Taxi driver lauded as a hero after preventing grandparent scam

Abdullahi Farah does not want to be recognized as a hero, even though he acted like one by putting a halt to yet another attempt at a grandparent scam in our area.

"'I'm not even close to being a hero," Farah said. "I was just at the right place at the right time." 

On Feb. 3, Farah, an Amherstburg taxi driver, picked up a customer and quickly realized things weren't right.

"I wasn't thinking anything of it. My customer came into the cab and I greeted her and talked to her," Farah said. "After a little bit of conversation I realized that she was shaking and something was off. Something wasn't right at all.

LISTEN: Abdullahi Farah joins Windsor Morning

"So I asked her but she didn't go into the details," he said. "I knew this happened in my town before, so I said, OK, this is another case of a scam here."

After some conversation with the 86-year-old customer, Farah calmly decided to call the police.

"The minute she said, 'they told me not to talk to you.' I knew," Farah said. "My heart dropped. And then I said you've been scammed."

Farah pulled over and did everything to reassure the victim. He and the police dispatch did what they could to put the victim at ease while the police were en route.

"They came so fast," Farah said. "And long story short, It broke my heart the minute she said this was my whole life's savings. Honest to God. She's 86 years old. I just broke down. I told her, 'Listen, nothing is going to happen and the police are going to be here.'"

Farah said one of the police officers jumped in and took the lead because of a personal connection.

"They knew the victim and she talked to her" Farah said. "She is the hero. She's the one that said, to call your son first to see if your grandson is in trouble. That is the best way to verify."

Fortunately for the victim, this wasn't Farah's first brush with a scam. 

"It was the same scenario. The dispatch called me and said to pick up this old lady and take her to the bank and back," Farah said. "She added that this call was suspicious. They called from a private number and said to take her to a bank and back. I knew the victim's grandson. He was from my town. They are good people. So I called the police, and it was the same thing. We stopped that one again."

Though he may not want to be called a hero, the police certainly think Farah is.

"We would like to thank Mr. Farah for his quick thinking and fast action," police Chief Jason Bellaire said on Twitter. "He came across a person in trouble and selflessly took it upon himself to help them. His actions are commendable and an extraordinary example of good citizenship." 

Farah said he was just doing what he thought was right, and encourages others to do the same.

"If you have a big heart, don't second guess yourself," Farah said. "If you suspect something, just don't think the next person is going to solve this problem. Just try to help."