Every day, millions of people in Île-de-France use public transport, which is largely financed by public transport tickets and subsidies. However, fraud represents a considerable loss for Île-de-France Mobilities (IDFM). With an overall fraud rate of around 8%, and much higher peaks on some lines, the loss of profit amounts to around 700 million euros per year. A real financial chasm that the transport authority wants to reduce by half by the end of 2025. How do you fix it? What mechanisms should be put in place to reduce this loss? We're taking stock.
Public transport fraud: an increase after the health crisis
Fraud in public transport is not new. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the fraud rate was already worrying but the health crisis has accentuated the phenomenon.
Today, fraud is reaching record levels, especially on buses and trams. In order to better quantify these scams, here are some data:
- 15.2% of bus users do not pay for their trip, a figure that is up sharply compared to 11% before the crisis.
- On Noctilien night buses, the situation is even more alarming, with 26.7% of fraudsters.
- The tramway is not to be outdone, with 16% of users in violation, compared to around 10% before 2020.
- In the subway and RER, the fraud is more contained, 4.8%, but it is still a major problem.
In addition to these figures, 7.5% of travelers in good standing do not validate their Navigo pass or Imagine'R, which impacts operators' remuneration, calculated in part on the number of validations.
Learn more about fraud trends in the coming year: Fraud trends in 2025
Fraud that varies by territory
This phenomenon of fraud does not affect all areas in the same way.
Les Lines located in Seine-Saint-Denis are particularly concerned, while fraud is less common in the Greater Crown.
RER lines, in particular Lines B and D, have higher than average fraud rates, with peaks exceeding 12% on some sections.
So how can these scams be remedied?
The solutions envisaged by IDFM
Faced with this challenge, IDFM announced a series of measures aimed at strengthening the fight against fraud. How?
- THEincreased controls : more agents will be deployed, especially on the most affected lines.
- La modernization of equipment : faced with the invalidity of tickets, IDFM wants to install new gates and smart cameras in order to better detect fraud.
- La increased awareness : information campaigns will be put in place to remind users of the economic impact of fraud.
- Les strengthened sanctions : IDFM wants to impose more dissuasive fines and accelerated legal procedures for repeat offenders.
Finovox, a key tool in the fight against fraud
Among the many forms of fraud, the use of false documents to obtain discounted subscriptions is a major problem. This is called document fraud.
For example, massive fraud concerns false discount certificates for the Navigo pass. Its amount is alarming: it represents a cost of 28 million euros to IDFM.
This is where Finovox, a French start-up specializing in detection of falsified documents. Thanks to artificial intelligence and advanced algorithms, the Finovox platform allows:
- The analysis of inconsistencies in the supporting documents provided (identity, address or even social situation).
- The review of metadata contained in the files to detect any suspicious changes.
- The verification of the quality of documents in order to identify possible fraudulent arrangements.
Already adopted in sectors such as The insurance, the Finances or even the Retail, this technology could play a crucial role in the fight against fraud in public transport.
By integrating Finovox into its control systems, IDFM could significantly reduce abuse and avoid heavy financial losses.
An essential struggle to preserve public services
While transport fraud can sometimes be perceived as a “petty crime”, it actually represents a significant cost for the community.
This lost money could, in particular, be reinvested innetwork improvement, the infrastructure renovation or even the Lower subscription prices.
With innovative solutions such as Finovox and strengthened controls, IDFM would claim, not only to Recover millions of euros But at restore a culture of citizenship and responsibility among users.
Do you want to learn more about the Finovox solution? Contact our experts, they will be happy to answer you.
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