Metrolinx warning transit users about purchasing stolen PRESTO cards
Posted December 29, 2017 9:48 pm.
Last Updated December 29, 2017 11:28 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Toronto police are investigating the theft of approximately $20,000 worth of PRESTO cards.
Metrolinx says the theft occurred on Wednesday from a third-party vendor.
“We have determined that none of the cards are in use as yet and we have initiated a blocking action, so if sold, the cards will be of no value to the purchaser,” Metrolinx said in a statement on Friday.
Each of the cards has a pre-loaded value of $20 on them and Metrolinx is warning transit users about buying cards online, saying a full list of retailers can be found on their website.
“If you see a deal online and it sounds too good to be true, it is too good to be true,” said Metrolinx spokesperson Anne-Marie Aikins. “So please don’t waste your money.”
Presto card scams are nothing new and have been on the rise on websites like Craigslist and Kijiji — and even social media.
In some cases, scammers try to rip off customers by selling cards with a value of $400, $500, or even $1000 for less and then cancelling the card and freezing the money.
