Shaquille Moore, 27, from Trenholme Road, London, has been sentenced to nearly three years in prison after pleading guilty to fraud by false representation at Inner London Crown Court on 28 August. The judge handed down a sentence of two years and eight months on 25 September.
Between May and December 2018, Moore operated a scheme selling fake 16+ Zip Oyster photocards online under the alias ‘Ben Franklin’. He targeted adults aged over 18, offering discounted travel cards intended only for 16 and 17-year-olds. The 16+ Zip Oyster card provides half-price fares on Transport for London (TfL) services and occasionally free travel.
To facilitate the fraud, Moore forged documents with false birthdates and created counterfeit identification. This enabled his customers to bypass Oyster’s online age verification process and unlawfully claim discounted fares.
In August and September 2018, TfL staff identified suspicious Oyster card sales on social media and reported them to a TfL fraud investigator. Further prosecutions of fraudulent cardholders revealed that proceeds were deposited into bank accounts registered in Moore’s name.
A thorough investigation by the British Transport Police (BTP) and TfL led to Moore’s arrest and charges. Authorities discovered he earned more than £35,000 from the scam, resulting in significant revenue losses for TfL.
Detective Constable Mark Pink of the BTP stated, “This was a pre-planned, sophisticated fraud that went on for months. Moore’s criminality has hit TfL hard. Our joint work shows this kind of crime won’t be tolerated.”
Richard Mullings, TfL Head of Counter-Fraud, added, “Fare evasion and fraud steal millions from London’s transport system—money that should improve buses, Tubes, and roads. We have zero tolerance for anyone selling or buying Oyster cards fraudulently. We will prosecute without hesitation.”
Originally published by UKNIP.
