Oyster card inspectors: using someone else's card

cpheonix

I understand that you can't transfer an annual travelcard on an Oyster card e.g. letting someone else use yours. However, how would inspectors know it if it was yours or not?

If it was a child or OAP card - and you clearly don't look like a schoolkid or old person - I can believe inspectors would be suspicious when they use those scanners. But how would they know if it's just an adult one? Do those scanners actually bring up a name if it's an annual one?

Btw I am in no way trying to scam the system, I am just curious as I've been lending mine to friends and family for months and only just been made aware that this is not allowed.

Thanks

yorkie2

They would have a record of your name and address.

If you wish to loan your Oyster to others, make sure you do not load any form of discount onto it, nor any Travelcard or similar product onto it either.

A 'capped' Oyster card is still fine to loan to others, in contrast with a Travelcard!

w211

yorkie2 wrote: »

They would have a record of your name and address.

I don't recall giving them my name and address when I bought my Oyster card?

Jeff_Bridges_hair

w211 wrote: »

I don't recall giving them my name and address when I bought my Oyster card?

But in your OP you state an annual Oyster card and if you had one of them then they would have your name and address and it would also come with a photocard which you must show upon request - if you could not then thre would be trouble.

For a PAYG Oyster you are perfectly allowed to pass this between family and friends providing it does not have what Yorkie2 has written above loaded on to it.

dzug1

w211 wrote: »

I don't recall giving them my name and address when I bought my Oyster card?

An annual Oyster card has to be registered - which means giving your name and address

surreysaver

dzug1 wrote: »

An annual Oyster card has to be registered - which means giving your name and address

There is no such thing as an 'Annual Oystercard'. the OP says they have an 'Annual Travelcard' on an 'Oystercard'. An Oystercard is the medium the cash and/or ticket is held on - a Travelcard is a 'ticket', or you can have pay as you go, or both on the Oystercard. If you have ONLY Pay as you Go on the Oystercard, you can lend it to other people, as long as you do not have a discount, such as a 'Young Persons', or 'Senior Railcard' enabled on it.

You can have an Oystercard registered, or you can choose not to. If you have a monthly or longer Travelcard loaded onto your Oystercard, then it has to be registered.

If you allow someone else to use your Travelcard, whether it is a paper one, or one on an 'Oystercard', you are as guilty of fraud as the person who is using it.

cpheonix

OK thanks for the replies. Do you definitely need a photo on your Oyster card with annual travelcard?

I have been lending mine to a Japanese friend and a female one too. While I do not know if they had ever been checked, am I right in assuming my name and address would flash up on their scanning thingys? Meaning that, as they are Japanese or of a different sex, they would be pulled up for holding a differently named Oyster card?

I've been lending out my weekly one (which doesn't need a photo or name/address registered) and was just seeing how this would've been caught if it were an annual one. Thanks

benjus

You don't need a photocard with an Oyster card these days unless you qualify for discounted travel because you are a student or something.

You do need to register the Oyster card though before you can load a monthly or annual travelcard, so the holder's name and address would be stored on the systems. However, I don't see how a ticket inspector would have access to this information. I don't think the "scanning thingy" tells you anything more than whether or not the Oyster card is valid (i.e. has been touched in, or has a suitable travelcard loaded).

dzug1

Btw I am in no way trying to scam the system

Really?? Could have fooled me - you already are

I've been lending out my weekly one (which doesn't need a photo or name/address registered) and was just seeing how this would've been caught if it were an annual one. Thanks

dzug1

surreysaver wrote: »

There is no such thing as an 'Annual Oystercard'. the OP says they have an 'Annual Travelcard' on an 'Oystercard'..

OK - unwise shorthand on my part

cpheonix

benjus wrote: »

I don't think the "scanning thingy" tells you anything more than whether or not the Oyster card is valid (i.e. has been touched in, or has a suitable travelcard loaded).

This is what I mean. How can inspectors know whether the Oyster card with an annual travelcard is registered to the person holding it or not if it only tells them whether it is valid? Surely they would have to do a thorough check on a system somewhere?

As I said, I've been loaning my weekly one on the odd days (unaware this was 'fraud') and was contemplating getting a yearly one. I probably still will but I wanted to see how TFL could know if I did lend this for the odd journey (I emphasis again, not that I will).