Beds bus operator issues warning to passengers following smartcard scam

Fraudulent promotions have appeared on social media featuring images of Stagecoach buses, along with other operators across the UK, claiming that passengers can purchase a smartcard for just £2 that is valid for six months of travel.

Stagecoach, parent of local operator Stagecoach East, has issued a statement on social media confirming that they are not affiliated with the post and that the ‘smart card’ promotion is a scam.

Darren Roe, Managing Director of Stagecoach East, said: “It is terrible that unscrupulous people want to take advantage of others online, so I hope that all our loyal passengers will recognise that this is not a genuine offer. One of our key values is that we ‘support our communities’, and on this occasion that means trying to make sure that local people do not fall into this trap.”

Debra Goodwin, Chief Customer Officer at Stagecoach added: "We're aware of fraudulent posts doing the rounds on social media claiming to offer a 'smart card' across buses in the UK.

“We can confirm that this is not an offer or service Stagecoach endorses, and after speaking to other operators and the relevant local authorities, it appears to be a scam post. We advise our customers not to interact with the post or share any personal information, if you come across the posts online, please report it to the relevant platform.

“We take the safety and security of our passengers seriously, if you have been impacted by this scam post, we advise you speak to Action Fraud. To see the full range of official tickets and pricing available from Stagecoach, please visit: https://www.stagecoachbus.com/tickets.”