Letter Received (Travel Fraud Investigation) - Help needed

[Jo20241223]

Hi all,

I was caught for not having a valid ticket travelling from Four Oaks to Longbridge today. When the investigator boarded the train at the Univeristy Station, I immediately bought a ticket. As nervous as I was, I bought the wrong ticket which was from Birmingham New Street to Longbridge instead of Four Oaks. Obviously, the investigator was able to tell I just bought the ticket and I didn't get through the barriers at New Street Station. He then asked for my details but didn't issue a penalty fee on the spot. I was corporative at that point and told him I forgot to buy a ticket because it wasn't my normal commuting journey. (He didn't check any of my records on the Trainline App at the time) I usually commute from Longbridge to New Street for work which hopefully explained why I bought the wrong ticket the moment I panicked. I was telling the truth for not having a ticket and I do have a history of tickets recording my normal travel pattern. However, there were a period of irregularity when I only purchase day return tickets from Selly Oak to New Street. This was because my gym was in Selly Oak and I rode my bike there for gym before setting off for work.

After reading through several posts on this forum, I knew this means a further investigation will be carried out. I am expecting a letter in the next few weeks or months. I am worried they would also suspect I intentionally short fared after investigating my travel pattern.

• Should I prepare evidence for my side of story?
• Will they consider it was my first time being caught to only issue a seetlement offer?

After he took my details, he told me the company will get in touch. He also recorded a short investigation with his tiny camera on his vest. I said it was a one time journey and I forgot to buy a ticket (which I understands is not an excuse at all). I don't know if it was relevant but he also asked if I had a valid railcard which I did.

• Is this a common practice now on WMR? Why did the investigator not issue a Penalty Fare on the spot? Does that mean he didn't belive what I said?
• Should I contact WMR if I am unsure the investigator got the right address? (I was sure the postcode was correct but didn't check the street number recorded)

 

[Titfield]

The issuing of a penalty fare is at the discretion of the Ticket Inspector.

Where there are suspicions that the passenger may have short fared before Ticket Inspectors are increasingly reporting the passenger for further investigation. It is as simple as that.

 

[Jo20241223]

The issuing of a penalty fare is at the discretion of the Ticket Inspector.

Where there are suspicions that the passenger may have short fared before Ticket Inspectors are increasingly reporting the passenger for further investigation. It is as simple as that.

Thanks for your reply. I understand they will investigate it further. Will I likely be offered a settlement in this case?

 

[Hadders]

Welcome to the forum!

WMR will almost certainly offer you a settlement if you co-operate with them. When it arrives post a copy of their letter in this thread, along with your draft reply and we can assist with proof reading.

In the meantime there isn't really anything you can do. Just make sure that you have the correct ticket before travelling by train and enjoy Christmas!

 

[MotCO]

If you have a history of valid irregular journeys, you may wish to start compiling evidence / reasons for this pattern in case you are asked questions. E.g. any gym membership card swipe records, records of work meetings, history on Google maps, credit card purchases in shops, cash withdrawals from ATMs etc. If you leave it too late, you may lose these records.

 

[Jo20241223]

Welcome to the forum!

WMR will almost certainly offer you a settlement if you co-operate with them. When it arrives post a copy of their letter in this thread, along with your draft reply and we can assist with proof reading.

In the meantime there isn't really anything you can do. Just make sure that you have the correct ticket before travelling by train and enjoy Christmas!

Hi Hadders, thanks for your reply. So grateful for the supportive memebers on this forum. I will certainly post the letter and my draft reply here once I have received it. If I’m unsure whether they have the correct address, should I wait for a month before contacting them?
Most importantly, Merry Christmas!!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Dec 2024 ==

If you have a history of valid irregular journeys, you may wish to start compiling evidence / reasons for this pattern in case you are asked questions. E.g. any gym membership card swipe records, records of work meetings, history on Google maps, credit card purchases in shops, cash withdrawals from ATMs etc. If you leave it too late, you may lose these records.

Hi MotCo, thanks for your insights. I will start gathering the evidence in case they questioned my travel patterns.
Also, enjoy your Christmas Eve!

 

[Hadders]

If I’m unsure whether they have the correct address, should I wait for a month before contacting them?

Did you give an incorrect address? If you did give an incorrect address are you able to access post sent to it? If you can't then I suggest contacting their Prosecutions Department and explaining the situation but I'd wait until the New Year as I suspect their offices will be closed for Christmas. Note you need to contact the Prosecutions Department - customer services won't be able to assist with this.

