Fraudster Shaquille Moore Jailed for Selling Fake Oyster Cards
Shaquille Moore, 27, from Trenholme Road, London, was slammed with a prison sentence after admitting to a slick Oyster card scam. The fraudster pleaded guilty at Inner London Crown Court on 28 August and was sentenced on 25 September to two years and eight months behind bars.
Fake 16+ Zip Oyster Cards Ripped Off Londoners
Between May and December 2018, Moore hawked more than 16 fake 16+ Zip Oyster photocards on social media under the bogus name ‘Ben Franklin’. His con? Selling discounted travel cards to people over 18 who were not eligible.
The genuine 16+ Zip Oyster photocard is for 16 and 17-year-olds only, offering half-price travel on TfL services, sometimes even free rides.
Falsified IDs and Fake Dates of Birth Used to Cheat TfL
Moore’s dodgy operation involved faking dates of birth and creating false ID documents. This helped customers set up Oyster accounts online, skirting TfL’s age verification process to grab cheap travel fares illegally.
How TfL and Police Busted the Scam
On 24 August and 11 September 2018, TfL fraud investigators got tip-offs from staff spotting suspicious Oyster card deals on social media. When TfL cracked down on fraudsters, some admitted buying fake cards—and traced payments back to Moore’s bank accounts.
The British Transport Police (BTP), supported by TfL, swooped in. They found, arrested, and charged Moore with fraud by false representation.
BTP Detective Constable Mark Pink said: “This was a pre-planned, sophisticated fraud that went on for months. Moore made over £35,000, causing serious losses to TfL.”
“We worked closely with TfL to bring him to justice. His sentence tells fraudsters loud and clear—we will not tolerate this criminality.”
Richard Mullings, TfL Head of Counter-Fraud, added: “Fare evasion cheats London’s transport system out of millions. That’s money that should improve buses, Tubes, and roads. This conviction proves TfL’s zero tolerance for anyone defrauding Londoners.”
“We will prosecute anyone selling or buying fake Oyster cards to dodge paying their fare.”
