Laurence Dollimore
IRISH holidaymakers have warned of a taxi con artist operating on the Costa del Sol.
John Parker, 73, was ‘forced’ to pay €77 by a fake taxi driver who had previously offered the trip for €6.
Parker was approached while standing at the Miraflores bus stop with his wife in Mijas Costa, waiting to go to La Cañada shopping centre, near Marbella.
A Spanish man purporting to be sent from the bus company pulled up in a brown Fiat and told the couple – who were celebrating their 50th anniversary – that all buses had been cancelled.
He said he was happy to take them to the shopping centre for the same price as the bus.
“The guy had a badge and seemed pretty official so we agreed,” Parker told the Olive Press.
But when they arrived and Parker’s wife first left the car, the driver allegedly locked the doors and parallel parked next to another car so Parker couldn’t get out.
“He just kept demanding €77 and became very aggressive,” he added.
“We thought best to just pay him as we were only here for a week and didn’t want it to be ruined.
“We now just want to warn expats and other holidaymakers to avoid scams like these.”
Parker, who is disabled, reported the incident to staff at his hotel, who have now informed police.
