One traveller says £1,600 was stolen after he tried to top up his Oyster card at Piccadilly Circus, while others have reported similar incidents at St Paul’s.
Police have made arrests following reports of a suspected Oyster card top-up scam at London Underground stations, with passengers claiming money was stolen from their bank accounts after using ticket machines.
British Transport Police (BTP) told Metro it was investigating reports of fraudulent transactions involving ticket machines on the Underground.
Passengers have reported incidents at Piccadilly Circus and St Paul’s stations.
French businessman Étienne Bouvier told Metro that £1,600 was taken from his bank account after he attempted to use a ticket machine at Piccadilly Circus on 7 October.
Mr Bouvier, who was visiting London for work, said the machine repeatedly rejected his debit card.
He later discovered two £800 withdrawals recorded at a cash machine in the City of London, after he had returned to France.
He said his bank had refused to reimburse the money, claiming he had failed to adequately protect his card details.
One passenger claimed they had spotted a skimming device on a ticket machine at Piccadilly Circus and that an attempt had been made to withdraw £250 from their bank account.
The passenger said the machine’s contactless payment function had stopped working, prompting them to insert their bank card.
Another traveller reported losing £500 after using a ticket machine at St Paul’s station, although they said the money was subsequently refunded by their bank.
Card-skimming devices can be attached to payment terminals to capture bank card information, which criminals can then use to carry out fraudulent transactions.
Detective Inspector Marvin Bruno, of BTP, told Metro: “We have already arrested people in connection, and our enquiries into the fraudulent activity are continuing at pace.”
He said officers were working closely with Transport for London (TfL) and other agencies to identify those responsible and prevent further offences.
TfL said it was assisting police with their investigation and regularly inspected ticket machines across the network. It urged passengers to report anything suspicious to station staff or police.
BTP has also warned passengers to remain vigilant when using ticket machines, particularly if they behave unusually.
Passengers can also top up their Oyster cards through the TfL Go app or at participating newsagents, without using a station ticket machine.
Anyone with information about suspicious activity can contact British Transport Police by texting 61016, quoting Operation Solent.
