The story of a tourist from New Zealand, who was charged more than 1,500 euros by a taxi driver in Zagreb for a kilometer-long ride, took an unexpected turn.
The taxi driver Ivan Madžar paid Carol Cowan 1,350 euros to her account, after the trauma she experienced while traveling through Europe, writes Jutarnji list, which uncovered this incredible scam.
This is a case from May of this year, when Cowan paid probably the most expensive taxi ride in the history of taxi services, as much as 1,509 euros for a ride of 1.05 km.
Given that already halfway through the ride from the Main Railway Station in Zagreb to Frankopanska Street, the taximeter far exceeded 65 euros, which was all Carol had in cash, the taxi driver offered her to pay the amount by card.
However, since he did not have a card device, he informed her that a “boss” with a device would be waiting for them at the destination. That was Ivan Madžar, the owner and only employee of the taxi company “Ivan Madžar”.
“When we arrived at Frankopanska Street, the taximeter showed 185, and I was crying. Then he said he would give me a discount and charge ‘only’ 150 euros. I didn’t see the other car arrive, but I heard them talking, and then my driver put the card device in front of my face and said: ‘150, ok?’ The screen said 150 and I said – ok” the New Zealander told Jutarnji.
The taxi driver then told her that she would have to enter the PIN into the device, took her card from her hand, and inserted it into the device himself.
“He held it above my eye level. I entered the PIN, then he returned the card to me and handed the device through the window, and the other car left,” she recounted the moment when the man typed 1,506 instead of 150 euros into the device.
Since she did not know if her card details were stolen and if she would lose the rest of her money, instead of continuing her journey, she decided to immediately book a plane ticket to return home to New Zealand.
She paid less than a third of the price for the flight to Singapore than she paid for the taxi ride from the Main Railway Station to Frankopanska Street in Zagreb.
“That night I canceled everything – trips, accommodation and the tour of Greece – and booked a return flight. I left Zagreb on May 28” said Carol.
The taxi driver justified himself yesterday by saying that it was raining and that he could not see what his colleague had typed into the device, but Carol denied that version of the story as well.
“What nonsense that man said! It wasn’t raining, it was a warm day. An honest person would see that the amount on the bill was not correct and would ask for a refund, wouldn’t they?” claims Carol.
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Source: Euronews; Photo: Pixabay