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#Post#: 100061--------------------------------------------------
Random Toll Charge from TFL
By: JoCo Date: November 27, 2025, 8:42 am
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I thought I'd raise this here as it might interest the group.
My sister recently saw a charge on her Bank App, from TFL for
£4. She's not very tech savvy, so came to me for advice.
Had a butchers and the only TFL charge that I could find that
was £4 is the Blackwall Tunnel charge. Regular payment.
Spoke to bank, they confirmed it was a genuine charge from TFL
from Bridges and Tunnels. gave us a transaction reference.
To be clear. My sister had not used the tunnel since it became
chargeable, and not paid for the tunnel for anyone else. She has
a dormant TFL account, but this card is not associated with that
account.
Contacted TFL. Call centre could not help, requested email
communication. After a bit of to-ing and fro-ing, they asked for
payment card details (some redacted) to identify transaction.
They finally said: Yes there was a payment on 4th November. Gave
the impression that for them, the case is closed! Clearly not
reading previous communications, said to provide receipt(!)
details if they were to investigate further! Otherwise contact
bank.
It seems to me that there appears to be only two possible
explanations:
Her bank card details have been maliciously obtained and used.
TfL’s systems have incorrectly applied a genuine transaction to
her card details.
Very curious.
It seems bizarre that a malicious agent would risk using a false
card on a system from which they potentially could be traced,
via reg number.
The second possibility is particularly concerning. This card was
only issued in June 2025, and as an Oyster 60+ cardholder she
does not use her payment card to 'tap in', so I do not
understand how TfL would hold her bank card details at all.
We wrote back requesting:
What was this payment for?
How was this payment made?
Was her name used in the card payment details?
What vehicle registration was associated with this payment?
Which TfL account was linked to that vehicle registration?
Is her card linked in any way to any accounts or previous
payments?
What steps are TfL taking to investigate this matter further?
Requested a refund.
We cancelled the payment card, so can't happen again.
Awaiting reply. It's only £4 but I just wondered what
information TFL are obliged to give?
Let's assume that they map the payment to a transaction. And
hence to an account.
If they can,
Are they obliged to pass on this detail to us? Or is this
protected under Data Protection?
If they can't, can they legally charge for a service they cannot
show she requested or benefitted from?
Where's the contract?
#Post#: 100064--------------------------------------------------
Re: Random Toll Charge from TFL
By: PallasAthena Date: November 27, 2025, 8:53 am
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If TfL are asserting that the payment was due from and made by
your sister then they couldn't logically use data protection law
to refuse to disclose what she has asked because, according to
TfL, it is your sister's own personal information!
#Post#: 100150--------------------------------------------------
Re: Random Toll Charge from TFL
By: fraser.mitchell Date: November 27, 2025, 6:08 pm
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Surely the simple answer is a misread of a number plate by the
ANPR cameras at the Blackwall Tunnel that just happened to
identify your sister's account.
If she had not had an account, then it is probable that a PCN
for non-payment would have been received.
#Post#: 100154--------------------------------------------------
Re: Random Toll Charge from TFL
By: John U.K. Date: November 28, 2025, 12:51 am
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[quote author=Incandescent link=topic=8945.msg100150#msg100150
date=1764288505]
Surely the simple answer is a misread of a number plate by the
ANPR cameras at the Blackwall Tunnel that just happened to
identify your sister's account.
If she had not had an account, then it is probable that a PCN
for non-payment would have been received.
[/quote]
Or a cloned plate . . .
#Post#: 100179--------------------------------------------------
Re: Random Toll Charge from TFL
By: JoCo Date: November 28, 2025, 5:34 am
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This payment cannot be an auto-pay.
Neither her car nor her card is registered with TFL.
Her TfL account , which is dormant, has been checked and no
travel/ payment registered. The car on the account was scrapped
2 years.
If plate cloned, then someone would have to have set up a fake
account with her plate and her card... And paid. Otherwise she
would have got a PCN.
Just got a reply from TFL. They really are not interested. Raise
it with bank....
I know a bit about payments as I worked in IT for supermarket
online shopping.
In that role I definitely could trace a transaction , and full
payment details such as whether payment was authorised via
3DSecure/verifybyvisa.
I suspect I'm dealing with support desk staff and it hasn't been
passed onto IT support or their fraud team.
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