Ontario woman's $7 taxi ride cost her nearly $7,500 instead
A woman visiting Toronto from London, Ont. last month said she nearly lost $7,500 after using her debit card to pay for a $7 taxi ride.
"It was terrible. It was horrific. It made me wonder if I would ever take a taxi again," LeAnne Beauchemin told CTV News Toronto.
Beacuhemin said she was visiting Toronto with friends to see the sold-out show, "The Tina Turner Musical." After the performance ended around 11 p.m., she said they searched for a taxi to take them to Union Station.
"There was a black sedan parked right there, and it said taxi on its roof," Beauchemin said.
After a short ride, Beacuhamin said the driver wouldn't accept cash.
"The fare came to just $7, and I handed him a $10 bill, but he wouldn't accept it and said, 'No cash, just debit,'" said Beauchemin.
Reluctantly, she paid with her debit card and thought everything was fine until the following day when she went to use her card again and saw it had been switched, and there were multiple fraudulent charges on her account -- a total of $7,485.
"I would really like the bank to honour this fraud because this is a taxi scam fraud and we are victims here," said Beauchemin.
The Canadian Taxi Association (CTA) said there has been an increase in taxi scams, and it partly blames the sale of generic taxi signs on websites like Amazon.
The president of the CTA, Marc Andre Way, said that anyone can affix one to their car and pretend to be a taxi driver.
Way said a sure red flag it is a scam is when a taxi driver won't accept cash.
"Taxi drivers want cash and accept cash, and they prefer to get cash throughout the day," said Way.
Way said he contacted Amazon and asked the company to cease selling these taxi signs for public safety reasons, but Amazon said it is legal to sell them.
It's why, before entering a cab, Way said to take the time to ensure it's a legitimate, properly licenced taxi.
"When you're looking at a taxi, look for branding, look for a plate on the back of the car, look for a number on the side of the car whether on the right fender or the rear fender," said Way.
A spokesperson for the Bank of Montreal, where Beauchemin banks, confirmed to CTV News Toronto that she would be getting her money back.
"We immediately reviewed this matter after our customer was in contact with us, and it has now been resolved as part of our regular process," the spokesperson said.
Another prevalent taxi-related scam in Toronto is when a fraudster approaches someone asking for help to pay for their taxi since the driver wouldn't accept cash, offering cash in exchange for using their debit card to complete the transaction.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trudeau says Ukraine can strike deep into Russia with NATO arms, Putin hints at war
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Ukraine should be allowed to strike deep inside Russia, despite Moscow threatening that this would draw Canada and its allies into direct war.
Driver charged with killing NHL's Johnny Gaudreau and his brother had .087 blood-alcohol level
The driver charged with killing NHL hockey player Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew as they bicycled on a rural road had a blood-alcohol level of .087, above the .08 legal limit in New Jersey, a prosecutor said Friday.
'I couldn't form the words': 23-year-old Ont. woman highlights need for rural health care after stroke
The experience of 23-year-old Muskoka, Ont., resident Robyn Penniall, who recently had a stroke, comes as concerns are being raised about the future of health care in her community.
Air Canada travellers share worries and frustrations ahead of possible pilot strike
Here's what customers had to say about their travel plans ahead of a potential Air Canada pilot strike.
What's behind the boom? The Manitoba community that nearly doubled in a decade
For decades, the Town of Ste. Anne was stagnant, but that all changed about 10 years ago. Now it is seeing one of the highest spikes of growth in the province.
Three-way race expected in Montreal byelection
Byelections rarely draw the kind of attention that has now put a spotlight on a vibrant and densely populated Montreal riding. The Monday vote in Lasalle-Ville Emard-Verdun, in the city’s southwest, is shaping up as a three-way race and a test of the strength of the Liberal party’s base.
Loblaw using body-worn cameras at 2 Calgary stores as part of pilot project
Loblaw is launching a pilot program that will see employees at two Calgary locations don body-worn cameras in an effort to increase safety.
Somali community alarmed after Ottawa police officers wiretapped, watched
Members of Ottawa's Somali community came together Thursday to denounce the Ottawa police use of wiretaps and video surveillance on five of its own Black officers of Somali decent and their family members.
Canadian warship seizes 1,400 kilos of cocaine off Central America
A Canadian warship has seized more than 1,400 kilograms of cocaine during an anti-drug-trafficking operation in Central America.