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
Two killed after collision with truck on Hwy. 417 near Limoges, Ont.
Ontario Provincial Police say two people were killed after a car and a transport truck collided in the westbound lanes of Highway 417 near Limoges, Ont. on Tuesday afternoon.
Houston braces for flooding to worsen in wake of storms
High waters flooded neighborhoods around Houston on Saturday following heavy rains that have already resulted in crews rescuing hundreds of people from homes, rooftops and roads engulfed in murky water.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
What a U.S. farmworker’s case of bird flu tells us about tracking the infection
A U.S. farmworker who caught bird flu after working with dairy cattle in Texas appears to be the first known case of mammal-to-human transmission of the virus, a new study shows.
‘We made them safer and more fun’: Here’s what’s new about e-scooters
Electric scooters (e-scooters) have been gaining popularity in the capital and this season comes with some changes and updates.
Hulk Hogan, hurricanes and a blockbuster recording: A week in review of the Trump hush money trial
Crucial witnesses took the stand in the second week of testimony in Donald Trump's hush money trial, including a California lawyer who negotiated deals at the center of the case and a longtime adviser to the former president.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Canadian Auger-Aliassime reaches first Masters final in Madrid with another walkover
Montreal's Felix Auger-Aliassime has advanced to his first ATP Masters final, and he hasn't had to play all that much tennis to do it.