A man who thought he was catching a cab last Saturday got more than he bargained for.

Police say the man left a bar and tried to hail a cab sometime between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m from the north side of 17 Avenue near 4 Street S.W.

A white minivan pulled up. The victim believes there may have been a plastic top or light on the roof, but does not recall any writing on the side.

The victim opened the door to the van and was pulled in.

There were several people in the van and the victim was allegedly beaten and threatened with a knife.

The culprits stole the victim's bank card and obtained his PIN, then drove to a bank machine and took cash from the victim's account.

His wallet and other personal items were also taken.

After the money was withdrawn, the victim was dropped off in an alley in the 600 block of 24 Avenue S.W. and called a friend for help.

Police and EMS responded and the victim was treated for minor injuries.

The victim tells CTV he tried to protect himself as much as possible.

"I just tried to block everything I could and what not, tried to cover myself from getting hit in the face and what not and eventually just struggled enough to get into a fetal position... and then one of the guys put a knife to my throat."

While the vehicle is described as a white minivan, investigators have not determined whether it was made to look like a taxi.

Police believe there were at least two men and one woman in the vehicle. One of the men had scraggly facial hair, and was wearing a dark hoodie with a white skull and crossbones pattern and a black ball cap. The woman was driving the van.

Investigators are releasing photos from an ATM, of an individual who may have information on this incident.

Anyone with information on the identity of this individual, or the incident in general, is asked to call police at 403-266-1234 or District 1 at 403-567-6100.

You can also contact Crime Stoppers.

Police are reminding people to ensure their personal safety, particularly when drinking.

Travel in groups where possible, and be aware of your surroundings.

All licensed taxis in Calgary are well-marked with lights on the top, taxi company name and taxi number on the sides, rate decals on the rear passenger windows and a meter inside. All taxi drivers are issued official photo identification, which they must place prominently in the vehicle and show when asked.

Legitimate taxis do not usually contain more than one person when picking up fares.