London police investigating $100,000 in fraud

One of the suspects in a London police fraud investigation. (Source: London police)

London police are investigating multiple fraud complaints involving the swapping of debit cards and the loss of over $100,000.

According to police, a number of victims reported being approached in different locations throughout the city by a suspect getting out of a vehicle victims were led to believe was a taxi.

All of the instances were reported to play out as follows:

• suspect says the driver will not accept cash due to the new COVID variant
• suspect asks the victim for assistance paying for his fare on a promise to repay them in cash, and a quantity of cash is displayed
• victim is provided a debit machine and pays the fare using their debit card
• suspect reimburses the victim in cash
• driver provides a receipt and a debit card to the victim

Afterwards, each victim learned a large sum of money had been removed from their account and the debit card given back to them wasn’t theirs.

Police say individual victims have been defrauded of between $1,100 and $13,000, totaling approximately $100,000 altogether.

The suspects are described as follows:

Police describe the first suspect as an 18 to 20-year-old man wearing a puffy jacket, Timberland boots, a black hat and a medical mask.

The second suspect is described as a man about 40-years-old, wearing all black clothing, a black had and a medical mask.

The vehicle being used is described as a four-door sedan, believed to be a 2014 silver Nissan Altima with a fake taxi sign on the roof.

Anyone with information is asked to call the London Police Service Fraud Intake line at [phone], extension 5257 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).