Police warn public, seek suspect in pizza scam

Toronto police are warning the public and seeking a suspect after a pizza scam that duped a well-intentioned victim.

Police say on Monday, Sept. 18, the victim was approached by a woman who asked if they would pay for her pizza with their bank card because the delivery driver wouldn’t accept cash.

The generous victim obliged and handed over their bank card to the driver.

Police say that’s when the driver switched the card with a fake one.

Later, the victim learned that their bank card was used for unauthorized withdrawals.

The suspect is described as having long dark hair and wearing a black sweater with a zipper, blue jeans and white running shoes.

Police are seeking this woman in connection to a pizza scam. Toronto Police

Toronto police are providing the following tips:

• Most legitimate delivery services accept cash, so if someone tries to convince you otherwise, this is a red flag that this may be a scam
• Never hand your card over or disclose your PIN to anyone else
• If you do hand over your card, ensure that the card that is returned to you is your card
• If you’re asked to insert or tap your card, beware of fake wireless point-of-sale terminals or those not connected to the internet.
• If something seems strange, don’t go through with the transaction

“If you think you may be a victim of debit card fraud, contact your bank immediately, and they will take the appropriate steps to protect you,” police said in a release.

“For example, they may block your card to prevent losses, ask you to change your PIN or cancel your card and issue you a new one.”

Scams involving switching debit and credit cards are nothing new. A man recently told CityNews he was taken for a ride by a fake taxi driver who pulled a similar scam, withdrawing thousands of dollars after switching his cards.