Scam Alert - Transportation/Delivery Service - Scam - Update

Update – December 10, 2024

3 District (Welland/Fonthill) detectives with the Niagara Regional Police Service would like to inform the public that this is now occurring in the Welland/Pelham/Fonthill area.

On December 7, 2024 a victim was approached by two suspects, a male and a female. The female suspect informed the victim that she was unable to pay her $10 cab fare as the taxi was not accepting cash. She was observed holding a $10 bill and asked the victim if she could use their bank card for payment, stating that she did not have one. The victim agreed to help and noticed a four-door sedan with a blue light on the roof, believed to be a taxicab, idling nearby.

The victim approached the vehicle and provided their debit card to the male driver, who instructed the victim to insert the card into a payment machine and enter the PIN number. The male suspect was in possession of what is believed to be a skimming device or card reader. While the victim was briefly distracted by the female suspect, the male driver switched the victim’s legitimate bank/debit card with a fraudulent one.

The victim unknowingly took the fraudulent card from the skimming device and left the scene. Shortly after, the male and female suspects made multiple unauthorized withdrawals from the victim’s account.

The suspects are described as:

Female Suspect:

White, approximately 20-25 years old
5’2”
Medium build
Long dark hair
Wearing a black puffy winter coat

Male Suspect:

Brown, approximately 25-30 years old
Very thin build
Wearing a blue t-shirt

Suspect Vehicle Description:

Four-door sedan, possibly grey or silver in color
Blue light on the roof, resembling a taxicab

If anyone has any information please contact detectives at 905-688-4111, option 3, ext. 1009106.

Members of the public who wish to provide information anonymously can contact Crime Stoppers of Niagara online or by calling 1-800-222-8477. Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards to persons who contact the program with information which leads to an arrest.

The Niagara Regional Police Service would like to remind the public to exercise caution when providing assistance or sharing personal information with strangers. Be aware of potential scams, especially when it involves banking details or financial transactions.

Original Release – September 24, 2024

The Niagara Regional Police Service is warning the public about a new scam occurring in the St. Catharines area.

Detectives have discovered that the scam involves an individual pretending to be a customer who exits a vehicle with a taxi or Domino’s roof sign. The scammer then approaches a potential victim, claiming the driver only accepts card payments and not cash. The scammer offers the victim cash in exchange for using their debit card. Once the victim agrees, the scammer discreetly swaps the victim's card with an invalid one. The suspect then takes the victim’s card to a nearby ATM to withdraw as much money as possible.

To protect yourself from falling victim to this scam, the Niagara Regional Police Service offers the following safety tips:

Never hand over your debit or credit card to someone you don't know, even if they offer cash in return.
Avoid entering your PIN for anyone else, regardless of the situation.
Be cautious of strangers who ask for help with payments, especially if they approach you with an urgent request.
Always double-check your card after any transaction to ensure it is yours.
Trust your instincts – if something feels off or too good to be true, walk away.
Report any suspicious activity to the police or your bank as soon as possible.

By staying vigilant and aware, you can help protect yourself and others from this type of scam.

For more information on how to protect yourself from fraud, visit the NRPS website or the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre website.

If anyone has any information please contact detectives at 905-688-4111, option 3, ext. 1008914.

#24-105245