How does NS deal with fraud?

Travellers who commit fraud, for example by intentionally travelling without paying the (full) price for the journey, not only harm NS, but also their fellow travellers. This is because the other travellers in effect pay for their use of public transport. We therefore actively work to prevent, identify, investigate, and punish cases of fraud.

Fraud is a broad concept, but it always involves a form of deceit in which affairs are presented in a way that differs from the actual situation, placing others at a disadvantage.

NS does not tolerate fraud. We crack down on travellers who intentionally attempt to disadvantage NS financially. To that end, we use the authority given us to protect the interests of NS and our paying passengers.

We place a high priority on fraud prevention and enforcement. To that end, we have drawn up an anti-fraud policy, and the NS Fraud Management department cooperates closely with other rail carriers, law enforcement, and other departments within NS, including Service and Operations, Legal Affairs, Finance, and IT.

Fraud prevention

We aim to prevent fraudulent behaviour from occurring by taking measures to cover the risks of fraud in the development of new products and services. These include technical adaptations or updates to the product terms and conditions. Fraudulent behaviour is also prevented by means of checks aboard the trains and at the stations, and by carefully processing and (automated) double-checking claims and other requests we receive.

Fraud identification 

It is not always possible to prevent fraud entirely, so in addition to prevention, NS works to identify and deal with cases of fraud. Our departments are alert to possible fraudulent (travel)transactions, and we actively investigate these cases using tools such as data analysis methods.
We also receive reports of fraud from a variety of channels. These reports not only come from within our own organisation, but also from (social) media, customers, and other rail carriers. You can also submit a fraud report yourself, and we will contact you by telephone or in writing to discuss the report in greater detail.

Fraud investigation

If fraud is suspected, then the NS Fraud Management department will carefully investigate the suspicions. If the investigation determines that fraud has indeed been committed, then we will take appropriate measures (see below). The fraudster will always be informed of these measures in writing. 

Sanctions

If fraud has been committed, we will always implement the following measures, depending on the circumstances:

• Levy the legal fine of € 50 if you do not have a valid ticket aboard the train. We also have that authority if no fraud has been committed.
• Levy a contractual fine.
• Claim damages incurred by NS as a result of the fraud.
• Reject or partially reject a request (such as a Refund for Delay claim). 
• Terminate or block a product or season ticket purchased from NS. 
• Block the OV-chipkaart.
• Charge a supplement to the check-in rate.
• Report the incident to the police. 

Police report

Reporting an incident to the police is a serious measure. The decision to report an incident of fraud to the police will be based on the severity and scale of the fraud committed, along with the following circumstances:

• The severity of the infringement on social or business interests.
• Whether the incident involves systematic or organised fraud
• Whether multiple fraudsters were involved
• Is the fraudulent behaviour more serious considering the fraudster's profession?
• Have the police or courts asked us to submit a police report?

If you have any questions about fraud, or would like to (anonymously) report an incident of fraud, please contact Fraude.Management@ns.nl.

NS Groep NV is responsible for protecting personal data as described in the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). NS processes personal data in order to prevent, identify, and investigate incidents of fraud and to apply punitive measures. NS will only process your personal data in accordance with the GDPR.