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Original poster

To Think Stagecoach Have Scammed Me?

38 replies

IAmMeThisIsI · 25/04/2023 14:11

Maybe I'm missing something. But here it goes.

Yesterday I took the bus to town. It was Stagecoach. I tried paying with my bank card. It beeped once. I put the card back in my purse. The driver said the machine didn't get it. I said "I'll just pay by cash as I don't want to be charged twice". He said "no, beep it again". I did. I went on with my shopping.

I had checked my bank balance several times since for a different reason. All was well.

Woke up this morning and £10 was missing from my bank. I looked at my statement and today, Stagecoach just took £10 at random.

I panicked thinking someone had access to my bank, and I rang the bank. They said that I have to dispute it with Stagecoach, and if this fails I was given a link to my bank that could help me with it.

Anyway, I rang Stagecoach. The lady said it was apparently a common problem. Yes, a common problem just taking money from people's banks! She said something about me having to beep my card getting OFF the bus. I told her the driver didn't say that and it's never needed to be done before. To just pay me back. She said I needed the ticket and a screenshot of my banking. I told her I didn't have the ticket anymore. It was a return and the driver took it from me when I used it to get home. Usually they give it back and rip it. But he didn't and I wish I had insisted. But who expects Stagecoach to take money from their bank willy nilly?

Anyway, she said there's nothing they can do without the ticket. I'm now taking it through my bank.

I know it's only ten pounds. But sadly that's a lot to me these days. It was in my budget.

Do you think I'll ever get it back? How are they getting away with this as a "common problem"?

OP posts:
Original poster
IAmMeThisIsI · 25/04/2023 14:14

Just to add, my bus fare was £2.90. No where near £10.

OP posts:
Lockheart · 25/04/2023 14:19

Its not a scam OP. You didn't touch your card when you got off. Therefore they have charged you the capped fee, since they don't know where you alighted. TFL does a similar thing.

This is your error, not theirs.

CraneBoysMysteries · 25/04/2023 14:22

I think precious poster has it. This is something that's done here across trains, tubes and trams (south east). If you don't tap on exiting the stop you get off at then they'll take the maximum fee.

Do you use stagecoach often?

CraneBoysMysteries · 25/04/2023 14:22

*previous

Original poster
IAmMeThisIsI · 25/04/2023 14:22

They told me it was their error and they said it's happening all the time.They have admitted they're in the wrong. Also, no one taps off on the buses around here. It's a small area, not a city I've used my card 100's of times. You tell the driver where you're going, he types it in, you swipe and that's that.

OP posts:
Original poster
IAmMeThisIsI · 25/04/2023 14:25

CraneBoysMysteries · 25/04/2023 14:22

I think precious poster has it. This is something that's done here across trains, tubes and trams (south east). If you don't tap on exiting the stop you get off at then they'll take the maximum fee.

Do you use stagecoach often?

Yes I use it often. I'll have a look for the other post. I fairness they have said it was their fault. They said there's a problem with the system. But I can't sort it because I haven't got the ticket. The tapping off thing doesn't happen on these routes.

OP posts:
RunAwayTurnAwayRunAwayTurnAway · 25/04/2023 14:25

Yes, Stagecoach did similar to me, OP. Fare came to £3.00 (£2.20 + 0.80), my ticket said that, but my card was charged £4.45.

Customer Services via social media, email address and their telephone line were rubbish.

Repeatedly asking for the same information, fobbing me off saying it was a charge for multiple journeys taken in one lumpsum, putting the phone line down because they couldn't hear me properly, being on hold for 27 minutes before anyone answered.

They agreed to refund me if I emailed them my account number and sort code. No effing way was I going to send them that info for them to lose, charge or pass to fraudsters. They wouldn't refund me via PayPal or the card that I had paid with.

They would email asking for information and then immediately send an email closing the case saying I hadn't replied in time.