 

[Jo20241223]

Did you give an incorrect address? If you did give an incorrect address are you able to access post sent to it? If you can't then I suggest contacting their Prosecutions Department and explaining the situation but I'd wait until the New Year as I suspect their offices will be closed for Christmas. Note you need to contact the Prosecutions Department - customer services won't be able to assist with this.

I gave the correct address and showed the postcode on Google map to the investigator as he couldn't find it on his machine. I am quite sure he got the postcode right. However, I was too anxious at the time to check if he also got the house number correctly. You're right, it may be best to reach out to them next week. Thanks for pointing out that it should be the Prosecutions Department!

 

[Cuthbert]

Did you give an incorrect address? If you did give an incorrect address are you able to access post sent to it? If you can't then I suggest contacting their Prosecutions Department and explaining the situation but I'd wait until the New Year as I suspect their offices will be closed for Christmas. Note you need to contact the Prosecutions Department - customer services won't be able to assist with this.

WMR customer services will though direct you or forward your enquiries to the fraud department.
The customer services always forward stuff like this and even Penalty Fare enquiries go to the Area Manager Revenue Protection and or Revenue Protection Email. Just tell them the location so it goes to the right one I.e Birmingham.
You can give them just the ref number on the MG slip which should have been given to you. If not just name and DOB. But they really should have given you that slip.

DigitalFraudTeam@WMTrains.co.uk

Which is from the WMR site

 

[Jo20241223]

WMR customer services will though direct you or forward your enquiries to the fraud department.
The customer services always forward stuff like this and even Penalty Fare enquiries go to the Area Manager Revenue Protection and or Revenue Protection Email. Just tell them the location so it goes to the right one I.e Birmingham.
You can give them just the ref number on the MG slip which should have been given to you. If not just name and DOB. But they really should have given you that slip.

DigitalFraudTeam@WMTrains.co.uk

Which is from the WMR site

Thanks for the info! I have included the details on the slip in the draft email.

 

[Cuthbert]

Thanks for the info! I received the attached slip only. I have included the details on the slip in the draft email.

Yeah the notice number is what you should quote.

 

[Jo20241223]

Yeah the notice number is what you should quote.

As an update, they replied saying they got my address right and will investigate it in the next few weeks.

 

[Cuthbert]

As an update, they replied saying they got my address right and will investigate it in the next few weeks.

Nice one

 

[Jo20241223]

Hi everyone, I received an email from WMR today as follows:

"Travel Fraud Investigation

We have recently been handed a file relating to an incident on 23rd January 2024 when approached by staff carrying out their revenue duties, you were asked to show your valid ticket you offered a ticket that was not valid for the journey you had completed, possibly committing short journey fraud.

Further investigations into this matter have been carried out, including a review of the ticket records. It would appear, at this stage, that this may be a case of fraud. West Midlands Trains take travel fraud extremely seriously and is committed to prosecuting all cases of fare evasion to the full extent of the law. Travelling on the railway with the intent to avoid paying the full fare is an offence under the Regulation of Railways Act 1889. Such an offence carries a maximum fine of £1,000 and/or three months’ imprisonment and, in either case, a criminal record. It must also be considered whether this matter amounts to a much more serious offence under the Fraud Act 2006.

At this stage we would be grateful if you would provide any evidence to support the claim that none of the above legislation has been contravened to prevent further action being contemplated."

And I have drafted the reply below:

"Dear Fraud and Investigations Manager,

I am writing in response to the email dated 3rd February 2025 about the incident on the 23rd December 2024. I sincerely apologise for not having a valid ticket to board the train on the date of the incident, which I took full responsibility for. I genuinely regret my action and its impact on West Midlands Railway. I am awfully aware of the seriousness of my action and how unfair it was to other West Midlands Railway customers.

I have learnt my lesson with deep remorse and will always ensure I have a valid ticket before boarding the train. Also, I guarantee this will not happen again. I am willing to cooperate fully and pay any fees I owe, plus the administration fees incurred from this incident. I would be extremely grateful if this could be settled out of court.

Please accept my sincere apology. Do let me know if further information is required and I will respond as quickly as possible. I look forward to hearing from you again.

Yours sincerely, "

First thing first, the date I was caught should be 23rd December instead of 23rd Jan. Could someone help proofread my reply and kindly suggest any changes if needed?

Thanks for helping!

 

[MotCO]

A couple of observations.

