London: Oyster Card Automatic Top-up

If you get an Oyster Card for use on London Transport, it can be
changed to provide automatic top-up of the amount on the card, charged
to your credit card. This has to be arranged online, as far as I
know, but the London Transport computer will not accept any postcodes
that do not fit the UK standard (e.g., like W2V 0PJ). This would seem
to make it impossible for US credit card holders or some others
overseas to arrange auto top-up.

However, it turns out that if you give all your credit card details
correctly but put in a fake UK postcode for your billing address, it
works OK. There may be a computer error, but eventually London
Transport will clear that and send you an e-mail confirming the new
arrangements. At least, that worked for me today.

Larry in London

"Larry in London" wrote in message
oups.com...
If you get an Oyster Card for use on London Transport, it can be
changed to provide automatic top-up of the amount on the card, charged
to your credit card. This has to be arranged online, as far as I
know, but the London Transport computer will not accept any postcodes
that do not fit the UK standard (e.g., like W2V 0PJ). This would seem
to make it impossible for US credit card holders or some others
overseas to arrange auto top-up.

However, it turns out that if you give all your credit card details
correctly but put in a fake UK postcode for your billing address, it
works OK. There may be a computer error, but eventually London
Transport will clear that and send you an e-mail confirming the new
arrangements. At least, that worked for me today.

Larry in London


And what happens if you lose the card and dont keep a record of the number ?
Some lucky person gets free transport for life !!
Can you image tfl being able to cancel an oyster just with the CC no ??

On Feb 1, 12:36 pm, "Miss L. Toe"
wrote:

And what happens if you lose the card and dont keep a record of the number ?
Some lucky person gets free transport for life !!

No. You can't set up auto-top-up without registering the card, and to
do that TfL need a record of your name and address, so the same
details would be sufficient to have it blocked as well.

Neil

"Neil Williams" wrote in message
ps.com...
On Feb 1, 12:36 pm, "Miss L. Toe"
wrote:

And what happens if you lose the card and dont keep a record of the
number ?
Some lucky person gets free transport for life !!

No. You can't set up auto-top-up without registering the card, and to
do that TfL need a record of your name and address, so the same
details would be sufficient to have it blocked as well.

But if he's anything like me, when I make up an address
to work around a web site registration, I can't recall it
if I need it

tim

But if he's anything like me, when I make up an address
to work around a web site registration, I can't recall it
if I need it

You will have to use a real address to arrange auto top-up billed to
your credit card, it is only the postcode that is a problem and you
will not need to remember the false one.

Once you register your Oyster card you have some protection against
loss.

Larry in Berkeley, California

In article om,
"Larry in Berkeley" wrote:

But if he's anything like me, when I make up an address
to work around a web site registration, I can't recall it
if I need it

You will have to use a real address to arrange auto top-up billed to
your credit card, it is only the postcode that is a problem and you
will not need to remember the false one.

Once you register your Oyster card you have some protection against
loss.

Larry in Berkeley, California


However registering your card allows you to be tracked. I merely pop my
card in and top it up with cash to remain anonymous.

"Larry in Berkeley" wrote in message
ps.com...

But if he's anything like me, when I make up an address
to work around a web site registration, I can't recall it
if I need it

You will have to use a real address to arrange auto top-up billed to
your credit card, it is only the postcode that is a problem and you
will not need to remember the false one.

I am obviously missing something here.

I have been told that in the UK, it is the Postcode part of the
customer address that is validated in a CNP transaction.

This is because it is the part with numbers, that can be
entered easily into the standard 10 button keypad that most
retailers will already have.

tim

On 2 Feb, 20:20, "tim....." wrote:
"Larry in Berkeley" wrote in glegroups.com...



But if he's anything like me, when I make up an address
to work around a web site registration, I can't recall it
if I need it

You will have to use a real address to arrange auto top-up billed to
your credit card, it is only the postcode that is a problem and you
will not need to remember the false one.

I am obviously missing something here.

I have been told that in the UK, it is the Postcode part of the
customer address that is validated in a CNP transaction.

This is because it is the part with numbers, that can be
entered easily into the standard 10 button keypad that most
retailers will already have.

tim

Who told you that? UK postcodes have letters as well as numbers eg BS8
1LR. Also, aren't you a bit confused? "CNP" stands for "customer not
present". The keypad that retailers use (when the customer is
present) is for the customer to enter their 4 digit PIN.

"contrex" wrote in message
oups.com...
On 2 Feb, 20:20, "tim....." wrote:
"Larry in Berkeley" wrote in
glegroups.com...



But if he's anything like me, when I make up an address
to work around a web site registration, I can't recall it
if I need it

You will have to use a real address to arrange auto top-up billed to
your credit card, it is only the postcode that is a problem and you
will not need to remember the false one.

I am obviously missing something here.

I have been told that in the UK, it is the Postcode part of the
customer address that is validated in a CNP transaction.

This is because it is the part with numbers, that can be
entered easily into the standard 10 button keypad that most
retailers will already have.

tim

Who told you that?

two people.

One of them the person in the shop performing a CNP
transaction for me whilst I was there (can't remember why)

UK postcodes have letters as well as numbers eg BS8
1LR.

Yes, but they have enough digits to use as a secondary
check. The chances of somone having the credit card
registered at no 34, AA1 2BB when they really lived at
no 34, BB1 2CC is slim

Also, aren't you a bit confused? "CNP" stands for "customer not
present". The keypad that retailers use (when the customer is
present) is for the customer to enter their 4 digit PIN.

Many people who have real shops also take telephone orders.
They need to be able to perform these transactions with the
same equipment.

tim

In article ,
(tim.....) wrote:

*From:* "tim....."
*Date:* Sun, 4 Feb 2007 12:44:47 -0000


"contrex" wrote in message
oups.com...
On 2 Feb, 20:20, "tim....." wrote:
"Larry in Berkeley" wrote in
glegroups.com...



But if he's anything like me, when I make up an address
to work around a web site registration, I can't recall it
if I need it

You will have to use a real address to arrange auto top-up billed
to
your credit card, it is only the postcode that is a problem and you
will not need to remember the false one.

I am obviously missing something here.

I have been told that in the UK, it is the Postcode part of the
customer address that is validated in a CNP transaction.

This is because it is the part with numbers, that can be
entered easily into the standard 10 button keypad that most
retailers will already have.

tim

Who told you that?

two people.

One of them the person in the shop performing a CNP
transaction for me whilst I was there (can't remember why)

It may depend on the merchant services provider. Certainly, I have put
through many credit-card transactions in my partner's store - both CNP and
otherwise - and it has never asked for a postcode.