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The Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) is warning residents of a fraud scam popping up around the area.
On Thursday, September 5th, at 9:15 p.m., a victim was approached by a teenage boy in the area of Upper Middle Road and Winston Churchill Boulevard in Oakville. The victim was told that the boy needed to pay for a taxi; however, his debit card wasn’t working. The boy asked the victim to pay for his fare using the victim’s credit card, after which the boy would e-transfer the same fare amount back. The victim agreed and began using the point of sale device that the driver of the taxi was holding. The victim tapped their card, but after hearing a beep, the driver said the tap option did not work. The victim then inserted their card into the terminal and entered their PIN. When the PIN was entered both suspects quickly drove away still in possession of the victim’s credit card. A short time later the suspects withdrew $3000 from the victim’s bank account.
This kind of scam has happened in the region before, with several instances reported in 2021 by the Halton Police.
Variations of this scam can include the suspect offering cash rather than an e-transfer. In addition, the vehicle driver may attempt to deceive an unsuspecting victim by switching the victims debit card for another card in order to make an undetected getaway. The scam will typically include a suspect claiming they are unable to pay their fare and requesting assistance through the use of the victim’s credit or debit card, all in an attempt to gain control of the card and defraud the victim.
The HRPS have provided descriptions for the two reported suspects in this case:
- Suspect one (the boy) – white, mid-teens, light coloured eyes, long shaggy brown hair, wearing a light coloured dress shirt and light coloured khaki pants
- Suspect two (the driver) – brown, 20 to 30 years of age, long hair, wearing a covid mask, driving a black SUV
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact the 2 District Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4777 ext. 2216.
Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers. “See something? Hear something? Know something? Contact Crime Stoppers” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.
