Warning over London railway station card skimming scam
People who buy tickets from unmanned machines at Tube and train stations across London have been warned to be on the alert for a card skimming scam.
The police said in the last six weeks there has been an increase in the number of card skimmers being attached to payment keypads at transport hubs.
The equipment is used to capture personal credit and debit card details.
Detectives urged passengers to be vigilant when using unmanned machines and to shield the keypad.
A specialist joint unit has been investigating the recent rise in card skimmers being placed on ticket machines at stations across London's transport network.
Det Ch Insp Paul Barnard, who heads the Dedicated Cheque and Plastic Crime Unit (DCPCU), urged passengers to adopt a common sense approach to avoid becoming a victim.
He said people should be aware of who is around them when using ticket machines and to cancel their transaction if their suspicions are aroused.
The City of London officer also said anyone acting suspiciously around a ticket machine should be reported to a member of rail station staff or the police.
"Officers from our specialist unit are working very closely with Transport for London and British Transport Police to ensure that these fraudsters will not benefit from their criminal activity," he said.