Debit cards stolen in Waterloo Region taxi scam

Four people have had their debit cards stolen in an ongoing taxi scam in Waterloo Region.

Waterloo regional police said multiple victims have come to them after their cards were taken and used by a fraudster posing as a taxi passenger.

The incidents happened in Waterloo's University District between May 28 and June 4. The victims said a person approached them and asked for help paying their taxi fare.

In one case, a male in a vehicle that appeared to be a taxi approached a victim in the Ezra Ave and Clayfield Avenue area of Waterloo. The male said the taxi driver would not accept cash and offered to give the victim money if they would pay for the taxi fare using their debit card.

The victim agreed, and inserted their debit card into a point-of-sale machine and entered their PIN. The driver then returned what appeared to be the victim’s card.

However, the victim later realized the card they were given was not theirs, and a large amount of money had been taken from their bank account.

Investigators believe two people are working together as part of this scam: one person posing as a taxi driver and another acting as the passenger.

Anyone who believes they have been targeted by a similar scheme is urged to contact police as the investigation continues.