1. How many Oyster cards did you cancel last year because of failed auto top up, and what was the total value of all credit balances on cards you cancelled? 2. How many cards did you cancel because of failed auto top up that were still in active use? 3. How many of these cancelled cards were children's Oyster cards? 4. Do you profit from unclaimed money on Oyster cards you cancel? If not what do you do with these balances?

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TfL Ref: FOI-0475-1920

Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 15^th May 2019 asking for information about cancelled Oyster cards.

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. I can confirm that we hold the information you require.

Your questions are answered in turn below:

Question 1. How many Oyster cards did you cancel last year because of failed auto top up, and what was the total value of all credit balances on cards you cancelled?

As part of our preventative fraud measures, where, via Auto Top-up, we have loaded credit onto an Oyster card, but been unable to complete payment, we will place the Oyster card on a hotlist. Prior to doing so, we will attempt to contact the customer using the information associated with the account to proactively warn them this might occur.

Between 1 January and 31 December 2018, a total of 87,773 out of approximately 40 million Oyster cards which are in active use were placed on our hotlist as a result of this, with the total credit on these cards totalling £1,769,811.01.

Question 2. How many cards did you cancel because of failed auto top up that were still in active use?

Of the 87,773 cards listed above, 63,763 were in active use.

Question 3. How many of these cancelled cards were children's Oyster cards?

1,749 of the cards listed above were Zip Oyster cards, which are issued to under 18s. As above, prior to any hotlisting we will have attempted to contact the parent or guardian registered to the account to make them aware that this might occur.

Question 4. Do you profit from unclaimed money on Oyster cards you cancel? If not what do you do with these balances?

TfL does not profit from unclaimed credit on Oyster cards on its hotlist. Any balance recovered from cards placed on the hotlist is treated for recovery of debt for cards declined by the issuer.

If this is not the information you are looking for please do not hesitate to contact me.

Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed.

Yours sincerely,

David Wells

FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London

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