A jumbo taxi driver was arrested by the Incheon tourist police Tuesday after a number of foreign visitors reported being scammed out of millions in cab fare.
The 61-year-old suspect is accused of charging six customers higher out-of-town rates going from Incheon Airport to Seoul’s Gangnam area over the course of six months.
The suspect reportedly stole a total of 7.04 million won ($6,200) between June 2017 and January 2018.
A US visitor told police that his international credit card had been charged 1.86 million won, around 10 times the normal fare.
Another tourist from Australia also reported being charged 1.37 million won going from the airport to Nonhyeon-dong, southern Seoul, on Oct. 31 last year.
(Yonhap)
Based on taxi fare rates in Seoul, customers would normally pay 100,000 won for a journey from Incheon Airport to Nonhyeon-dong.
Police said the suspect took advantage of the fact that foreign customers would not be able to check their international credit card bills until a month or so.
As the driver handed over fake receipts indicating normal cab fare, the victims said they did not suspect anything at the time, according to authorities.
The suspect was booked without detention on Feb. 27, but was arrested Tuesday after police confirmed five additional victims of fraud.
By Catherine Chung (
cec82@heraldcorp.com)