Fraudsters caused havoc for honest Oyster users
Two fraudsters involved in a £46,000 Oyster card scam that causes ‘havoc’ for honest passengers have been jailed.
Lloyd Lewis, 22, and Abdul Ahad, 34, used fake cards so they could have refunds money paid into bank accounts.
Helen Thomas, prosecuting, said: ‘Three stations were believed to be being used, one of which was Kings Cross station.
‘CCTV was seized, and they were able to identify the suspects.
‘TFL then reported the matter to the British Transport Police.’
Ms Thomas told the court a fraudulent card had been identified on April 26 2015 at 4:14pm.
She said: ‘Mr Ahad was in the process of a refund process, and was found with hundreds of white plastic cards.
‘Mr Lewis had been seen near the machine 45 minutes earlier.
‘He was identified by police, who then found an unspecified quantity of the cards on his person.
‘The magnetic strip on his card contained the same card number as Mr Ahad’s.’
Lloyd told police he had been paid by a mystery man to carry out the scam.
Daniel Kersh, representing Ahad, said he was a drug user struggling to pay off a debt.
‘He is not responsible for the whole operation, he’s just a foot solider,’ the lawyer said.
Cheryl Rudden, for Lloyd, told the court his involvement in the scam was a ‘lapse’ and he had been in desperate need of cash.
‘He didn’t want to go to his family for support, he was trying to be independent.’
Judge Peter Clarke jailed both men, sentencing Lloyd to 16 months, and Ahad to a year.
Addressing Lloyd, he said: ‘It is sad for your loved ones that you have gone back to this.
‘Each time you step out of line it is back to prison.’
Addressing Ahad, Judge Clarke said: ‘I am satisfied that your involvement in this is drug related.
‘However, that you were given so many cards it seems they trust you to be effective and dishonest.’
Judge Clarke added: ‘This use of Oyster cards causes havoc for all Londoners.
‘It means all travellers needing a refund are no longer trusted.’
Ahad, of White Hart Lane, Tottenham, was jailed for a year, and Lloyd, from Tottenham, was jailed for 16 months.
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