Kingston, Ont. police warn taxi payment scam resurfacing over the holidays

A Kingston Police vehicle in Kingston, Ont.

Police in Kingston are warning residents about a taxi scam that has been reported in the city.

This scam has been reported before in Kingston and in other places, like Ottawa and Toronto. It typically involves a pair of people working in tandem, sometimes with stolen or fake taxi lights and plates.

The way the scam works is one person will approach the victim with a lie that the taxi driver does not accept cash for a low-value fare. The “passenger” will ask to use the victim’s bank card to cover the fare, offering the same value in cash in exchange; however, the card reader will capture the victim’s PIN.

The “taxi driver” then returns either a fake card or another person’s bank card to the victim. The scammers then drain the victim’s bank account.

Police warn these scams are likely to continue through the Christmas season.

The Canadian Taxi Association says every taxi driver accepts cash.

Individuals who believe they have been impacted or targeted by this type of scam are encouraged to file a police report either by calling 613-549-4660 ext. “0” or by utilizing the online reporting tool at www.kingstonpolice.ca