1. Include your case reference as a heading above your first paragraph. It helps tie your response to their case.
2. "I am awfully aware of the seriousness of my action and how unfair it was to other West Midlands Railway customers." This reads as though at the time you knew how serious it was but you still did it . I would suggest rewording it along the lines "I now realise how serious it is not to have a valid ticket before boarding and how unfair it was to other West Midlands Railway customers."
3. How will you guarantee not to do it again? Maybe add something to the effect that you will now ensure you leave home with sufficient time to buy a ticket before you board.
4. Any fees I owe - should this be fares you owe since you did not have a valid ticket?

Lastly, I know it was a typo, but having accused you of having an incorrect ticket on 24th January 2024, is there a case of saying you didn't travel on that day, and crucially, you are outside the 6 month window for bringing a case to Court. It is not something I would advocate doing since you were fairly caught, but others may have a view.

 

[Haywain]

Lastly, I know it was a typo, but having accused you of having an incorrect ticket on 24th January 2024, is there a case of saying you didn't travel on that day, and crucially, you are outside the 6 month window for bringing a case to Court. It is not something I would advocate doing since you were fairly caught, but others may have a view.

As the facts are not in dispute and the date error is recognisably a typo, I don't think it would be at all helpful to take that approach.

 

[Jo20241223]

A couple of observations.

1. Include your case reference as a heading above your first paragraph. It helps tie your response to their case.
2. "I am awfully aware of the seriousness of my action and how unfair it was to other West Midlands Railway customers." This reads as though at the time you knew how serious it was but you still did it . I would suggest rewording it along the lines "I now realise how serious it is not to have a valid ticket before boarding and how unfair it was to other West Midlands Railway customers."
3. How will you guarantee not to do it again? Maybe add something to the effect that you will now ensure you leave home with sufficient time to buy a ticket before you board.
4. Any fees I owe - should this be fares you owe since you did not have a valid ticket?

Lastly, I know it was a typo, but having accused you of having an incorrect ticket on 24th January 2024, is there a case of saying you didn't travel on that day, and crucially, you are outside the 6 month window for bringing a case to Court. It is not something I would advocate doing since you were fairly caught, but others may have a view.

Thanks for your quick reply @MotCO . I have made some changes to the letter and I will post an updated draft after more feedback. I am thinking of sending them an email clarifying the date as I did receive the "MG slip". I guess they will follow up anyway but I will see what others think.

 

[Hadders]

The letter you received from WMR is the standard letter they receive in cases like this.

As for the typo, I would not follow @MotCO advice, if you did I'm sure they'd just send another letter with the correct date, thus slowing down the resolution! WHat I would do is mention the typo in your reply, no need to send a separate email about it.

 

[Jo20241223]

The letter you received from WMR is the standard letter they receive in cases like this.

As for the typo, I would not follow @MotCO advice, if you did I'm sure they'd just send another letter with the correct date, thus slowing down the resolution! WHat I would do is mention the typo in your reply, no need to send a separate email about it.

@Hadders Thanks for your suggestion! I agree with your approach.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Feb 2025 ==

I have updated my draft as follows:

"Dear Fraud and Investigations Manager,

I am writing in response to the email dated 3rd February 2025 about the incident (Ref: xxxx) on the 23rd December 2024 (I notice the date mentioned in the email appears to be incorrect). I sincerely apologise for not having a valid ticket to board the train on the date of the incident, which I took full responsibility for. I genuinely regret my action and its impact on West Midlands Railway. I now realise how serious it is not to have a valid ticket before boarding and how unfair it was to other West Midlands Railway customers.

I have learnt my lesson with deep remorse. Also, I guarantee this will not happen again by allowing sufficient time to purchase the correct tickets before boarding. I am willing to cooperate fully and pay any fares I owe, plus the administration fees incurred from this incident. I would be extremely grateful if this could be settled out of court.

Please accept my sincere apology. Do let me know if further information is required and I will respond as quickly as possible. I look forward to hearing from you again.

Yours sincerely,
xxx"

Could anyone help proofread the draft again? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[30907]

(I notice the date mentioned in the email appears to be incorrect)

"The date ddmmyyyy in your mail is incorrect" would be more helpful

 

[Jo20241223]

"The date ddmmyyyy in your mail is incorrect" would be more helpful

@30907 Thanks!
I have sent the letter and I will update everyone once I got a reply. (Fingercrossed) Thanks again for everyone who has helped!!

 

[Jo20241223]

(This is a post continued from my previous thread. I don't want my reply to merge with my own so I started a new thread to seek help. Please advise if there's a way around it.)
===================================
Hi everyone, I have just received a reply from WMR asking me to explain over a hundred journeys in the last 4 years (dated back to October 2021) and provide proof of my railcards.

