People who take taxis in Moncton are being warned to make sure the cab they get into is a registered one.

The warning comes in light of reports of fake taxis approaching people, offering deep discounts on rides.

"It's better to wait that 20 minutes or half an hour for a legitimate taxi, rather than getting into a vehicle with somebody you don't know," said Greg Estabrooks, who has been a cab driver for decades and is also chairman of the Moncton Taxi Committee.

RCMP Cpl. Mike Titus, who is also a member of the taxi committee, agrees. He says he recently dealt with an imposter cabbie who was advertising cheaper fares online.

"You don't know who you're getting in the car with and that's why it's important to be looking for the stickers on the outside of the vehicle and to look for their taxi driver's permit on the inside of the vehicle," he said.

Regulated city taxis also have roof signs and an 'H' at the beginning of the licence plate.

Anyone who is offered a paid ride from a suspicious vehicle should contact police, said Estabrooks.

"Take the [licence] plate number and description and call the police and say, 'This person just offered to take me for a drive for money.' The minute they do that, under provincial law, they are putting themselves out there as a taxi, and of course, they are not meeting any of the requirements," he said.