Eleven arrested in Toronto over intricate fake taxi card fraud totalling more than $500,000
- Perry Richardson
- Jun 20
- 2 min read
Eleven people have been arrested in Toronto after a large-scale taxi card fraud operation was uncovered by the city’s Financial Crimes Unit.
The investigation, named Project Fare, focused on a network of individuals accused of carrying out a scheme dubbed the “taxi scam”. According to police, suspects used vehicles modified to look like licensed taxis to pick up victims and steal their bank cards.
Victims were told to pay their fare using a debit or credit card. During the payment, it is alleged the suspects swapped the victim’s card for a similar one while observing the PIN. The real card was then passed to accomplices who used it to withdraw cash, deposit fake cheques to inflate balances, and buy expensive items.
Police say the investigation began in July 2024 after a rise in reports from members of the public. Initially, officers connected 61 incidents. By the end of the investigation, more than 300 incidents were linked to the group, with total losses to victims exceeding $500,000.
On 21 May 2025, officers from the Financial Crimes Unit, supported by teams from five divisions, carried out three search warrants. They arrested the suspects and seized a number of items including point of sale terminals, luxury clothing, electronics, artwork, and multiple fake taxis. A collection of bank cards was also recovered.
Images of some of the seized goods have been made public. On 21 May 2025, officers from the Financial Crimes Unit, supported by teams from five divisions, carried out three search warrants. They arrested the suspects and seized a number of items including point of sale terminals, luxury clothing, electronics, artwork, and multiple fake taxis. A collection of bank cards was also recovered.
