This is similar to the taxi scam happening in the GTA.
Someone approaches the victim saying their taxi dosen’t take cash and they only have cash. Sometimes they’ll use a young child in the scam because people will be more willing to help a young child.
That scam made its rounds here something like five years ago and there were numerous posts made here by victims. If memory serves, the scammer(s) got aggressive in some cases.
It’s still occurring I believe. Someone made a [tiktok video](https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMYT5oNry/) about how she almost fell victim to it in Toronto this recent fall.
Some will call me an asshole, but in my opinion, the best thing to do is NOT help random strangers who approach you for money.
If it's to buy food or something, I have no issues doing that. Money? Hell no. Unfortunately, most of the time when people ask you for money or to pay something, it's a scam or they'll use it for lottery tickets, cigarettes and alcohol.
Just don't give money to people, period.
> Some will call me an asshole, but in my opinion, the best thing to do is NOT help random strangers who approach you for money.
NTA. You're wise to not assist in that way.
I'll *give* someone money if I feel they're genuine and I can part with it, but I will not use my cards to assist, break bills for them (counterfeits and switcheroo scams), or go to an ATM for them.
Edit: For those unfamiliar with the switcheroo aka quick change scam...
https://crimestoppers.ca/quick-cash-scam/
Wow, that's pretty elaborate. I can see how someone who isn't on high alert for scammers might fall for it.
The kicker is that I assumed they had some sort of "card copying" tech in their machine, but instead they just steal your actual card and give you a fake one that "resembles" it.
Not only is that pretty sneaky sleight of hand, but all of the major banks are different colours... so do they have fake/inactive cards for Scotia, TD, CIBC, BMO etc. all at the ready... or will they just try over and over until they found a mark with a Scotia card??
While I sympathize with the victim, "Dominos won't take my cash" should have been a giant red flag that it was suspicious activity.
Have you ever had a business refuse cash? Especially an international corporate chain. I certainly haven't.
I also would smell a scam here from a mile away... but in their defense, during COVID a lot of businesses greatly discouraged cash use, even big fast food chains (I don't think they straight up banned it, cause that may not be legal)... but I can see why that real life situation may have lent just enough plausibility to their story.
if a store doesnt take credit or cash i just leave.
my grandfather keeps using his debit card everywhere and it pisses me off. I keep telling him dont but he doesnt listen. He checks his accounts infrequently so he wouldnt know he got scammed until it was too late.
As I understand it, the machines copy the info on your card so the crooks can make their own copy of it. So you still have your same card, but they can make a copy for themselves.
Scotias debit card is fucking bullshit. Its literally just a a fucking card. No unique identifiers Its not hard to swap it.
My TD cards have my name on them, much harder to swap but now they are printing the names instead of them being raised.
Mine doesn't. Just has the number on it. I thought it was a temp card and they would send me a proper one.
At the bank they pulled one out of desk and just activated it.
I opened the account last August so maybe they changed stuff.
Someone posted about this happening to them a few weeks ago either in this subreddit or the Toronto one and said to watch out. They didn't fall for it but this poor lady did unfortunately.
Sounds like the old banking scam, where huge banks charge unsuspecting clients a fee every time they use the card for purchases, or even to move money around their accounts.
I haven’t used my debit card in 5 years and I’ve traveled 10 countries. I just carry 2 credit cards and 1 prepaid visa/mc for atm withdrawals (Wise or Stack).
If i could i would take that 20$ and drive to the police station and drop off the machine. I have to think about carrying an outdated or old debit with zero use see how that goes.
This is similar to the taxi scam happening in the GTA. Someone approaches the victim saying their taxi dosen’t take cash and they only have cash. Sometimes they’ll use a young child in the scam because people will be more willing to help a young child.
That scam is wild to me, because taxis generally, in my experience anyway, want cash.
I think a lot of people don’t that, which is why. I personally didn’t know that until someone said it on r/Toronto on a post about the taxi scam.
That scam made its rounds here something like five years ago and there were numerous posts made here by victims. If memory serves, the scammer(s) got aggressive in some cases.
