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BBC News
10-02-2025
- BBC News
Metro passenger's warning over 'devious' scammers
A victim of a social media scam claiming to offer free public transport has said fraudsters tried to take money out of her account for three months. Patricia Daglish, from Gateshead, made a purchase from the fraudulent page, which promised six months of unlimited free travel in the Newcastle area with a £2 Pop Pay As You Go (PAYG) card. She said she thought it was "too good to be true", but initially believed the advert came from an official Tyne and Wear Metro Facebook page. Metro operator Nexus said it had reported the scam page - which gets taken down but then appears again with a new name - dozens of times. Facebook has been approached for a comment. "We have reported this to Meta numerous times. We're aware that other transport operators across in the UK have been targeted by what looks like the same scammers," Nexus said."Our customers are advised that this is a scam website and they should not engage with it. This is not connected in any way with Tyne and Wear Metro, or Nexus, and we do not endorse its content." Since September, there have been a number of warnings from Nexus about the fraudulent page, which features photos of Tyne and Wear Metro, buses and the Shields Daglish, 64, said there were also comments on it from people claiming they received the card and saying it was a great deal - but these were also fake. "Stupidly, I thought I'm going to try it," she said. 'Total, absolute scam' Days after the initial payment of £2.35, fraudsters tried to take out about £ Daglish said she used a Zing card for the initial payment and had put only £3 on scam payments failed because there was not enough money, and Ms Daglish cancelled the card - which was used in the euro currency for trips abroad - straight she said, despite the cancellation there were about nine attempts to take money out of the invalid card between the end of September and Christmas Day, for random sums ranging from about €9.99 to €49.99."I was very mad. I thought 'I cannot believe that I fell for something so stupid'," Ms Daglish said."I haven't seen the page for about two months now, but I can guarantee they are still doing it."It's a total, absolute scam and I don't know how the Metro can stop it, I don't know whose problem is it, but people must be getting money taken out of their bank accounts."Ms Daglish only lost the initial £2.35 but said she was worried of more scams in the future."I don't know who they are and how they get away with it. It's disgraceful," she said."They're very clever, they're very devious."Nexus advised customers to be vigilant "with any rogue social media page or website pretending to sell travel passes" and to report it to Nexus and Facebook.
BBC News
28-01-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Tyne and Wear Metro fare rise delayed by mayor
North East Mayor Kim McGuinness has said the performance of the Tyne and Wear Metro needs to improve after almost two months of significant have experienced a massive impact on services since the Gateshead flyover was closed due to structural problems on 15 mayor has decided to postpone annual price increases, usually rolled out in April, until July due to the Nexus said holding back the changes "recognises the exceptional disruption caused to customers at the end of 2024". From July, the cost of a single journey paper Metro ticket will go up from £2.80 to £3.00 for one zone, from £3.80 to £4.00 for two zones, and from £4.50 to £4.70 for three zones, the Local Democracy Reporting Service acknowledged issues were "in large part" caused by the closure of Gateshead flyover and the impact that had on the tunnels flyover was closed for 10 days affecting journeys across the whole said: "Metro performance needs to improve. I've been very clear with Nexus about that but know passengers have not seen that improvement happening."With this in mind it would not be the right thing to increase fares in April as has happened in previous years."People should not be paying more when they have had less."Director of finance and resources at Nexus John Fenwick said fares needed to increase "in order to help us address the challenges of higher operational costs".Mr Fenwick said costs would increase by 5.1% heading into 2025/26, adding: "Metro is a public service and doesn't make a profit so we require Government support, alongside the revenue that we generate from fares, to keep the system running." Both Nexus and McGuinness pointed to savings available to people who switch to the Pop Pay As You Go new fare proposals will go before North East Combined Authority's cabinet meeting for approval on Tuesday.
