Toronto Police Is Warning The Public Of A New Scam Involving A Fake Driver & Passenger Duo

Scammers continue to get creative in the 6ix, and now there's a new scam that might target you if you're a good Samaritan.

Toronto Police Service (TPS) issued a news release on November 2 warning the public about a new scam involving a fake cab driver and a passenger, who park in a high-traffic area and pretend to argue loudly about the fare, waiting for someone to intervene.

The driver refuses to take cash from the passenger, citing COVID-19 precautions. They wait for a good Samaritan to overhear the argument and offer to help by taking the cash from the passenger and paying with their own debit card.

The card reader offered by the driver is modified to record the user's card data, including their PIN. Once the terminal is used and the transaction is done, the good Samaritan is given the same amount in cash by the passenger. The driver returns their debit card — except it's not actually their card, but one that looks just like it.

With the original debit card and PIN now in their possession, the scammers can make fraudulent transactions and withdrawals from the person's bank account.

In their news release, TPS also listed a few cautionary reminders for Torontonians, including inspecting your card after each transaction and making sure it's the original, as well as not leaving your card in the reader terminal with anyone. Other guidelines include covering your fingers while keying in your PIN and never handing your card to anyone.

This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.