Police issue warning after woman falls victim to fake taxi scam in Cambridge

Waterloo Regional Police have issued a warning to area residents about a fake taxi scam that was allegedly perpetrated in Cambridge last weekend.

Police say a woman was sitting outside her home on Bruce Street last Saturday when what appeared to be a taxi pulled up.

A man asked for her help paying for his cab fare as the taxi driver was not taking cash, police say. He said he would give her cash if she would use her debit card to pay for his ride, and police say the victim agreed to help out and made the payment using a hand-held debit machine.

The next day, police say she realized her card had been compromised when she attempted to use the card.

The passenger is described as being in his early 20s, around five feet seven inches tall with a slim build.

Police describe the taxi driver as male, white, in his late 30s with curly black shoulder-length hair. He was wearing a ball cap and a blue mask.

The suspect vehicle is described as black, with signage that stated “taxi.”