By using the new payment system OVpay, travelers can easily avoid paying in public transport. The system allows travelers to check in with their debit card, credit card or mobile, but by creating a temporary debit card via a free app, payment can be avoided, according to research by RTL Nieuws.
The current public transport chip card system will be replaced due to obsolescence. No balance is required for trips with the new OVpay system, because the amount for the trip is only debited at night. This gives the traveler time to cancel the debit card after the card has been used to check out again.
The money can then not be written off. Conductors cannot see that it is a temporary debit card. To them, it looks like the travelers are paying, because they can only see if someone has checked in and where.
The trick can be repeated on the next trip. The traveler can therefore create a card again, travel with it once and cancel the card again before the costs have been debited. Creating a map takes a few minutes, RTL found out. Disposing of the card takes less than a minute. RTL News does not want to make the name of the app public, so as not to encourage more abuse.
- NS is also starting to check in with a bank card and mobile
- ‘Ov chip card will not disappear, more options will be added’
- ‘Company behind public transport chip card makes millions of profits’
