Ontario woman charged almost $7,000 for 20-minute taxi ride abroad
An Ontario woman was shocked to find she’d been charged nearly $7,000 after unknowingly using an unauthorized taxi company on the first leg of a trip to Antarctica.
"Our first stop was in Santiago, Chile and that's unfortunately where we got scammed” Pat Shacklady, of Midland, Ont., told CTV News Toronto.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
Shacklady told CTV News Toronto that she and a friend had pre-booked a taxi to pick them up at the Santiago Airport in January.
Pat Shacklady, seen above, was shocked to find she'd been charged $7,000 after unknowingly using an unauthorized taxi company on the first leg of a trip to Antarctica. (Handout)
Instead, she said they were convinced upon arrival that their driver had been in a crash and were redirected to a different company.
Shacklady said the pair offered to pay cash; “They said no, unfortunately. They didn't take cash, we had to pay with a credit card."
She was handed a receipt for $45,000 Chilean pesos, about $62, and proceeded with her trip, she said.
But when Shacklady returned home, her credit card statement showed a charge for $6,943.
“When I got home and looked at my bank account, I almost had a heart attack," she said.
When Shacklady contacted the Bank of Montreal (BMO), her claim was initially denied and she was told she would not be reimbursed.
"If it was just $200, I would say okay I was scammed for that, but $7,000, that's a lot of money," she said.
The Government of Canada currently has a travel advisory in place warning travellers to Chile of taxi scams. On its website, it states there have been reports of fraud near airports and advises only using taxis in designated areas and always checking the amount on the card reader before paying. It also suggests avoiding taxis without a meter.
CTV News reached out to BMO and a spokesperson said they were reviewing Shacklady's case. They later confirmed to CTV News the $6,943 would be reimbursed back to her card.
"I’m over the moon because that is an awful lot of money. It’s a huge relief,” Shacklady said.
Pat Shacklady, seen above, was shocked to find she'd been charged $7,000 after unknowingly using an unauthorized taxi company on the first leg of a trip to Antarctica. (Handout)
In a statement to CTV News, a BMO spokesperson said it is “pleased that the customer’s issue with the merchant was resolved through the standard dispute handling process.”
“We encourage customers and cardholders to be diligent – particularly while travelling – and regularly check their activity and statements to ensure they are able to confirm and validate all charges,” the statement reads.
It's a good habit to never let your credit card out of your sight wherever you are, as that's when a scammer could try to put through additional charges without your knowledge.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Poilievre kicked out of Commons after calling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 'wacko'
Testy exchanges between the prime minister and his chief opponent ended with the Opposition leader and one of his MPs being ejected from the House of Commons on Tuesday -- and the rest of Conservative caucus walking out of the chamber in protest.
Baby, grandparents among 4 people killed in wrong-way police chase on Ontario's Hwy. 401
A police chase which started with a liquor store robbery in Bowmanville Monday night ended in tragedy some 20 minutes later when a suspect fleeing police entered Highway 401 in the wrong direction and caused a pileup which killed an infant and the child's grandparents, as well as the suspect, investigators say.
Man dies after suffering cardiac arrest while waiting in ER, widow wants investigation
When an ambulance took David Lippert to the hospital in March of 2023, the 68-year-old Kitchener, Ont., executive was hoping to find out why he was feeling weak and unable to walk. Some 24 hours later, he was found unresponsive in the ER.
Sword-wielding man attacks passersby in London, killing a 14-year-old boy and injuring 4 others
A man wielding a sword attacked members of the public and police officers in a northeast London suburb Tuesday, killing a 14-year-old boy and injuring four other people, British authorities said.
Conservatives push motion calling for Carney to testify, say it's about 'accountability'
The federal Conservatives made good on their promise to push for former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney to testify before MPs, resulting in a heated political debate in Ottawa on Tuesday.
Freeland previews omnibus budget bill, proposed capital gains tax change left out
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will be tabling yet another omnibus bill to pass a sweeping range of measures promised in her April 16 federal budget, though left out of the legislation will be the government's proposed capital gains tax change.
WATCH Arnold Schwarzenegger spotted filming in Elora, Ont.
The name of the project has not been officially released although it’s widely believed to be the Netflix series FUBAR.
London Drugs stores remain closed, 'cybersecurity incident' may have breached personal data
London Drugs says it is working with third-party security experts as the company tries to reopen dozens of stores across Western Canada that were shuttered by a cybersecurity incident Sunday.
McGill requests 'police assistance' over pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University says it has 'requested police assistance' about the pro-Palestinian encampment on its lower field.