'Oyster cards have data security issues'
08/04/2008 17:32:06
Although consumers have benefited from the use of pre-paid electronic travel cards, the payment technology has data security issues, a consumer body has warned.
Pre-paid electronic travel cards such as London's Oyster system have "generally benefited customers" by increasing efficiency across transport networks, said James Tallack, senior researcher for Which? Magazine.
However, he pointed out that as Transport for London holds data regarding each consumer's travel details for up to eight weeks - without the knowledge of customers - they may be breaking the Data Protection Act.
"The Information Commissioner states that systems that link personal data with travel data should tell consumers what information is being collected about them, by whom, and for what purpose," Mr Tallack explained.
Which? was founded in 1957 and is now the largest consumer body in the UK, with over 650,000 members.
Meanwhile, a recent study in America claimed that the encryption technology applied to RFID chips - which are used in Oyster cards - is easier to infiltrate than previously thought.
According to the research a tech-savvy fraudster needs only a personal computer and around £500 worth of equipment to decrypt the cards which can expose the user's personal data.
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