by WMATAGMOAGH
From washingtonpost.com:
Metro Police Arrest at Least 6 in Farecard Scam
By Lena H. Sun
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, July 18, 2008; 2:40 PM
Metro Transit Police have arrested at least six people in connection with an elaborate farecard scam, officials said.
The thieves traded in counterfeit paper farecards in Metro farecard machines to receive legitimate ones, or used the counterfeit ones to add value to electronic SmarTrip cards, according to Metro spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein.
Metro is holding a press conference at 3 p.m. today to discuss the fraud and outline how new measures put in place today will affect riders with legitimate fare media. Metro is urging riders to buy their paper farecards and SmarTrip cards directly from Metro vending machines in stations, sales centers, or authorized Metro vendors.
"If you purchased your fare directly from Metro, these measures won't affect you," she said.
The fraud was discovered earlier this week but had been going on since early this year, Farbstein said. She said officials are still investigating and don't know how much it has cost the agency.
Farbstein said she could not provide details about the counterfeit or how the scam was detected because the investigation is continuing. But officials have singled out personnel in transit police, technology, and financial transactions departments. General Manager John B. Catoe Jr., who was scheduled to leave town earlier this week to attend a conference, cancelled the trip because of the fraud and subsequent measures Metro is putting in place.
Since Wednesday, transit police have arrested one person at the Judiciary Square Metro station, two people at Union Station, two people at Pentagon station, and one person at the Eastern Market station, she said. She declined to provide names. Several of the people arrested had counterfeit farecards in their possession, she said.
In response to the fraud, Metro reprogrammed its fare machines today to significantly lower the amount of money that passengers can trade in on used farecards. The maximum, which used to be $40, is now $7, Farbstein said. Although the lower amount may be inconvenient for riders, it will limit the agency's vulnerability, she said.
At the same time, Metro will be "turning off" SmarTrip cards associated with the theft. If the thieves have sold the counterfeit cards on the street and someone tries to add that value to a legitimate SmarTrip card, she said, Metro personnel will be able to track, in real time, when that transaction happens and will electronically disable the SmarTrip card.
Metro Police Arrest at Least 6 in Farecard Scam
By Lena H. Sun
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, July 18, 2008; 2:40 PM
Metro Transit Police have arrested at least six people in connection with an elaborate farecard scam, officials said.
The thieves traded in counterfeit paper farecards in Metro farecard machines to receive legitimate ones, or used the counterfeit ones to add value to electronic SmarTrip cards, according to Metro spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein.
Metro is holding a press conference at 3 p.m. today to discuss the fraud and outline how new measures put in place today will affect riders with legitimate fare media. Metro is urging riders to buy their paper farecards and SmarTrip cards directly from Metro vending machines in stations, sales centers, or authorized Metro vendors.
"If you purchased your fare directly from Metro, these measures won't affect you," she said.
The fraud was discovered earlier this week but had been going on since early this year, Farbstein said. She said officials are still investigating and don't know how much it has cost the agency.
Farbstein said she could not provide details about the counterfeit or how the scam was detected because the investigation is continuing. But officials have singled out personnel in transit police, technology, and financial transactions departments. General Manager John B. Catoe Jr., who was scheduled to leave town earlier this week to attend a conference, cancelled the trip because of the fraud and subsequent measures Metro is putting in place.
Since Wednesday, transit police have arrested one person at the Judiciary Square Metro station, two people at Union Station, two people at Pentagon station, and one person at the Eastern Market station, she said. She declined to provide names. Several of the people arrested had counterfeit farecards in their possession, she said.
In response to the fraud, Metro reprogrammed its fare machines today to significantly lower the amount of money that passengers can trade in on used farecards. The maximum, which used to be $40, is now $7, Farbstein said. Although the lower amount may be inconvenient for riders, it will limit the agency's vulnerability, she said.
At the same time, Metro will be "turning off" SmarTrip cards associated with the theft. If the thieves have sold the counterfeit cards on the street and someone tries to add that value to a legitimate SmarTrip card, she said, Metro personnel will be able to track, in real time, when that transaction happens and will electronically disable the SmarTrip card.
