British Transport Police arrest suspects in London Underground skimming case
London Underground passengers have lost thousands of pounds to fraudsters tampering with ticket and Oyster Card top-up machines, metro.co.uk reported. Police investigations reveal that criminals installed hidden skimming devices on Transport for London equipment to capture bank card details and drain accounts.
Fraudulent ATM Withdrawals Follow Station Top-Up Attempt
Étienne Bouvier lost nearly £2,000 from his debit card after visiting a machine at Piccadilly Circus on October 7. He attempted to load his Oyster Card on that date, but his debit card was rejected several times by the TfL-maintained device, according to metro.co.uk.
Bouvier told metro.co.uk that the machine would not accept contactless payments. He eventually completed a transaction on a different device before leaving London by Eurostar. Days later, while in Lille, he noticed two cash withdrawals of £800 each.
The transactions were recorded behind Bow Bell House on Cheapside in the City of London. Bouvier stated he had never visited that neighbourhood.
The day after that I tried to withdraw some cash and I had a notification that I had reached the weekly limit for cash withdrawal with my card, which sounded a bit weird to me because I hadn’t withdrawn any cash for a month maybe, Bouvier told metro.co.uk.
British Transport Police Arrest Suspects Amid Ongoing Inquiry
British Transport Police confirmed they are conducting an inquiry into tampered machines across several London Underground stations. Officers have arrested several individuals suspected of involvement in the skimming operation, metro.co.uk reported.
Detective Inspector Marvin Bruno told metro.co.uk that officers are leading an investigation into the fraudulent transactions. He urged passengers to remain vigilant when using ticket machines that function strangely.
Transport for London stated that customer safety and security remain top priorities. TfL officials noted they work closely with the British Transport Police, assist with investigations, and regularly inspect ticketing equipment across the network.
Other travelers have reported similar losses, including a £250 loss at Piccadilly Circus and £500 missing after a transaction at St Paul’s station. While some victims secured full bank reimbursements, Bouvier reported that his bank refused to refund the stolen funds, arguing he failed to adequately protect his card details.