|  Updated: 

Exclusive: Online card fraud incidents across TfL spike in 2021 despite a fall in travel numbers

By:

Add as a preferred source on Google
Winds of change are blowing over TfL as the public body announced the appointment of two new members of its management team. 
Winds of change are blowing over TfL as the public body announced the appointment of two new members of its management team. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Despite a Covid-induced slump in travel numbers, the number of online card fraud incidents on Transport for London’s (TfL) railway network spiked in 2021.

According to TfL data obtained through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, the number of online fraud incidents increased 31.8 per cent to 655 in 2021, going up from 497 a year prior. 

The frauds’ total value also went up, increasing by 7.2 per cent to £16,436 while losses per incident fell to £25.09 on average. 

“As the transit industry moves to prioritise customer convenience, cyber criminals are keen to exploit new payment technologies and customer vulnerabilities – with every transaction providing a new opportunity for fraudsters,” said Gadi Mazor, chief executive of behavioural insights firm BioCatch, who filed the FOI. 

While the number of incidents at self-service ticket machines decreased between 2020 and 2021, the average loss per incident grew 23.3 per cent, from an average of £72.77 to £89.71.