For first half of the journeys, I have proof that they weren't short journey fraud as I was living at another address. (I have the address proof).

However, for the rest of the journeys, I have very limited proof and I don't even know if it's believable. Like I said at the beginning, my gym was at Station E and I drove there to save some train tickets cost. I only have proof of owning a car (the Road Tax form with my name on it), and the gym membership (an email from the company) for that time. I didn't turn on the geolocation on my phone nor did I have any journey records.

• Do you think it's worth mentioning at all? If I try to explain with limited evidence, will it worsen the situation?

A rough estimate for the second half of the journey would amount to over a £1,200 if they are counted as day time single tickets.

Besides, I could find only 3 out of 4 railcards during that period. For the missing one, I only have a bank statement plus an email from the Trainline App stating my railcard is there in the account. I have no idea why it wasn't connected to my current account.

• Is there any other ways to find the missing digital railcard?

Thanks in advance for reading my long post. I would appreciate any help I can get.

 

[Haywain]

Do you think it's worth mentioning at all? If I try to explain with limited evidence, will it worsen the situation?

If it's true it's worth mentioning. The worst that can happen is that you won't be believed which isn't worsening the situation.

Lastly, I would have to admit two of the journeys were actually my fault.

Only two? They might regard that as stretching credibility. Are you saying that the day you were caught was only the second or third time you have short fared?

 

[AlterEgo]

However, for the rest of the journeys from Selly Oak to New Street, I have very limited proof and I don't even know if it's believable. Like I said at the beginning, my gym was at Selly Oak

I don't see where you've said that in this thread?

and I either drove there or rode my electric bike to save some train tickets cost.

So you didn't take the train at all? Which tickets is this then meant to account for? Where does the train journey come into it?

Besides, I could find only 3 out of 4 railcards during that period. For the missing one, I only have a bank statement plus an email from the Trainline App stating my railcard is there in the account. I have no idea why it wasn't connected to my current account.

• Is there any other ways to find the missing digital railcard?

This may well be enough proof for them.

Lastly, I would have to admit two of the journeys were actually my fault. I have definitely learnt my lessons here.

You only short fared twice? Is that actually true?

 

[MotCO]

So you didn't take the train at all? Which tickets is this then meant to account for? Where does the train journey come into it?

Maybe the OP drove to the gym at Selly Oak, then took the train from there so did not short-fare?

 

[AlterEgo]

Maybe the OP drove to the gym at Selly Oak, then took the train from there so did not short-fare?

Maybe, but they need to confirm exactly what they have done.

 

[Jo20241223]

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Feb 2025 ==

I don't see where you've said that in this thread?


So you didn't take the train at all? Which tickets is this then meant to account for? Where does the train journey come into it?


This may well be enough proof for them.


You only short fared twice? Is that actually true?

My apologies. I edited the original post as I wanted to make it more focused. I drove to Station E then I got on the train to Station D. I live far away from the train station at the time, so driving to StationE was not much further than driving to the nearest train station. Also, I do go to the gym at Station E either before or after work whenever I go into the office.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Feb 2025 ==

Maybe the OP drove to the gym at Selly Oak, then took the train from there so did not short-fare?

Yes, that's what I did. Driving from my home to the closest train station involves complicated junctions and the congestion at peak hours doesn't help.

I can see why people are not believing what I said. And that's exactly why I asked if it's worth explaining. I am afraid if they think it's a stretch of credibility, they will not offer an out of court settlement.

 

[Haywain]

I am afraid if they think it's a stretch of credibility, they will not offer an out of court settlement.

They will offer a settlement, it's about how much they want. What we are saying is that you must be honest, and it is helpful for you to be aware of why doubts may exist.

 

[MotCO]

• Is it worth illustrating on a map why I drove to Selly Oak instead of Northfield Station in my reply?

I often find a diagram or map helps explains things more easily than words, so I would include a simple, anotated, map if it helps your case.

 

[Jo20241223]

They will offer a settlement, it's about how much they want. What we are saying is that you must be honest, and it is helpful for you to be aware of why doubts may exist.

I am prepared to pay a substantial amount of money in exchange for a settlement. I am worried things could go south if they deem I am not cooperative. Has there been any cases they took to court after a request for settlement?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Feb 2025 ==

I often find a diagram or map helps explains things more easily than words, so I would include a simple, anotated, map if it helps your case.

Thanks for your reply. I will definitely include one. Should I also include a statement from my friend to state that the journey I got caught was not the usual trip?