Beware Melbourne Taxis skimming credit cards

[Lynda2475]

As a general rule I use Uber instead of taxis as not only is it more price competitive you generally get a better driver, cleaner car and dont have to worry about payment in vehicle or having you card skimmed.

Ive only caught a taxi twice in the last year, both times from Melbourne CBD to Airport and both times my credit card has been skimmed and used for fraudulent purchases within 48 hours.

First time was about 6 months ago, on coproate credit card which had only ever been used for hotel payment and taxis. CBA fraud team notified me immediately. New card issued.

Second time was last Friday night when myself and 3 colegaues took a taxi from the rank outsuide the office to the airport because we were in a hurry to make a flight (which was of course delayed). Firstly the driver tried to say it should be 2 fares because we dropped one colleague at Virgin before continuing to Qantas and we said no, then the bugger skimmed my card.

Westpac picked up the fraud straight away (last night) as that card is hardly used and ive lodged a complaint about the driver with GM Cabs. Westpac told me they have had significant issues with Melbourne Taxi drivers skimming cards (often using apple pay terminal), and that going forward if using a card in a taxi make sure I insert the chip and use a PIN i.e. never tap.

The inconvenience of having another card cacnelled is enough for me to never take a Melbourne cab ever again, I may have been incredibly unlucky but 2 skimmed cards in 2 trips is very bad odds.

Taxi industry love to compalin about Uber/OLA etc - but at least their payment engines are secure, and drivers have no visiblity of your card.

 

[TheInsider]

And Melbourne Taxis wonder why they keep on getting less and less business...

 

[Lynda2475]

And Melbourne Taxis wonder why they keep on getting less and less business

Exactly, Friday was the last straw with me.

 

[kpc]

Ditto Sydney taxis! I only take Ola / Uber in Sydney now

 

[Mattg]

Between this and the taxi driver touts that frequently hang around Melbourne Airport harassing arriving passengers, this is why I usually use Ola and Uber now in Melbourne!

 

[opusman]

What's the actual mechanism he used to skim your card? My understanding is you can't duplicate a credit card via paywave, only via the magnetic stripe.

 

[Lynda2475]

That is what I always thought, but according to Westpac, lastest method can copy by tapping (a reader on back of the apple pay or credit card machine) copies the NFC signal. Either way wont be taking a taxi again.

 

[FrankP]

Yes I’d like to know also - how exactly did they skim the cards? Esp with “Apple Pay” terminals which I thought were no different to other EFTPOS ie. you can’t just follow thru with another txn and every txn has to be authorised. Was it that they put in a higher amount and in a hurry you didn’t notice? I’ve had similar happen in restaurants where they added a “tip” after I’d signed but I didn’t notice on the final receipt (nowadays I never leave the “tip” field blank).

 

[Lynda2475]

no the amount for the trip was correct, there was a bogus $150 transaction on that card (made with a copied card) on Sunday - the card was last used in the taxi on Friday, and before that hadnt phsycially been used for well over 18 months. Westpac felt certain the taxi was the culprit, Westpac mentioned apple pay but I dont use apple products so not sure how that was relevant.

I admit to not watching the driver the whole time when he took my card, as co-workers were checking which bag was mine etc. Whole thing is a pain, the sooner Melbourne gets a train from CBD to airport the better.

 

[Tallfont]

I am 99.9% certain my AMEX Plat Charge was skimmed by a taxi at Perth International some years ago. I never let the card out of my sight and am very fastidious where and how I use it.

The method I believe he used was when we got to my destination he reached down to the side of the transmission tunnel (Ford Falcon - big tunnel!) and did something with the card. He then said "oh sorry, wrong machine" and put it through a "normal" EFTPOS machine. At the time I thought it was unusual but didn't think to much of it. And then the notifications came from AMEX that there were a lot of charges coming from Germany and was I there? Of course I wasn't!

