Copenhagen Police warns against pirate taxis: Do not use them

Copenhagen Police are issuing a warning after several, especially young men, have had their credit cards stolen and misused when taking a pirate taxi home from nightlife.

The police are currently investigating several such cases, prompting them to advise against using pirate taxis when heading home from a party or Christmas celebration.

-“One should stay away from pirate taxis. They are illegal in themselves, and unfortunately, we see cases where the driver cunningly tricks both the card and PIN code from the customer who has just entered the car. We believe the perpetrators deliberately target the young, who are most intoxicated and therefore perhaps the easiest to deceive,” says Police Commissioner Thor Munck Grønbæk from the Copenhagen Police.

Instead, he encourages using an authorized taxi, taking the train, or having a family member pick you up.

The incidents are particularly registered in the Inner City. After the ride, the driver has something resembling a payment terminal and thus manages to obtain the PIN code. Subsequently, the passenger becomes a victim of a trick theft, losing their payment card, which is then misused, posing a risk of significant financial loss.

-“It is very frustrating to wake up the day after a night out and discover that you have been a victim of theft and identity fraud. Even though we have made several arrests, we still receive new reports that we are currently investigating, and it is also an issue we pay extra attention to when patrolling the nightlife,” says Thor Munck Grønbæk.

Last year, a similar case resulted in a conviction, where a then 22-year-old man was sentenced to one and a half years in prison for stealing more than 20 credit cards in connection with pirate taxi rides. He used the cards to withdraw over half a million kroner, which was subsequently confiscated. In addition, he was ordered to pay compensation of approximately 200,000 kroner. One year of the prison sentence was suspended.