London Underground & Android Pay

cjprimrose

Apologies if this has already been asked but I couldn't find it on a forum search.

I've recently switched to using android pay on my phone in place of my conactless debit card. Its so much easier and feels safer getting through the barriers on the London underground.

However, I've just checked my statements on my TFL login and I've been charged for 4 incomplete journeys this month because on 2 occasions my phone battery has died or my app stopped working midway through the journey. So twice I've tapped in with android pay and tapped out with the actual contactless card that android pay is duplicating via the app. My TFL account shows up as 2 separate contactless cards that are identical (as they should be) but the TFL system is treating them as separate entities.

TFL do have a incomplete journey refund request form on their website but nowhere does it give me an option to choose the scenario or explain the situation. I've just had to send a query to the general inquiries address which could take up to 10 days for a response.

Has anyone got any experience of this happening and did you get a refund?

agrinnall

I've used Android Pay a few times with TfL and it's been fine, but I only visit London so I'd guess it's more likely to happen if you're a regular user. However, I wouldn't let my battery get flat (why not carry a power bar?) and I'd restart the stopped app, so it's a problem of your own making really. Hopefully TfL will refund you, but avoiding the issue in the first place is a better option.

cjprimrose

Phenomenally helpful advice, hadn't thought of doing either of those.......

Sometimes I feel so thick and I come on forums like this to get advice to a very specific but probably very common problem and then I get such good advice that I no longer feel thick.

googler

cjprimrose wrote: »

Phenomenally helpful advice, hadn't thought of doing either of those.......

Sometimes I feel so thick and I come on forums like this to get advice to a very specific but probably very common problem and then I get such good advice that I no longer feel thick.

???

Gravedigger

I think there's a warning somewhere on the TfL website about "Tap-in" and the possibility of a phone running out of battery. The warning concluded that you would be charged as though you hadn't tapped out. I think the problem stems from the fact you can't mix 'n' match Tap in, Oyster and contactless, yet. You might try writing to them using snail mail, but don't expect too much. Also if you use oyster, tap in and contactless at different times during the week you possibly won't get the weekly cap. As when Oyster first came out, these new technologies are provong a nightmare for customers while being a cash cow for TfL. Hope you get it resolved to your satisfaction.

cjprimrose

Gravedigger wrote: »

I think there's a warning somewhere on the TfL website about "Tap-in" and the possibility of a phone running out of battery. The warning concluded that you would be charged as though you hadn't tapped out. I think the problem stems from the fact you can't mix 'n' match Tap in, Oyster and contactless, yet. You might try writing to them using snail mail, but don't expect too much. Also if you use oyster, tap in and contactless at different times during the week you possibly won't get the weekly cap. As when Oyster first came out, these new technologies are provong a nightmare for customers while being a cash cow for TfL. Hope you get it resolved to your satisfaction.

I've since found that little blurb on TFL's website and yes they do warn of your phone running out of battery. It does say you will be charged an incomplete journey if your phone dies however it doesn't say that they wouldn't refund in the event that it does. We'll soon find out.

googler wrote: »

???

Yes - Sarcasm

esuhl

cjprimrose wrote: »

I've recently switched to using android pay on my phone in place of my conactless debit card. Its so much easier and feels safer...

Just curious, as I've never understood the appeal of using a phone to make a contactless payment, but...

What makes using a phone instead of a card easier? Don't the problems you've highlighted on this thread show that it's much easier to just use a card?

And what about safety? If someone steals your phone, they've got a few hundred pounds of hardware and a lot of personal information. If they steal your card, you can cancel it and its worth nothing to anyone.

Anyway, hope you get your money back.

cjprimrose

Its easier because I don't have to get my wallet out of my pocket and then select one of many contactless cards that all look the same. Its so much easier and quicker to grab my phone out of my pocket.

It only feels marginally safer, given the choice i'd rather someone snatched my phone than my wallet.Phone is insured and finger print locked.

silvercar

My son did this for months without realising. Used apple pay and the contactless card that is registered to apple pay inconsistently.

Eventually he realised what was happening and contacted TfL. They calculated what the correct fares should have been and the caps that should have applied and refunded over £300. It had been going on for months!

ic

cjprimrose wrote: »

So twice I've tapped in with android pay and tapped out with the actual contactless card that android pay is duplicating via the app. My TFL account shows up as 2 separate contactless cards that are identical (as they should be) but the TFL system is treating them as separate entities.

That's because Android Pay registers a new card number with your bank, and shares that. The retailer sees them as a different card and has no way to tally them up.

https://www.android.com/intl/en_uk/pay/

Your card info stays safe
When you shop at a merchant, Android Pay doesn't send your actual credit or debit card number with your payment. Instead we use a virtual account number to represent your account information – so your card details stay safe.

I would assume this is so that if you lose your phone, your cards can be cancelled on Android Pay without having to reissue the physical cards in your wallet too.

t0rt0ise

If the battery fails just explain to an Assistant on the gate line and they will most likely just let you through and not expect you to rack up two incomplete journeys by using another card to get out. You will also be advised to contact the help line either by phone or via internet.