caught using the wrong railcard for a discounted ticket

[Ca1052]

Hey everyone, I need some advice about a situation with a train company (not TfL). Recently, I was stopped while traveling and caught using the wrong railcard for a discounted ticket (a 16-17 Railcard, which I now realize was invalid for my journeys). I cooperated fully, and they took my details.

When I was stopped, I was on my way to London. I had originally planned to get off at an earlier stop, but I changed my mind last minute and continued to London instead. Now, I’m worried they might think I regularly do this.

Additionally, I usually buy my tickets to this city, but when I travel there, I often use a lift that doesn’t require scanning in or out. Now, I’m worried that if they investigate my travel history, they might see this as deliberate fare evasion, even though that wasn’t my intention.

When I was stopped, I immediately purchased a new ticket without any season card attached, but the inspector refused to accept it.

I’m now really anxious about whether they’ll investigate my past travel and if this could turn into something more serious. I’ve heard that train companies sometimes offer settlements instead of prosecuting—does anyone have experience with this?

To make matters worse, my husband and I have a legitimate Two Together Railcard, which we bought properly and contains both of our names and details. However, since we’ve been traveling this way since 2020, I’m scared that if they check my travel history, they might also investigate him, since his name is linked to my purchase history. He works in the medical field, and I’m terrified this could affect his job.

I’m not originally from the UK, and I honestly didn’t realize how severe this situation could be. Now I understand that prosecution or even imprisonment could be possible.

I’m more than willing to pay any outstanding fares, but I just want to avoid legal trouble. If anyone has been through something similar or knows how train companies handle these cases, I’d really appreciate your advice!

This is the first time I get caught. Please help me—I haven’t been able to sleep or move on with my life since this happened.

 

[Fawkes Cat]

Welcome to the forum.

Now I understand that prosecution or even imprisonment could be possible.

This is one we can reassure you on straight away - on what you have told us, you won't be going to prison (things would have to be very greatly aggravated to go to prison: it doesn't sound as if you physically assaulted railway staff, so you do not need to worry about prison).

For your other points, while you no doubt want to keep things confidential, it would be really useful to know which train company was involved, and which stations. The thing is, each train company does things a little bit differently, and if you were 'planning to get off at an earlier stop' it can make a difference if the earlier stop was Vauxhall and you decided to go on to Waterloo, or if the earlier stop was Newcastle-upon-Tyne and you decided to go on to Kings Cross.

 

[Ca1052]

Welcome to the forum.


This is one we can reassure you on straight away - on what you have told us, you won't be going to prison (things would have to be very greatly aggravated to go to prison: it doesn't sound as if you physically assaulted railway staff, so you do not need to worry about prison).

For your other points, while you no doubt want to keep things confidential, it would be really useful to know which train company was involved, and which stations. The thing is, each train company does things a little bit differently, and if you were 'planning to get off at an earlier stop' it can make a difference if the earlier stop was Vauxhall and you decided to go on to Waterloo, or if the earlier stop was Newcastle-upon-Tyne and you decided to go on to Kings Cross.

Thank you so much for your reply!
I was going form hitchin, was stopped by officer in Stevenage. And then bought a ticket to Farringdon. Train company is Themslink. Would you know what possible outcome might happen? Is it better to get a solicitors from now?

 

[AlterEgo]

Hey everyone, I need some advice about a situation with a train company (not TfL). Recently, I was stopped while traveling and caught using the wrong railcard for a discounted ticket (a 16-17 Railcard, which I now realize was invalid for my journeys)

How old are you, and why did you not realise this wasn't valid until you were caught using it?

When I was stopped, I was on my way to London. I had originally planned to get off at an earlier stop, but I changed my mind last minute and continued to London instead. Now, I’m worried they might think I regularly do this.

Which stations are involved here? This sounds like short ticketing to any investigator.

Additionally, I usually buy my tickets to this city, but when I travel there, I often use a lift that doesn’t require scanning in or out.
Now, I’m worried that if they investigate my travel history, they might see this as deliberate fare evasion, even though that wasn’t my intention.

It's going to help a lot to know exactly which stations are involved.

I’m now really anxious about whether they’ll investigate my past travel and if this could turn into something more serious.

They may well investigate your history and this may leave you on the hook for the full amount of fares. Certainly, all the 16-17 Saver fares if you didn't hold that railcard, and potentially more, if they reasonably suspect short ticketing.

 

[Fawkes Cat]

Thank you so much for your reply!
I was going form hitchin, was stopped by officer in Stevenage. And then bought a ticket to fringd

Thanks. The good news is that you will almost certainly be dealing with GTR, who are normally prepared to resolve matters like this out of court (so you will have to pay them the fare or fares that are owed, plus an administrative fee. This is likely to be less than you would be charged at court but could still be a substantial amount of money). The bad news is that unless you can produce evidence to support your story they are unlikely to believe that you set off from Hitchin to travel to Stevenage (the next station, so the cheapest ticket you could possibly buy to get through the barriers) and then changed your mind and decided to go to London instead.

We do have some people who regularly use Stevenage station as passengers: they will be able to help and explain if there's anything special about the place which will help you.

 

[Dai Corner]

If you were genuinely only travelling to Stevenage on the past occasions it might be a good idea to gather evidence that you were there at the relevant times, such as receipts for things you bought, attendance records for workplace/college etc.

 

[Ca1052]

How old are you, and why did you not realise this wasn't valid until you were caught using it?


Which stations are involved here? This sounds like short ticketing to any investigator.


