Police investigating fake taxi scam in Cambridge

A Waterloo Regional Police car is shown in this file photo.

Cambridge — Waterloo regional police are investigating after a Cambridge resident fell victim to a taxi scam.

On May 22, the victim reported she was outside her residence in near Bruce Street when a taxi pulled up beside her, police said in a release Thursday.

Officials allege the male passenger requested assistance with pay for his cab fare as the taxi driver would not accept cash. The passenger offered to give the victim the cash if she could pay with her debit card.

Police say the victim agreed and made payment with a hand-held debit machine, but a day later, the victim's debit card has been compromised.

The male passenger is described as being in his early 20s, about 5'7" tall with a slim build.

The taxi driver is described as a white male in his late 30s, with curly black shoulder length hair. He was wearing a ball cap and a blue mask.

Police describe the vehicle as black, with signage that stated 'taxi.'

The incident in Cambridge took place the same day that Guelph police received multiple complaints about a fake taxi scam in that city.

Anyone who may have fell victim to a similar scam is urged to call police, and officials are reminding the public to never lose sight of their debit or credit cards whenever making payments.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call police or crime stoppers.