Police warn of card swap scam involving taxis circulating on Ottawa roads

Ottawa police are issuing a warning about a spike in reported card swap scams involving taxi fares circulating in Ottawa, the second warning about people being defrauded while offering to help a stranger pay the fare in two months.

Police say people are being approached by a young person claiming they need someone to pay the taxi fare.

"A taxi driver, or someone pretending to be a taxi driver, is typically parked nearby to make the story seem true," police said on X.

"The young person makes claims about why their payment methods haven’t worked but will offer to reimburse the unsuspecting person with cash if they use their card to pay for the taxi."

Police say when the person pays the fare, they do not realize that their card has been swapped with someone else's card.

"The scammers will then use the unsuspecting person’s card until it’s locked," police said.

No suspect description was released by police.

In August, police said they received several complaints from people who have been defrauded by offering to help a stranger pay for a taxi ride.

The Canadian Taxi Association says all taxi drivers will accept cash fares. The association also called on Amazon to stop selling generic 'Taxi' roof signs that could be used to defraud customers.

Ottawa police say you should not agree to use your debit or credit card to pay for someone else's transaction, even if you are offered compensation, and to regularly monitor your bank and credit card statements for suspicious activity.

When it comes to keeping your PIN safe, always hide it when making purchases, use one that is difficult to guess, and do not share your PIN with anyone.

With files from CTV News Ottawa's Ted Raymond