Taxi Signs Sold Online Being Used by Scammers in Canada

A taxi sign is shown in a file photo. Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images

Taxi signs sold online by Amazon are being used in scams that have increasingly been seen in Canadian cities, the Canadian Taxi Association (CTA) said.

Police from various cities in Ontario, including Toronto, have issued public advisory statements about the scam.

The scam involves two individuals, one who poses as a taxi driver, usually with the taxi sign on their vehicle, according to the CTA. A second individual poses as a passenger. This individual approaches a victim saying the cab driver does not accept cash.

The passenger offers to give the victim cash in exchange for the use of a debit or credit card to pay the fare.

Once the victim agrees, the alleged taxi driver swipes the card and steals the personal identification number (PIN) associated with the card. This information is then used to withdraw cash from the victim’s account.

Toronto Police Service (TPS) said the victim is then given back a fake bank card that looks like the original one while the fraudsters hold on to the real card.

TPS said the ongoing scam has been taking place in the South Etobicoke area and that suspects have been using various vehicles, including a blue Honda Civic, a blue Honda Accord, a silver Chevrolet Malibu, and a black Honda Accord.

In Sarnia, police said at least 12 victims have been identified. Individual losses have ranged between $980 and $9,900.

Anyone who may have been a victim of the taxi fraud is advised to contact police.

The vehicle taxi signs can be purchased on Amazon.ca. They come in different sizes and colours, ranging from $25 to $60.

CTA has called on Amazon to stop selling the taxi signs. The e-commerce giant says the signs are legal to sell but the company will monitor the situation.

“Safety is a top priority at Amazon, and we require all products offered in our store to comply with applicable laws and regulations,” a spokesperson told The Epoch Times in an email.

“These lights are legal to sell in Canada and as a result can be listed for sale in the Amazon.ca store. Unfortunately, like many products, these products can be misused. Amazon will continue to monitor the situation and adapt to any developments on regulation and compliance of these items.”

Safety Tips

TPS is offering tips to help protect the public from being victimized by this type of fraud. These include:

• Do not let your debit or credit card out of your sight, including when it is inside a point of sale terminal.
• Be aware of taxi company names
• Look for taxi driver’s identification on display inside the vehicle
• If there is an error code or a debit machine is not working, take your card out before handing the machine back to the operator
• Do not make payments for strangers, even in exchange for cash
• After each transaction, carefully examine your card to be sure it is the one you used and not a fake
• Cover your fingers when you are entering your PIN