Eventually I just lodged a complaint with my bank and they refunded me saying SC had 19 weeks to respond and if they contested it I may need to pay them the refund back. That was 6 months ago, so I assume they haven't contested it.

Fortunately I kept my ticket - I assume this was why my bank refunded me in a matter of hours after I lodged the case, as they could see the discrepancy.

RunAwayTurnAwayRunAwayTurnAway · 25/04/2023 14:27

I have never been so incensed over £1.45 in my life.

EnglishGirlApproximately · 25/04/2023 14:28

Agree OP that tap on and off isn't the norm everywhere - I used stagecoach for a few days last month as my car was being fixed and here you still tell the driver where you're going and pay the fare.

Createausername1970 · 25/04/2023 14:29

Tap on Tap off. Very common my way. But if you don't tap off, you will get charged the fare to the end of the route. They don't know when you got off, if you don't tell them by tapping off.

Original poster
IAmMeThisIsI · 25/04/2023 14:30

RunAwayTurnAwayRunAwayTurnAway · 25/04/2023 14:25

Yes, Stagecoach did similar to me, OP. Fare came to £3.00 (£2.20 + 0.80), my ticket said that, but my card was charged £4.45.

Customer Services via social media, email address and their telephone line were rubbish.

Repeatedly asking for the same information, fobbing me off saying it was a charge for multiple journeys taken in one lumpsum, putting the phone line down because they couldn't hear me properly, being on hold for 27 minutes before anyone answered.

They agreed to refund me if I emailed them my account number and sort code. No effing way was I going to send them that info for them to lose, charge or pass to fraudsters. They wouldn't refund me via PayPal or the card that I had paid with.

They would email asking for information and then immediately send an email closing the case saying I hadn't replied in time.

Eventually I just lodged a complaint with my bank and they refunded me saying SC had 19 weeks to respond and if they contested it I may need to pay them the refund back. That was 6 months ago, so I assume they haven't contested it.

Fortunately I kept my ticket - I assume this was why my bank refunded me in a matter of hours after I lodged the case, as they could see the discrepancy.

It's not about the amount is it? It's the principal. And I found them unhelpful too. I told her that my bank doesn't allow screenshots of my statement. I don't want to give the people who took the money without consent pictures of my banking info.

It's a shame I haven't got the ticket. Maybe my bank will help me. My bank KNEW they wouldn't help because they sent me the email to contest it before I even contacted SC.

I just think it's wrong that they're doing this.

We don't have to tap on tap off around here. I've paid with my card 100s of times before. Also, the area is so small that no ticket would cost that much!

Oh well, if I don't get it back then I know to pay with cash in future. I'm glad you sorted it.

OP posts:
Original poster
IAmMeThisIsI · 25/04/2023 14:31

Last time I'll mention this but we don't have the tap on tap off system here.

OP posts:
losingmymarblesagain · 25/04/2023 14:31

You don't tap off here, I think it would cause mayhem up here tbh. You tell the driver where you're going.

Original poster
IAmMeThisIsI · 25/04/2023 14:33

losingmymarblesagain · 25/04/2023 14:31

You don't tap off here, I think it would cause mayhem up here tbh. You tell the driver where you're going.

Yes. It's exactly the same here. I've never even heard of tapping off in my life until today. Besides, they've admitted it's their error.

Anyway, I'll update if I get any more information.

OP posts:
CraneBoysMysteries · 25/04/2023 14:34

If it's not tap on/tap off AND they've admitted fault then I'd be raising it with the bank and try getting it refunded that way.

I don't know anyone who holds onto a bus ticket for more than the journey itself so it's a ridiculous thing to ask for as proof

RunAwayTurnAwayRunAwayTurnAway · 25/04/2023 14:34

I feel your frustration OP.

