Police have arrested two men suspected of roles in a fake taxi debit and credit card scam previously reported in Burnaby and Abbotsford, B.C.
Metro Vancouver Transit Police said they caught the suspects more than two months ago, and have now recommended charges.
Police say the scammers have been using a black vehicle with a taxi sign on the roof to dupe people into handing over their debit and credit cards.
One of the fraudsters poses as a taxi driver, while the other poses as a customer having trouble paying their fare who approaches victims to ask for their help to cover the cost. When a victim offers their card, the scammers swap it out for a fake one.
In a media release, transit police said officers spotted a Hyundai Elantra that matched the scam vehicle’s description near the Surrey Central SkyTrain Station.
“Police observed as the passenger got out of the vehicle and placed a yellow ‘taxi’ sign on the roof of the Hyundai, before getting back in as the vehicle drove off toward SFU Surrey. Given these observations, police suspected the occupants were readying to look for more victims,” police said.
“When officers attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver of the Hyundai rammed an unmarked Transit Police vehicle.”
Police arrested the driver and passenger, who both hail from Ontario, and seized 29 debit and credit cards, a debit card payment machine and a magnetic taxi sign.
Both suspects have been released pending charge approval.