SYRACUSE -- Fort Drum soldiers, the next time you arrive at Hancock Airport, be careful who you get a ride from. Syracuse police say there's a scam targeting you.

Here's some background about what happened:

Police say several members of the military, based at Fort Drum, flew into Syracuse's Hancock International Airport on January 3rd from all over the country. The soldiers were in the military courtesy room at the airport, waiting for a shuttle to Fort Drum. Since it was taking a while, one of the soldiers called Phenix Cab Company based out of Watertown and asked what the fare would be from the airport to Fort Drum.

A representative told the soldier that the fare would be $90. The soldier asked if the cab would transport three individuals for the same price, and the company agreed, according to police.

Police say when the taxi driver, Michael Lavery, 37, of Evans Mills, arrived, he solicited two more soldiers for the trip to Fort Drum, with the agreement that it would still only cost $90 total.

When they arrived at Fort Drum, the soldiers went to pay Lavery $90. But, police say, Lavery said he was changing the price to $90 for each person, making the total fare $450.

Police say Lavery threatened to have all the soldiers arrested and called the Military Police. Investigators say when Lavery talked to the military police, he said he was charging more because he had to drive through bad weather. Police say Lavery then threatened that if the soldiers didn't pay him, he would file criminal charges. Fearing arrest and knowing this could affect their military career, the soldiers paid the fare.

Later that same day, police say Peter Larkin, 27, of Watertown, who worked with Lavery, went into Hancock Airport, telling other soldiers he was from Phenix Cab Company and was soliciting rides to Fort Drum. Syracuse Police, aware of the prior incident, were able to stop the man as he was soliciting soldiers for cab rides.

Police later learned Larkin didn't have a taxi cab driver's license. He was arrested for several violations of city ordinances, including failure to possess a taxi cab driver's license.

Police say the owner of Phenix Cab Company, Denise Winters, told them the company will continue charging soldiers whatever they want and have no intentions of reimbursing any of the soldiers' fares.

Lavery was later arrested for grand larceny, accused of extorting the extra fare from the soldiers with the threat of a criminal charge if they did not pay.