Debit card stolen during pizza delivery in Waterloo region: police

Waterloo Regional Police say a debit card was stolen during a pizza delivery on Saturday in Cambridge.

Police say the victim ordered a pizza to their home through an app and a man arrived with a pizza, which the victim paid for with a debit card.

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But according to police, the customer’s debit card was switched by the suspect with a similar-looking card and the transaction was made through a fake machine.

Police say multiple withdrawals were then made through the card.

A police spokesperson told Global News that this is a newer type of fraud occurring within the region.

“The suspect will distract the person that’s paying, either by talking about a different topic or something like that to distract a person and in doing so switches the debit card,” police spokesperson Cherri Greeno said.

She says the fraudulent driver will look for ways to distract the victim while making the switch.

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“We certainly want to warn the public to always keep an eye on their debit card if they’re paying for a delivery service,” Greeno said.

She provided some tips for area residents on how to safeguard themselves from this type of crime.

“Don’t let your debit card out of your sight and ask for the machine yourself,” she explained. “You can hold the machine and enter your own debit card and of course, shield your password at all times.”