Not sure the people saying tap on/tap off have read your message. You clearly write that you had a return ticket. 🙄

Needmorelego · 25/04/2023 14:35

I've never had to 'tap off' on a bus.
I use Stagecoach buses when in Oxfordshire/Northamptonshire. You say which ticket you want and they charge you the relevant price. You 'beep' and get the paper ticket and that's it. There's no 'daily price cap' like with the London buses because the prices are all different.
@IAmMeThisIsI can you remember the exact times you got on and off the bus. They should have you on CCTV so can see you got on at A and off at B and show you beeping the card and being given the ticket.

Original poster
IAmMeThisIsI · 25/04/2023 14:36

CraneBoysMysteries · 25/04/2023 14:34

If it's not tap on/tap off AND they've admitted fault then I'd be raising it with the bank and try getting it refunded that way.

I don't know anyone who holds onto a bus ticket for more than the journey itself so it's a ridiculous thing to ask for as proof

Yes, thanks. I've been beating myself up over the ticket. They've got a little bin on the bus to encourage you to throw out tickets too. Oh well.

I'm definitely going to be taking this through my bank. My bank have been really helpful so far.

I'm not having a really bad reaction to this. But I don't see why SC should be allowed to take money as they see fit from my bank.

Also, maybe a bit embarrassing but £10 is a lot to me.

OP posts:
DrMeredithGrey2023 · 25/04/2023 14:37

I got charged an extra £34.20 by TFL at the weekend - my error completely, I guess day drinking and tapping in and out is difficult for me 🤣

Anyway, a quick phone call yesterday and a refund was given.

How does it work on the bus? Do you say where you want to go and then the driver tells you the price?

Original poster
IAmMeThisIsI · 25/04/2023 14:38

Needmorelego · 25/04/2023 14:35

I've never had to 'tap off' on a bus.
I use Stagecoach buses when in Oxfordshire/Northamptonshire. You say which ticket you want and they charge you the relevant price. You 'beep' and get the paper ticket and that's it. There's no 'daily price cap' like with the London buses because the prices are all different.
@IAmMeThisIsI can you remember the exact times you got on and off the bus. They should have you on CCTV so can see you got on at A and off at B and show you beeping the card and being given the ticket.

Yes. I gave them all the details. But they're insisting they have my ticket. Therefore I'm going through the bank. They'll never ever look at CCTV in a million years! The only time they look at them is if a crime or crash has happened. But yes, what you wrote about tapping off is exactly the same in my area.

OP posts:
DingsBum · 25/04/2023 14:39

You don't tap off the buses round here either. You tell the driver where you want to go, s/he tells you how much, you tap to pay by card, they give you a ticket. End of.

Original poster
IAmMeThisIsI · 25/04/2023 14:40

DingsBum · 25/04/2023 14:39

You don't tap off the buses round here either. You tell the driver where you want to go, s/he tells you how much, you tap to pay by card, they give you a ticket. End of.

Yup. This could happen to anyone. You get on your bus, pay with a beep. Next day they have taken cash out of your bank.

OP posts:
RunAwayTurnAwayRunAwayTurnAway · 25/04/2023 14:41

I'd be gutted if I lost £10. Money has been tight and the loss of £1.45 made me sad - it was my money that I should have been able to spend on my family, not stolen by SC.

The amount of obstacles they put up made me think they intended the over charge and were going to permanently deprive me of the money.

I don't use busses often but I have kept every ticket from them since, clipped together safely in a drawer.

AwaaFaeHom · 25/04/2023 14:42

I use stagecoach buses here. Always just buy a ticket when I get on, no need to tap off.

I've just looked at the website and they seem to only have tap on tap off in wales and Leicester, it says it has been recently introduced.

Thanks for the heads up, I'll need to keep an eye on it possibly happening here.

RichardHeed · 25/04/2023 14:42

Even if it was a tap on / tap off style of bus you said you bought a return so you don’t do that with a return. Yes, if you tap on and off multiple times it caps it at the day pass rate which, is £5 here. Not sure why PPs are so insistent you’re in the wrong here. Bus companies are all bastards ime

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