To Think Stagecoach Have Scammed Me?

[IAmMeThisIsI]

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"?

@IAmMeThisIsI I would definitely put in a formal complaint. There should be a link somewhere on their website to do it.
It seems very odd.
£10 is such a round number too. Tickets are always funny prices (£2.90, £3.45 etc) rarely a nice sensible round amount.
Good luck in trying to get your money back 🤞

Thanks to everyone understanding my situation. And thanks for speaking up about tapping bloody off not happening everywhere!

Yes, I don't see why Stagecoach should just HAVE my money! And I will be taking this up with them through my bank. I'll update whenever I have an answer.

And everyone else should either keep tickets or pay with cash. As if it happened to me, they can do it to anyone!

It really is such an odd (or even lol) number yes! No tickets I know of here are that £10 price. And don't forget, they also took the £2.90 on 24th April. Then at around 3am 25th, took an extra £10. They had £12.90 total. The amount I paid was taken and done with yesterday.

The woman at SC did say it was a "common error".

No tap on and tap off with Stagecoach here either.

stupid question but did you tell them the driver took your ticket. If they admit it’s their fault they should refund you without the ticket if it’s their fault you don’t have it.

If they won’t try escalating it or tweeting them.

Tweeting customer service didn't work. They seemed impervious to the shame.

@RunAwayTurnAwayRunAwayTurnAway
Something very similar happened to me also and I did send the head office my bank details but I never received the refund. I chased 3 times and gave up as it was only £3 but it has put me off using the bus company though.

Yes I told them every single thing that happened. They did admit it was their fault. But they're saying they NEED the ticket. I'm currently trying to email my bank and even they need a ticket as evidence... I'll try other suggestions you made now too. Thanks.

This sadly looks like it's where I'm heading. I haven't got the bloody ticket. Will keep trying other avenues.

Not to blow people’s minds, but we only had card payments added as an option on our buses a few years ago. And yes, I live in England. Before that it was cash only and they didn’t carry much extra change. If you got on early in the day and tried to pay using a note you often got a bus company iou rather than change. Frequently resulted in some frank discussions between driver and passengers. On city visits I step back and work out the system before boarding public transport so I don’t infuriate the locals 😁

Why would it blow our minds? We only had card machines installed on busses when covid/lockdown started, to limit physical contacts. It isn't a longstanding thing at all.

I meant more the iou thing, most visitors didn’t take kindly to it.

It’s not tap on/off here - flat fare of £2. It isn’t on TfL buses either as they have a flat fare. Go through your bank.

Tfl don't do this on buses. You only need to tap in as it's the same flat fare everywhere.