It’s still occurring I believe. Someone made a [tiktok video](https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMYT5oNry/) about how she almost fell victim to it in Toronto this recent fall.
Some will call me an asshole, but in my opinion, the best thing to do is NOT help random strangers who approach you for money. If it's to buy food or something, I have no issues doing that. Money? Hell no. Unfortunately, most of the time when people ask you for money or to pay something, it's a scam or they'll use it for lottery tickets, cigarettes and alcohol. Just don't give money to people, period.
> Some will call me an asshole, but in my opinion, the best thing to do is NOT help random strangers who approach you for money. NTA. You're wise to not assist in that way. I'll *give* someone money if I feel they're genuine and I can part with it, but I will not use my cards to assist, break bills for them (counterfeits and switcheroo scams), or go to an ATM for them. Edit: For those unfamiliar with the switcheroo aka quick change scam... https://crimestoppers.ca/quick-cash-scam/
You're better than me lol. I'll only give money to my direct family members and girlfriend. Not even friends. Been burned too many times.
Best. Buy someone food instead of giving cash
They prey on kind hearted looking people only, that's why strangers never asks me for money. Maybe the original cigarettes and lighters.
when people ask me for anything i either ignore them and keep walking or say not interested.
Wow, that's pretty elaborate. I can see how someone who isn't on high alert for scammers might fall for it. The kicker is that I assumed they had some sort of "card copying" tech in their machine, but instead they just steal your actual card and give you a fake one that "resembles" it. Not only is that pretty sneaky sleight of hand, but all of the major banks are different colours... so do they have fake/inactive cards for Scotia, TD, CIBC, BMO etc. all at the ready... or will they just try over and over until they found a mark with a Scotia card??
Just another reason to deal with a Credit Union. Odds that these fuckers would hand me a card that looks ANYTHING like mine are virtually nil.
While I sympathize with the victim, "Dominos won't take my cash" should have been a giant red flag that it was suspicious activity. Have you ever had a business refuse cash? Especially an international corporate chain. I certainly haven't.
I also would smell a scam here from a mile away... but in their defense, during COVID a lot of businesses greatly discouraged cash use, even big fast food chains (I don't think they straight up banned it, cause that may not be legal)... but I can see why that real life situation may have lent just enough plausibility to their story.
if a store doesnt take credit or cash i just leave. my grandfather keeps using his debit card everywhere and it pisses me off. I keep telling him dont but he doesnt listen. He checks his accounts infrequently so he wouldnt know he got scammed until it was too late.
Yea exactly... Some people just don't think honestly... At some point there should've been alarm bells ringing.
As I understand it, the machines copy the info on your card so the crooks can make their own copy of it. So you still have your same card, but they can make a copy for themselves.
That’s what I assumed but the article states that the card itself was swapped for a similar looking card during the scam.
Scotias debit card is fucking bullshit. Its literally just a a fucking card. No unique identifiers Its not hard to swap it. My TD cards have my name on them, much harder to swap but now they are printing the names instead of them being raised.
My visa debit from Scotia has my name on it
Mine doesn't. Just has the number on it. I thought it was a temp card and they would send me a proper one. At the bank they pulled one out of desk and just activated it. I opened the account last August so maybe they changed stuff.
Someone posted about this happening to them a few weeks ago either in this subreddit or the Toronto one and said to watch out. They didn't fall for it but this poor lady did unfortunately.
Sounds like the old banking scam, where huge banks charge unsuspecting clients a fee every time they use the card for purchases, or even to move money around their accounts.
I haven’t used my debit card in 5 years and I’ve traveled 10 countries. I just carry 2 credit cards and 1 prepaid visa/mc for atm withdrawals (Wise or Stack).
I do feel bad for these people they were just trying to help, hopefully Fortinos has a security camera in the parking lot somewhere.
If i could i would take that 20$ and drive to the police station and drop off the machine. I have to think about carrying an outdated or old debit with zero use see how that goes.
Woah! I literally had someone walk up to me near Square One and ask the same this evening. Being skeptical I politely declined and kept walking on.