Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS) is warning the public about an ongoing debit card swap scam.
In this scam, two suspects work together and will approach the victim in busy retail parking lots. One suspect will act as a customer purchasing food or goods and request the victim pay for their order in exchange for cash. They will claim they only have cash and do not have any cards for payment or that their payment cards are not functioning properly. The other suspect will act as a food delivery driver or vendor and will use a debit terminal to take payment. Both suspects are working together but will act as if they do not know each other.
During the transaction, the suspect will secretly swap the victim’s debit card with a similar card, while having the victim enter their PIN into the debit terminal. The suspect will return a different card to the victim, before both suspects leave the area. The victim’s bank account is often drained within minutes, police said.
The first suspect is described as: female, Black, approximately 5’5” tall, approximately 20-30 years-old, with a medium build.
The second suspect is described as: male, South Asian, approximately 5’5” tall, approximately 30-40 years-old, with a medium build, with a shaved head, full black-coloured beard.
If you encounter anyone using this method to take a card payment in exchange for cash, or similar suspicious behaviour, please contact police.
Anyone with information about these incidents is asked to contact the West Division Criminal Investigations Branch at 1-888-579-1520 ext. 1905.
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