I posted a blog a while ago about hacking and general goofing about with Oyster cards (see below). Some Dutch hackers have only gone and done it! Check out a surprisingly in-depth BBC news article or various articles about the ensuing finger-pointing and legal ramifications.

Given the plans to roll out various ‘pay for real stuff using your Oyster card’ schemes, it doesn’t inspire confidence to say the least. Having said that, what better way to make a name for yourself. I suspect the applications for the computing course at the Radboud University in Nijmegen will be up this year!

Original article…

Been getting paranoid recently. Every time I go through a tub barrier, I swipe my Oyster card and it lets me though. However, as soon as I’m through, it starts beeping like mad. I assume it’s telling everyone behind me to ‘Seek Assistance”. But I’ve never managed to see it. It happens EVERY time.

I got a new card. Same thing. I went to the kiosk. No problems with the card. Same thing.

I asked the man on the barrier yesterday and he tried it, no problem. After a quick chat we concluded I was a tad too flamboyant on my swiping! I moved the card by about 1cm as I touched-in. This was enough to worry the machine.
I now firmly ‘slap’ the card down and whip it up in a clinical execution. No more beeping.

Thought I’d Google it to see if anyone else was having problems. Of course they weren’t. Or at least they weren’t sad enough to blog it! However, It did throw up a few (relatively) interesting issues…

• The new Arsenal fan club card has the same RF as the Oyster card. Doh!

• Put foil around your Oyster card when not in use to avoid being RF-jacked.

• TFL freely give Oyster card details to the police

• Get tour own Oyster hacker
• Can you hack an Oyster card?