South Yorkshire ticketing organisation TravelMaster issued a warning in December concerning a scam which has also seen other public transport providers similarly targetted. The warning was issued over an online ticketing scam in South Yorkshire, in which TravelMaster said it had been made aware of a social media promotion which purported to offer travel for three months with a TravelMaster smartcard for £1.95.
“This is not a genuine offer,” the company said in a statement. “We urge you not to click on any links or provide personal data.” Multiple social media accounts and sponsored posts have promoted the scam, the organisation said, and warned that some posts may contain images that look like products from the company. It added that fake accounts are used to comment on the post to promote the scheme and make it look genuine.
This scam is not confined to South Yorkshire and similar fraudulent accounts are present across the UK. Scam accounts identified included ones with plausible-sounding names such as ‘Public transport in Sheffield.’ “TravelMaster is aware that this is not the first time we have seen this scam in the area. We continue to urge customers to be vigilant and follow the advice of South Yorkshire Police (SYP) to prevent fraud, which can be found on the SYP website,” the organisation advised.
John Henshall, TravelMaster General Manager said on the scam: “It is saddening to see scammers looking to take advantage of customers at a time when money is tight due to the Christmas and New Year period as well as forthcoming changes in fares and tickets in January. We are working with South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and the local councils to raise awareness of the scam.”
A spokesperson for the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority commented: “Passengers should be alert to ticketing and other scams that are being promoted on social media this festive period. For advice on which ticket to purchase to get the best value for money on public transport, passengers can contact Travel South Yorkshire.”
