Mismatch photocard and ticket - error when ticket was issued

[Deafdoggie]

My only experience of check digits is the supermarket barcode. There (in the standard 13 digit) barcode, the first number is the country of origin (5 is UK) the next 6 are the company (e.g. Mcvities) the next 5 are the product (e.g. digestives) the final one is the check digit. The till does a 16 step sum involving all the other digits, the answer is a single digit which should be the same as the check digit. If it is, the till assumes it has read the barcode correctly.
Obviously own brand products have shorter barcodes, as only that chain needs to have the code on their system, so there is no need to register the barcode & thus it keeps costs down.
Of course, technology has come on a pace since first introduced, but supermarkets have the equipment now. Much like the railways still have the old photocard numbers. To totally update the whole system is a lot of work & a lot of money, for very little gain.

 

[talldave]

A simple "summed" check digit won't spot two digits swapped.

Totally off topic, but some bank acount numbers have checksums (eg Barclays) which was useful in the good old days when anyone you'd given the account number & sort code to could walk into the bank and pay money into your account.

 

[LAX54]

But of course with everything being digitised / scanned / converted to apps..etc etc, there is the chance that it could just throw up an error in reading, it's just unfortunate, but these things happen, shops too ! but you could also argue that when he checked the expiry date was right, could have checked the numbers tallied....assuming he checked the expiry date, and not just stuck it in his pocket !

 

[Deafdoggie]

A simple "summed" check digit won't spot two digits swapped.

That’s why they use a 16 step sum, first digit times third digit divide by ninth digit...

 

[Haywain]

Ticket issuing systems don't use check digits for season photocard numbers. When testing different systems we didn't use genuine photocards but just made up random numbers which always worked!

 

[ianBR]

Anytime I buy a season ticket on southern’s website and collect it from a machine the last digit of my photocard is always missing....so i technically always travel with a photocard that doesn’t match the ticket thanks to Southern’s IT systems.

Most people’s photocard are probably checked once every ten years - the industry should just get rid of them completely and print a name on the ticket

 

[jawr256]

I once lost my season ticket and photocard, and got a new photocard and duplicate season ticket from the ticket office. The photocard had an entirely new number but the ticket was incorrectly issued with the old photocard number. This went unnoticed for a couple of days before I spotted it and returned to the ticket office to get it corrected.

 

[talldave]

Most people’s photocard are probably checked once every ten years - the industry should just get rid of them completely and print a name on the ticket

Interestingly, I was making a return journey yesterday evening discounted with my Hatton/Lapworth Gold Card on Southeastern and my Gold Card was checked on both outward and return legs. And the second inspection involved a cross check of the photocard number against the Gold Card.

 

[Dougal2345]

SWT ran a campaign to withdraw old photo cards a few years back, and swap in the barcoded style.

I never noticed that... what sort of campaign? I have a SWT/R Gold Card and they write occasionally, but I don't recall anything about updating my photocard - similarly I've always renewed it at the station and no-one's said 'this card needs updating', even though the fresh-faced Dougal2345 beaming out of it bears little resemblance to the increasingly haggard and saggy one handing over a month's salary...

 

[swt_passenger]

I never noticed that... what sort of campaign? I have a SWT/R Gold Card and they write occasionally, but I don't recall anything about updating my photocard - similarly I've always renewed it at the station and no-one's said 'this card needs updating', even though the fresh-faced Dougal2345 beaming out of it bears little resemblance to the increasingly haggard and saggy one handing over a month's salary...

My local ticket office (Swanwick) had a small sign up at the counter but it’s ages ago now. Just said something like please bring a photo in next time you renew and we’ll update your photo card. Perhaps it was just one man’s idea.

 

[island]

A simple "summed" check digit won't spot two digits swapped.

Totally off topic, but some bank acount numbers have checksums (eg Barclays) which was useful in the good old days when anyone you'd given the account number & sort code to could walk into the bank and pay money into your account.

They still can, though some counter clerks don’t like it and make up reasons such as money laundering to refuse transactions.

 

[talldave]

They still can, though some counter clerks don’t like it and make up reasons such as money laundering to refuse transactions.

Not at Barclays, sadly. The counter clerks there are intended for business customers, but even if you persevere, they won't accept cash credits into a random account.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Not at Barclays, sadly. The counter clerks there are intended for business customers, but even if you persevere, they won't accept cash credits into a random account.

You can of course still do that online.

 

[K.o.R]

You can of course still do that online.

Pay cash in?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Pay cash in?

Pay into an account number using only that information. It doesn't overly matter whether it's cash or a transfer, the same issue with miskeying the number applies.

 

[K.o.R]

Pay into an account number using only that information. It doesn't overly matter whether it's cash or a transfer, the same issue with miskeying the number applies.

You tend to need the account holder's name or at least something similar as an extra check to make sure you have the numbers right.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

You tend to need the account holder's name or at least something similar as an extra check to make sure you have the numbers right.

The account holder's name does not yet have any impact on whether or not the transaction processes normally. You can put in Mickey Mouse and it will arrive! That is due to change somewhat in the coming months/years, but the proposals are not yet fully public as to how they will work.

 

[Bletchleyite]

You tend to need the account holder's name or at least something similar as an extra check to make sure you have the numbers right.

No, you don't. You enter it to save against the number in your account for your own purposes, but there is presently no extra check.

One is being implemented fairly soon, but it isn't quite there yet.

 

[K.o.R]

Huh, interesting. I thought account name was important. I wonder if it actually functioned as a check on the in-branch paying-in slips. Since the human operator will presumably see the account name come up when they enter the number and see if it matches.

 

[talldave]

Huh, interesting. I thought account name was important. I wonder if it actually functioned as a check on the in-branch paying-in slips. Since the human operator will presumably see the account name come up when they enter the number and see if it matches.

So we go full circle - they've got rid of blank paying in slips to prevent anyone other than the account holder paying in, so they don't exist to be checked (in my bank at least)!

 

[infobleep]

I've still got my old photocard from those days. Four things to check when getting a new season ticket:
1. Departure station
2. Destination station
3. Expiry date
4. Photocard number

Check digits wouldn't solve the first three items. Yes, it shouldn't happen but there has to be some responsibility on the buyer to check the details are correct.

I'm sure I was told. I had to update my photocard to one that had a barcode.

 

[Deerfold]

No, you don't. You enter it to save against the number in your account for your own purposes, but there is presently no extra check.

One is being implemented fairly soon, but it isn't quite there yet.

Indeed,

A large technology company accidentally deposited a 4-figure sum in our business account last year. I do wonder if they'd have noticed if we hadn't queried it with our bank.

 

[maniacmartin]

Most bank account numbers include a check digit which covers both the sort code and account number. Interestingly, the check algorithm varies depending on the sort code, and has loads of weird special cases for specific sort codes. See Vocalink (bacs) document on validating account numbers for the gory details.