"Fake" Ticket Inspectors

[BlueLeanie]

It's a filler press release, but it's appeared across multiple sites in recent days.

Fake train ticket inspectors​

Scammers can sometimes impersonate ticket inspectors to claim that a ticket is invalid before demanding payment on the spot.

These scammers may also pressure people into handing over card details.

Expert warns over fake ticket inspectors scamming UK train passengers

An expert has issued a warning over scammers pretending to be ticket inspectors on UK trains.

www.thewestonmercury.co.uk

Expert warns over fake ticket inspectors scamming UK train passengers

An expert has issued a warning over scammers pretending to be ticket inspectors on UK trains.

uk.news.yahoo.com

NEWS | Fake train ticket inspector scams on the rise across the United Kingdom experts are warning - Herefordshire’s Independent Source of News & Information

Travel experts London Tickets and Tours warn those travelling through any of the busy cities to stay extra vigilant. Magdalena Petrusic, a travel expert from London Tickets & Tours says, “Using public wi-fi when travelling through any train station is risky. “Many public wi-fi networks...

yourherefordshire.co.uk

Expert warns over fake ticket inspectors scamming UK train passengers

An expert has issued a warning over scammers pretending to be ticket inspectors on UK trains.

www.milfordmercury.co.uk

Expert warns over fake ticket inspectors scamming UK train passengers

An expert has issued a warning over scammers pretending to be ticket inspectors on UK trains.

www.clactonandfrintongazette.co.uk

Expert warns over fake ticket inspectors scamming UK train passengers

An expert has issued a warning over scammers pretending to be ticket inspectors on UK trains.

www.penarthtimes.co.uk

Expert warns over fake ticket inspectors scamming UK train passengers

An expert has issued a warning over scammers pretending to be ticket inspectors on UK trains.

www.dorsetecho.co.uk

Is this a genuine thing? Are there really teams of fake inspectors standing at unstaffed stations, or trawling through services?

I suppose it wouldn't be hard to do. Print your own ID, railway lanyard, HiViz, then a handheld machine with a vague account "GBR Auditors" etc.

 

[LowLevel]

It's a filler press release, but it's appeared across multiple sites in recent days.

Expert warns over fake ticket inspectors scamming UK train passengers

An expert has issued a warning over scammers pretending to be ticket inspectors on UK trains.

www.thewestonmercury.co.uk

Expert warns over fake ticket inspectors scamming UK train passengers

An expert has issued a warning over scammers pretending to be ticket inspectors on UK trains.

uk.news.yahoo.com

NEWS | Fake train ticket inspector scams on the rise across the United Kingdom experts are warning - Herefordshire’s Independent Source of News & Information

Travel experts London Tickets and Tours warn those travelling through any of the busy cities to stay extra vigilant. Magdalena Petrusic, a travel expert from London Tickets & Tours says, “Using public wi-fi when travelling through any train station is risky. “Many public wi-fi networks...

yourherefordshire.co.uk

Expert warns over fake ticket inspectors scamming UK train passengers

An expert has issued a warning over scammers pretending to be ticket inspectors on UK trains.

www.milfordmercury.co.uk

https://www.barryandhttps://www.clactonandfrintongazette.co.uk/news/national/uk-today/24630650.warning-fake-ticket-inspector-scam-uk-trains/

Expert warns over fake ticket inspectors scamming UK train passengers

An expert has issued a warning over scammers pretending to be ticket inspectors on UK trains.

www.penarthtimes.co.uk

Expert warns over fake ticket inspectors scamming UK train passengers

An expert has issued a warning over scammers pretending to be ticket inspectors on UK trains.

www.dorsetecho.co.uk

Is this a genuine thing? Are there really teams of fake inspectors standing at unstaffed stations, or trawling through services?

I suppose it wouldn't be hard to do. Print your own ID, railway lanyard, HiViz, then a handheld machine with a vague account "GBR Auditors" etc.

In a word, no. There have been occasional issues but no, it's not a common problem.

 

[Gloster]

Anybody heard of this expert? Or her company? This seems to be the usual press release by a company that provides cheap publicity and, by masquerading as a piece of public information, increases the chance of getting the company’s name known.

 

[alistairlees]

She appears to be based in Dubrovnik and works for Mint Media, which is a software development company based there. I cannot see that she has any UK travel or transprt experience or knowledge. This has all the hallmarks of social media clickbait. No doubt she will have released a 'press release' which has been picked up and reprinted verbatim, without verification or investigation, by the high quality local journalists that are employed by Newsquest etc.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

...which has been picked up and reprinted verbatim, without verification or investigation, by the high quality local journalists that are employed by Newsquest etc.

These supposed "journalists" have presumably now given the idea to hundreds of villains across the country by giving it this coverage?

 

[Lewisham2221]

These supposed "journalists" have presumably now given the idea to hundreds of villains across the country by giving it this coverage?

And also probably given fair evaders another excuse to "justify" non-compliance with guards and RPIs.

 

[Sirius]

When Scotland introduced the ban on smoking there was an instance of someone demanding an on the spot fine at a station (albeit impersonating police).

BBC NEWS | Scotland | Bogus detective fines rail smoker

news.bbc.co.uk

A bogus police officer ordered a woman who was smoking on a Glasgow train platform to pay a £20 on-the-spot fine.

