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A seasoned Hong Kong cab driver was duped into accepting a counterfeit money scam after accepting a fake HK$500 banknote during a late-night trip, prompting warnings across the local taxi community.
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Nighttime fare turns into smooth getaway
The incident occurred early Monday morning when a man hailed a taxi near Charming Garden in Mong Kok, for a short ride to Lok Kwan Street Park in Tai Kok Tsui. Upon reaching the destination, the man handed over a Bank of China HK$500 note to pay the HK$29 fare.
Taking advantage of the dim lighting inside the cabin, the suspect collected HK$471 in change before vanishing into the night.
The driver, a veteran with over twenty years behind the wheel, only noticed the unusual texture of the banknote roughly five minutes after the passenger had departed. On closer inspection, he realized the note was a crude fake that felt more like ordinary paper than currency paper.
Dashcam footage showed the passenger appeared restless throughout the journey and spoke with a non-local accent.
Widespread scam targets local cabbies
After sharing details and security footage within local online driver groups to raise awareness, the victim learned that several other cabbies had recently been targeted by an individual matching the same description. Industry peers suspect the perpetrator has been actively operating in the area in recent days.
Although the driver previously reported a similar counterfeit incident to the police a few years ago, he has opted not to file a formal report this time. His family noted that despite adopting electronic payment systems two years ago to minimize risks, drivers remain vulnerable as long as cash payments are accepted.
Industry members are being urged to exercise extra caution when handling high-value banknotes during late-night shifts.
