect vehicle is described as a newer white Ford Fusion with no identifying decals other than a “taxi” sign on the roof.
Anyone who was approached by the suspects or victimized is asked to contact the EPS at 780-423-4567 or #377 from a mobile phone.
Anonymous information can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at www.p3tips.com/250.