Provincial transit agency Metrolinx is warning the public not to buy PRESTO transit cards privately after more than 1,000 pre-loaded fare cards were stolen from a vendor on Wednesday.
Spokesperson Anne Marie Aikins told CTV News Toronto that each card was loaded with a $20 credit, but the agency has identified the serial number on each card and blocked them from being used on the network.
“Our fear is that people will think they’re getting a deal and buy a card for a cheaper price and then go to use and it won’t work at all,” Aikins said.
A blocked card will not function when tapped at a card reader and will instead direct users to speak to a customer service agent.
Metrolinx has contacted Toronto police and they are investigating the theft.
“If you’ve bought a card from someone in the last few days, call our PRESTO office or come to a transit station,” Aikins said. “You’re not going to get into any trouble.”
Last year, Metrolinx warned customers of a separate scam involving private sales of PRESTO cards. In this scheme, a seller offered a Presto card for sale for much less than the value of the credit on the card.
The seller then canceled the card and moved the balance to a new one. The old card showed a credit when scanned at a station, but would not be accepted at a fare gate.
“If you see a card being sold online for less than the value of the card, please avoid that altogether,” Aikins said.
