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
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.
BREAKING Israeli forces seize Rafah border crossing in Gaza, putting ceasefire talks on knife's edge
Israeli tanks seized control of Gaza’s vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as ceasefire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife’s edge.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
Noelia Voigt resigns as Miss USA, citing her mental health
Noelia Voigt, who was crowned Miss USA in November 2023, has announced she is resigning from her role, saying the decision is in the best interest of her mental health.
Putin begins his fifth term as president, more in control of Russia than ever
Vladimir Putin began his fifth term Tuesday as Russian leader at a glittering Kremlin inauguration, setting out on another six years in office after destroying his political opponents, launching a devastating war in Ukraine and concentrating all power in his hands.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.