A London Underground driver has issued an urgent warning about a new scam involving fake revenue inspectors targeting commuters on the Northern line. The driver made an announcement over the tannoy, alerting passengers to individuals posing as inspectors who ask people to tap their cards on illegitimate machines, stealing up to £50.
According to a passenger who shared the warning on Reddit, the driver described it as a 'new one'. The scammers exploit the authority of revenue inspectors, who are responsible for issuing penalty fares to passengers without valid tickets. The fake inspectors direct victims to tap their contactless cards on fraudulent devices, siphoning money.
Transport for London (TfL) confirmed that genuine revenue inspectors carry a badge with a unique number and a photographic ID card on a lanyard. They advise passengers to ask to see these credentials if unsure. A TfL spokesperson stated that while no reports of this scam have been received, they take fare evasion and fraud extremely seriously.
Commenters on the Reddit post suggested using Oyster cards instead of contactless cards to avoid the scam, as fake inspectors are reportedly less interested in Oyster users. One commenter noted that in this particular incident, the inspectors were later confirmed legitimate, but warned that fake ones do exist.
