TORONTO -- Three people have been charged and an arrest warrant has been issued for a fourth suspect in connection with a fake taxi fraud investigation targeting “well-intending citizens” across the Greater Toronto Area.
Peel Regional Police, in cooperation with police services in Toronto, Halton, Hamilton and York, say that officers have investigated more than 35 cases of debit card thefts and frauds in a replica taxi scheme operating throughout the GTA.
Police say that “well-intending citizens” were the targets. The suspects would pose as the driver of a taxi and a rear seat passenger. The pair would approach the victims and ask them for help, claiming the company didn’t accept cash due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The passenger, police said, would offer cash in exchange for the victim using their debit card to pay the fare.
“The victims would insert their debit card into a point of sale terminal that was modified to capture the victims personal identification number (PIN) number, which was then followed by the taxi driver secretly swapping the victims card with a previously exploited debit card,” police said in a news release issued on Friday.
“The suspects would then use the stolen card and PIN to make large cash withdrawals and purchases.”
In total, police say that the victims of the scheme lost more than $37,000.
The vehicle used in these incidents was a decommissioned taxi cab not owned or operated by legitimate companies, police said.
CTV News Toronto has spoken to numerous victims of similar fake taxi scheme and each one said they were approached by a vulnerable-looking person asking for help to pay a taxi because the driver didn’t take cash.
“I thought he had given me my card back, but I found out it was not my card,” Vaughan resident John Mazzella said. “I felt cheated at a time I thought I was doing someone a favour.”
Mazzella paid for a taxi fare using his debit card outside of Woodbridge mall and within 13 minutes, the maximum $1,000 had been withdrawn from his account at an ATM.
In total, 12 transactions in three cities added up to almost $7,000.
Toronto nurse Susan Palmer lost about $3,700, while community organizer Aminah Sheikh told CTV News Toronto her small act of kindness ended up costing her about $4,770.
“He had a baby face and I thought of my nephews and everybody in the community. He was lost,” Sheikh said.
Sheikh accepted a $20 bill in exchange for paying a taxi fare of $19.50. When she went to pay for groceries after, she noticed that her debit card wasn’t working .
“I went on my app to see why, and I noticed right away $2,500 had been withdrawn,” she said. “I started shaking and sobbing and I went up to security and said, ‘I need help, I think I’m being robbed, and I don’t know what to do.”
Investigators say they believe there may be more victims and are urging people to come forward or reach out to Crime Stoppers anonymously.
“This has been a difficult year for many who are suffering through personal and financial pressures created by the pandemic. Despite these challenges, people from our community agreed to help someone else and were victimized for their kindness,” said Nick Milinovich, Deputy Chief of Investigative and Emergency Services, in a statement.
“It is satisfying to see this end, and our police service will continue to work diligently to hold offenders accountable for their actions and protect those that live, work or visit Peel Region.”
On Friday, police said they have charged three people in connection with the investigation.
Brampton residents Imran Kayani, 22, and Ounali Hussain, 30, have each been charged with multiple offences, including fraud under $5,000 and theft under $5,000.
A 17-year-old male youth from Brampton is also facing 44 offences, including fraud under $5,000, theft under $5,000, possession of property obtained by crime and unauthorized use of credit card data.
The teen cannot be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
An arrest warrant has also been issued for 28-year-old Syed Ali Hussain, also from Brampton. He is wanted for fraud under $5,000, theft under $5,000, possession of property obtained by crime and possessing and trafficking in credit card data.
The charges have not been proven in court.
With files from CTV News Toronto's Jon Woodward
