Toronto police just took down a massive fraud ring targeting unsuspecting taxi passengers.
On Thursday, the Toronto Police Service Financial Crimes Unit announced the arrest of 11 individuals tied to a "taxi scam" that saw people duped out of their debit and credit cards across the city. The investigation, dubbed Project Fare, uncovered a sophisticated criminal network behind more than 300 incidents and over $500,000 in losses.
According to police, suspects posed as cab drivers using cars made to look like real taxis. Once a victim hopped in, they'd be asked to pay using a debit or credit card. But instead of completing the transaction, the suspects would secretly swap the real card with a fake, memorizing the victim's PIN.
That real card would then be passed off to an accomplice, who went on a spending spree — buying high-end gear, withdrawing cash from ATMs, and depositing fake cheques to inflate accounts.
The scam first hit the Toronto Police's radar in July 2024, when dozens of reports poured in. That number eventually ballooned to over 300 victims.
Then, on May 21, 2025, police executed search warrants across Toronto and Brampton. They seized point-of-sale machines, stacks of fraudulent bank cards, luxury clothes, electronics, artwork, and even fake taxis.
Now, 11 suspects face over 100 criminal charges, including fraud, possession of proceeds of crime, and unauthorized use of credit card data.
Some of them are facing more than a dozen charges each:
- Ekjot Nahal, 22, from Brampton
- Harjoban Nahal, 25, from Brampton
- Connor Wybenga, 26, from Toronto
- Korbin Sonley, 22, from Toronto
- Michael Denine, 24, from Newfoundland
- Harpreet Singh, 24, from Brampton
- Luis Collado, 24, from Mississauga
- Reazuddin Shaikh, 50, from Toronto
- Anastasia Zacharopoulos Johnston, 19, from Vaughan
- Gurnoor Singh Randhawa, 20, no fixed address
- Gaurav Taak, 23, from Brampton
Police also released photos of two male suspects still at large.
Suspect 1 is described as 5'7" to 5'10" tall, 25-35 years old, with a medium build, brown eyes, short black hair, and a trimmed black beard.
Suspect 1 is described as 5'7" to 5'10" tall, 25-35 years old, with a medium build, brown eyes, short black hair, and a trimmed black beard.Toronto Police | Handout
Suspect 2 is described as 5'7" to 6'0" tall, in his 20s, with brown eyes, a medium build, and thin facial hair.
Suspect 2 is described as 5'7" to 6'0" tall, in his 20s, with brown eyes, a medium build, and thin facial hair.Toronto Police | Handout
A woman who may have valuable info is also being sought by police, though she's not considered a suspect.
Toronto police want to question this woman in connection with the investigation.Toronto Police | Handout
If you recognize any of the individuals or have information, Toronto Police ask that you contact them at 416-808-2510 or reach out anonymously via Crime Stoppers at 416-222-TIPS or www.222tips.com.
Eyes peeled, Toronto!
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