WATCH ABOVE: Two small West Island businesses say they’re the victim of credit card fraud costing tens of thousands of dollars. Global’s Billy Shields has more.
DORVAL – At least two small West Island businesses have been hit with a credit card scam costing tens of thousands of dollars.
John Hislop and his business partner, Berenice Reyna, opened Mexican restaurant Epazote & Haricot in November.
In March, they said a company calling itself Montreal Construction and Design started ordering regular, large lunchtime orders.
“I mean there’s a condo going up at every corner of the city,” Hislop said.
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“We assumed it was a big construction project.”
Hislop and Reyna said about two weeks in, they received a call from Elavon Merchant Services saying the charges were bogus.
The number for the business stopped working and a Google search doesn’t come up with anything.
The worst part? The pair said they were told by the credit card machine company that the responsibility lies with them.
“As a merchant, there’s a big company who tells you they’ll provide a service,” Reyna said.
“Now you think – who is scamming who?”
Elavon did not return Global News’ request for a comment on Sunday.
Diane Rowe, who works at Chez Gael in Dorval, told Global News the bakery – just a five minute drive away from Epazote & Haricot – also fell victim to the same scam.
“I would say we lost at least $10,000… if not more.”
This time, it was Visa and MasterCard who told Chez Gael they were out the money, Rowe said.
“Credit card companies set the rules that merchants who accept those cards follow,” wrote Katie Payne, with the Canadian Bankers Association, in an email.
Montreal Police are looking into the alleged frauds, but would not give an interview.
It isn’t clear what motivated the alleged fraudsters, who didn’t collect any money through the scam – just several boxed lunches.
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