I was coming back from photographing an event in Manhattan, and wanted to add money to my MetroCard because I had a few more places to go to that day by subway and bus. When I tried to add more cash to the card, the machine gave an error, and took the twenty dollar bill without putting anything on the MetroCard. It spit out a receipt that showed an error code. The MTA had just stolen the money.
Robbed in the New York City subway.
I thought no big deal, I’ll just show this to the MTA employee working in the booth and get my money back. But of course, we are dealing with the MTA here: even though it just happened, even though I was holding the card that caused the error, and even though I had the freshly printed error receipt from the machine in my hand, the dude told me he could not refund me the money or even just electronically put the twenty bucks I lost onto the card. He said I had to contact the MTA for a refund. By writing them.
Luckily that wasn’t my last twenty bucks; I had more cash on me. But what if I didn’t? I guess I’d hop the turnstile like everyone else. Anyway, I spent another $20 getting a totally new card from the booth attendant and got on the next train.
The process of getting a refund from the MTA is, naturally, a pain in the ass. First, make sure you keep that receipt AND the MetroCard associated with the messed up transaction. You will have to mail both of them to the MTA as proof of what happened. So even if you think the MetroCard is busted, don’t toss it out, and don’t try to use it again anywhere else. Maybe put a small mark on it with a Sharpie so you don’t get it mixed it up with another card.
You will have to print out and fill out the form located here:
http://web.mta.info/metrocard/pdfs/form.pdf
The form is, of course, badly designed — I found it hard to write the letters of my address and all the other stuff inside those stupid little boxes. Then there’s a section of the form where you’ll have to write in all of the information that’s already on the receipt, because why not.
When you’re done, put the form along with the receipt and the MetroCard into an envelope and mail it off to the address on the form. And wait — it took about three months for the MTA send me back a new MetroCard.
This is why for now on I’m hopping the train I will never pay for the train again .
I have had at least 10 incidents where the Limited bus receipt machine has stolen money from my metrocard and not given me a receipt – it usually says “metrocard error”, or just plain not print a receipt – then returns my card – then I have to insert my card into another Limited machine, where it then prints 1 receipt and I notice 2 fares were deducted from my card. Pathetic – and I don’t even waste the time to try and get a refund.
That’s terrible, 10 times is a lot. I had something similar happen at the 33rd and Park subway station over the summer (2023). I swiped the MetroCard at the turnstile, it beeped, and I walked forward… but the turnstile didn’t turn and let me through (ouch). So I swiped it again, thinking that the first swipe was the traditional MetroCard “swipe again” error. Turns out it took two fares off the card and there was something wrong with that turnstile. I didn’t realize it until I transferred to a bus later and it showed two transfers. Like you I didn’t bother trying to get a refund for that.
For every fare jumper that the city whines about, I wonder how many people have been charged multiple times or ripped off. Probably balances out.
I just had $14.50 taken, and zero refill on the card. Worse, the machine did not print a receipt showing the error message.
Not even going to try to deal with the hassle. Looks like either I’m hopping the turnstile for the next five trips, or requesting a chargeback.
Sorry to hear that! I did a YouTube Short about OMNY replacing MetroCards possibly this year, maybe that system will be more reliable. And after all the money people have lost, I don’t think the City should complain about fair jumpers, or even bother with enforcement anymore.
MTA THIEVES
help me
Found this from off Youtube, you made a clip about how the metrocard is going away. They were talking on the comments about how Omny is also taking thr money. Actually maybe is was on tiktok I think you are the same guy
Yes, I did both, but the comments on TikTok may have been from a misunderstanding about how the new system works (at least I hope so).