The lone passenger had been smoking a cigarette at Partick station at 1110 GMT on Tuesday when the man approached.

 

[65477]

In the early 2000's I was travelling on a train from Waterloo to Woking, and just after Clapham Junction was approached by an individual asking to see tickets. Theis person had no visible form on ID so I asked to see it. Their response was something along the lines of "Im new and it has not been issued yet".

I am not sure if they were an authorised collector or not but they picked on the wrong person to approach. For a few years earlier I was involved in passenger representation and was, one of a number of people, asked to review the new railway bye-laws that came into force with the end of BR. I noted that there was noting in the bye-laws to cover this sort of situation. As a result bye-law 24.3 "identification of authorised persons: an authorised person who is exercising any power conferred on him by any of these byelaws shall produce a form of identification when requested to do so and such identification shall state the name of his employer and shall contain a means of identifying the authorised person" was inserted.

Thus I quoted said bye-law to the individual and they went away.

 

[Ian79]

It's possible that someone may have tried to do this, but I can't see it as a particularly logical way to scam people for those so inclined.

The effort involved and risk of getting caught would be significantly higher than putting fake parking tickets on cars, putting down some fake QR codes on tables in pubs or phoning people at random pretending to be from their bank. It would only take one passenger or off-duty member of staff to make a quiet phone call to the BTP and the criminal is nicely contained within the train until the next station ready to be arrested.

 

[AlterEgo]

I'd be more concerned about fake journalists.

As has been pointed out, the spokesperson is a marketer from Dubrovnik. "London Tickets and Tours" does not seem to exist. Carry on and ignore, and stop reading local press which craps out stuff like this.

 

[matt_world2004]

There are sometimes people doing ticketless travel surveys they often get quite close to impersonating ticket inspectors although not for the purposes of obtaining money.

 

[riceuten]

I'd be more concerned about fake journalists.

As has been pointed out, the spokesperson is a marketer from Dubrovnik. "London Tickets and Tours" does not seem to exist. Carry on and ignore, and stop reading local press which craps out stuff like this.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/magdalena-petru%C5%A1i%C4%87-130ba4226/?originalSubdomain=hr

Busy woman

Magdalena Petrusic, a travel expert from Niagara Falls Tickets and Tours has commented on the results:

“Waterfalls are among nature’s most stunning creations, and social media allows us to capture their beauty and share it with the world.

“This ranking will help selfie-loving travellers decide what destination should be next on their list and is ideal for those seeking picture-perfect locations.”

Instagram Data Reveals The World’s Most Popular Waterfalls: Niagara Falls Tickets and Tours Study - Travel And Tour World

Niagara Falls Tickets and Tours analyzed Instagram data for over 400 waterfalls worldwide to determine which ones were tagged the most. Hashtags included

www.travelandtourworld.com

Magdalena Petrusic, Travel Expert from Vatican Tours & Tickets has commented on the study findings: “Rome has a unique blend of history, art, culture, cuisine, and beauty that continues to captivate tourists from around the world.

"I'm a Travel Expert" - These are the Best and Worst Rated Rome Monuments - Northern Ireland Travel News

A new data study by Vatican Tours & Tickets reveals Rome’s best and worst-rated monuments. Travel experts have compiled a study by taking all 40 existing monuments across Rome and ranking each location against nine determining factors to receive a score out of 100. Rankings are based on nine...

nitravelnews.com

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Is this Magdalena Petrušić, if indeed it's a real person rather than a 'non de plume', not someone connected with "Mint Media", a digital marketing outfit ostensibly based in Dubrovnik in Croatia? Doubt, however, that there's any genuine underlying tickets + tours business.

 

[riceuten]

Is this Magdalena Petrušić, if indeed it's a real person rather than a 'non de plume', not someone connected with "Mint Media", a digital marketing outfit ostensibly based in Dubrovnik in Croatia? Doubt, however, that there's any genuine underlying tickets + tours business.

She's also a "Travel Expert" for "Stonehenge Tours & Tickets", "Dubai Tours & Tickets", "Colosseum Tours & Tickets" - I gave up after 3 pages. I'm sure she exists, though I doubt the firms do

 

[Peter Mugridge]

There are sometimes people doing ticketless travel surveys they often get quite close to impersonating ticket inspectors although not for the purposes of obtaining money.

These people would be required to have and to display an identity card, though - most likely a Market Research Society one.

 

[matt_world2004]

These people would be required to have and to display an identity card, though - most likely a Market Research Society one.

The do display an identity card often at a distance.,but will seldom.mention survey and the id card often has the operators logo on them creating the assumption they are ticket inspectors.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

The do display an identity card often at a distance,but will seldom mention survey and the id card often has the operators logo on them creating the assumption they are ticket inspectors.

If they're employees of the TOC, it would be the TOC logo, yes - but if they're a third party it should be the MRS card.

 

[skyhigh]

The do display an identity card often at a distance.,but will seldom.mention survey and the id card often has the operators logo on them creating the assumption they are ticket inspectors.

Right, but if they're employed by the railway, permitted to check tickets by the train operator and are checking tickets, to all intents and purposes they are a form of "ticket inspector" and not impersonating anyone?

 

[38Cto15E]

Earlier this year I was on LNER heading south and a couple of people were coming through the train asking to check tickets, using their mobile as the ticket scanner.
They boarded the train at York and left it at Doncaster, with a police escort.