Anyway, problem solved now. After I had another Taxi at Perth airport that didn't know the way out of the airport I switched to Uber. Used them in five or six countries without any complaints.

 

[Isochronous]

Airport authorities should invest in security guards to really crackdown on taxi touts waiting in the arrival hall - it makes for a very ugly stain on the travel experience when a visitor's first impression to a city is being harrassed by charlatans.

 

[Mattg]

Airport authorities should invest in security guards to really crackdown on taxi touts waiting in the arrival hall - it makes for a very ugly stain on the travel experience when a visitor's first impression to a city is being harrassed by charlatans.

I can't believe the Victorian state government legalised this in 2017.

 

[Hvr]

Victorian taxis are the worst all over the state. I expect them to try and steal from me every time I enter one.

A discreet photo of their identification card and internal rego number display means I know what number taxi I was in.

Knowing where I am going and dictating the route is essential. My trip home doesn't have tolls but every time I travel home the driver tries to tell me we've incurred a toll.

The sooner this grubby corrupt 'industry' is eliminated the better for all.

 

[NoName]

And they wonder why people have abandoned them en masse to Uber and co. The industry is infested with enough scumbags to totally tarnish them all.

 

[AisleSeat]

Airport authorities should invest in security guards to really crackdown on taxi touts waiting in the arrival hall - it makes for a very ugly stain on the travel experience when a visitor's first impression to a city is being harrassed by charlatans.

On the ABC just last week

I can't believe the Victorian state government legalised this in 2017.

Private members bill to reinstate the ban is being voted on 13 November.

Stop Touting in Victoria | Rod Barton

rodbarton.com.au

 

[theblank]

Taxis in Sydney were commonly skimming cards over 10 years ago. MOI was to do it for airport to city travellers (ie visitors)
the driver took my card, swiped it a couple of times and said its not working and did I have cash.

Same thing, few days later, a copied card was being used. Rang the bank and straight up the fraud guy said "thats how they do it" and added the crime syndicates pay the taxi drivers $100 for every card skimmed.

That is what I always thought, but according to Westpac, lastest method can copy by tapping (a reader on back of the apple pay or credit card machine) copies the NFC signal. Either way wont be taking a taxi again.

They can copy the card number, expiry date, but they cant make a card that will work in paypass or chip readers. So these copied card can only be used online (without the CVC) or in swipe terminals.

 

[UP4014]

And to think Reg Kermode skimmed everyone in broad daylight for years which continues on to this day.....

 

[Buzzard]

When in MEL I use the taxi company recommended to me by @Cruiser Elite. Beautiful kept cars like Mercs, polite drivers, offer water. It's more like a chauffeur service but you only pay regular taxi prices. Never had a problem. They can pick me up from the airport or CBD anytime.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

When in MEL I use the taxi company recommended to me by @Cruiser Elite. Beautiful kept cars like Mercs, polite drivers, offer water. It's more like a chauffeur service but you only pay regular taxi prices. Never had a problem. They can pick me up from the airport or CBD anytime.

Yep Silver Service at standard taxi rates - Uber / DiDi / Ola ok for solo pax or when out and about on the town but totally unsuitable to / from airport with 2 or more pax with luggage as you have no idea what little shiit box might turn up - and as for Uber / DiDi / Ola drivers - no better than taxi drivewrs on average.

At least ALL Jimmy's associate drivers are TOTALLY PROFESSIONAL - so again as a community announcement if you want quality transport at reasonable rates SMS Jimmy with your name / pick up address / desired time / destination and he or one of his associates will be there 5-10mins earely - GUARANTEED.

When arriving back into MEL prior to dep flt sms Jimmy with your flt no. and he will be waiting - once you collect luggage send another sms stating 'Leaving Terminal Now' and walk across to Pre-Booked Taxi waiting area NE end of T1, T2, T3 car park - simple





Of course if you don't want quality transport at affordable rates go get an Uber

 

[Isochronous]

Thanks for the tip!