A new scam is making its rounds in Winnipeg, catching many people off guard.
The Winnipeg Police Service says fraudsters are posing as taxi operators and passengers who create the perfect scenario to drain a person's bank account.
Police say they use vehicles with fake Taxi signs and set up in high-traffic areas such as mall parking lots. From there, a person acting as a passenger gets out of the vehicle and approaches a bystander, letting them know that the taxi does not accept cash. The passenger then asks the bystander if they can help by using their debit card to pay for their fare in exchange for cash.
Once the person uses their debit card, the taxi operator uses a card skimmer to withdraw far more cash than the alleged fare amount.
The Winnipeg Police Service is reminding the public to be mindful and to use Know Your Taxi to confirm the legitimacy of service providers.
They say all licensed taxis have a legitimate name decal on their doors, as well as a three-digit taxi identification number, both inside and outside the vehicle. They also say all taxi companies accept cash.
Anyone who has fallen victim to this scam or any others is asked to contact police or 311.
Winnipeggers can also report frauds, such as unauthorized use of a payment device online.