Data around double charging for mixed-device journeys.
Request ID: FOI-0024-2324 Date published: 25 April 2023
You asked
Hi,
I hope this finds you well.
Please could you share how many tfl contactless and phone-wallet payment users were double charged for 'incomplete journeys' between January 2022 - January 2023.
Please could you also share how many requests for refunds were submitted because of mixed-device journeys between Jan 2022 - January 2023.
Please could you share how many refunds were provided to people who mixed payment devices for the same journey between the same time frame above.
How many customer service agents work in the tfl contactless refunds team?
What happens to the revenue from unclaimed contactless refunds? Where is it held?
Many thanks indeed.
We answered
Our ref: FOI-0024-2324/GH Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 2 April 2023 asking for data around double charging for mixed-device journeys. Your request has been considered under the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and our information access policy. I can confirm that we do hold some of the information you require. Please could you share how many tfl contactless and phone-wallet payment users were double charged for 'incomplete journeys' between January 2022 - January 2023. We do not hold this information. We can identify an incomplete journey made using a bank card and an incomplete journey made using a mobile device. In many instances, we have rules in place which allow us to convert these to a journey fare for the most likely journey made. However, we are not able to link data made by a bank card and a mobile device, even when the same bank card is underpinning it. This is because the mobile device has a different identifier as required by payment industry rules, even though it appears as the same identifier (card number) to the user. Please could you also share how many requests for refunds were submitted because of mixed-device journeys between Jan 2022 - January 2023. Between 1 April 2022 – 31 March 2023 (financial year 2022/23) we have had 9,993 cases logged within our customer relationship tool (CRM), these cases may contain multiple refund requests if the customer had multiple instances of mixed device clashes. We are not able to report on how many of these cases may have had multiple requests. Please could you share how many refunds were provided to people who mixed payment devices for the same journey between the same time frame above. Between the same date range we have processed 10,921 mixed device related refunds to customers, the higher amount here is due to multiple refunds being provided against an individual case. How many customer service agents work in the tfl contactless refunds team? There are currently 159 customer service agents that work in the Contactless team. This is made up of both telephony and correspondence agents who both have the ability to perform refunds. What happens to the revenue from unclaimed contactless refunds? Where is it held? There are no unclaimed contactless refunds. Once a customer is offered a refund (whether through an automatic process or agent) the money will be transferred to the account the card is associated with. If this is not the information you are looking for, please do not hesitate to contact me. If you are not satisfied with this response please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal. Yours sincerely Graham Hurt FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