It's going to help a lot to know exactly which stations are involved.


They may well investigate your history and this may leave you on the hook for the full amount of fares. Certainly, all the 16-17 Saver fares if you didn't hold that railcard, and potentially more, if they reasonably suspect short ticketing.

I'm in my 30s so clearly doesn't apply. I know I'm in the wrong here and have made a huge mistake.
I just didn't know how severe it is, I didn't understand their terms and conditions.
I've been doing this since 2020 on and off. However I don't commute daily.
I am worried they will investigate my history as all my tickets are through Trainline.
My best outcome is to settle out of court.
My fear is we will be charged with fraud and be imprisond.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Mar 2025 ==

If you were genuinely only travelling to Stevenage on the past occasions it might be a good idea to gather evidence that you were there at the relevant times, such as receipts for things you bought, attendance records for workplace/college etc.

I go there to walk and do my shopping sometimes but mostly go there to walk around as I don't know much people where I live. Will they be asking me for my bank purchases details?

 

[AlterEgo]

Thank you so much for your reply!
I was going form hitchin, was stopped by officer in Stevenage.

Was your ticket only valid between Hitchin and Stevenage? These are one stop apart. As @Dai Corner suggests, if this is the case you might want to gather evidence you were really there all the times you bought a one stop ticket. As it stands, from your opening post, I think there are several red flags an investigator might want to pursue and your interests might be best served by saying as little as possible to them as you can.

And then bought a ticket to Farringdon.

Do you exit the system at Farringdon, or do you use contactless to travel on the Elizabeth Line further afield?

I don't understand how laws are in the UK so I don't know if because we've doing this for many years

When you say "doing this", what do you mean exactly?

 

[Ca1052]

Was your ticket only valid between Hitchin and Stevenage? These are one stop apart. As @Dai Corner suggests, if this is the case you might want to gather evidence you were really there all the times you bought a one stop ticket. As it stands, from your opening post, I think there are several red flags an investigator might want to pursue and your interests might be best served by saying as little as possible to them as you can.


Do you exit the system at Farringdon, or do you use contactless to travel on the Elizabeth Line further afield?


When you say "doing this", what do you mean exactly?

When you say "doing this", what do you mean exactly?
Buying tickets with a season ticket

When went to Farringdon I used the train ticket I, showed it to employers on the gatoto let me out then scanned it to get again to get in the station when I went home.

Do they investigate my scanning history? I don't scan it all the time when I'm Stevenage and I don't purchase things when I go there most of the time.

 

[alholmes]

Do they investigate my scanning history? I don't scan it all the time when I'm Stevenage and I don't purchase things when I go there most of the time.

Yes - they will investigate your Trainline account (or whichever ticket app you use) and they’ll be able to see when and where each ticket was scanned.

 

[Ca1052]

Yes - they will investigate your Trainline account (or whichever ticket app you use) and they’ll be able to see when and where each ticket was scanned.

Will I be accused of fraud and jailed?

 

[Haywain]

Will I be accused of fraud and jailed?

No, there is absolutely no chance of that.

 

[AlterEgo]

When you say "doing this", what do you mean exactly?
Buying tickets with a season ticket

Do you mean a 16-17 saver? This is not a season ticket, it is a railcard. How old are you, and why did you think you could use this discount? Why is it only now you realise this discount isn't valid?

When went to Farringdon I used the train ticket I, showed it to employers on the gatoto let me out

So these are the tickets which are valid all the way to Farringdon? It's confusing to know which tickets you have been doing this with.

Do they investigate my scanning history? I don't scan it all the time when I'm Stevenage and I don't purchase things when I go there most ofthe time.

They may well investigate your scan history and will be inclined to believe that you short fare habitually. Why would you not scan your tickets at Stevenage? There is a barrier there which you need to scan to get out. Nearly everyone will scan their ticket to exit.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Mar 2025 ==

Will I be accused of fraud and jailed?

It's extremely unlikely they will do this - they tend to settle, but they will want to look at all your tickets first. It sounds like you have been evading fares over a very long period and if they investigate your history this may turn out to be very, very expensive for you.

 

[Haywain]

There is a barrier there which you need to scan to get out. Nearly everyone will scan their ticket to exit.

There is also a lift which avoids the barriers, which the OP mentions.

 

[Ca1052]

Do you mean a 16-17 saver? This is not a season ticket, it is a railcard. How old are you, and why did you think you could use this discount? Why is it only now you realise this discount isn't valid?


So these are the tickets which are valid all the way to Farringdon? It's confusing to know which tickets you have been doing this with.


They may well investigate your scan history and will be inclined to believe that you short fare habitually. Why would you not scan your tickets at Stevenage? There is a barrier there which you need to scan to get out. Nearly everyone will scan their ticket to exit.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Mar 2025 ==


It's extremely unlikely they will do this - they tend to settle, but they will want to look at all your tickets first. It sounds like you have been evading fares over a very long period and if they investigate your history this may turn out to be very, very expensive for you.

Do you mean a 16-17 saver? This is not a season ticket, it is a railcard. How old are you, and why did you think you could use this discount? Why is it only now you realise this discount isn't valid?

It was there in the app and didn't think anything out of it just thought it will give me a good affordable price.

I'm in my 30s. So I completely know and understand that it was wrong from me. The only thing I didn't understand it could lead to fraud accusations.


So these are the tickets which are valid all the way to Farringdon? It's confusing to know which tickets you have been doing this with.

When the officer approached I bought the tickets but her refused to accept it.

I understand how awful my behaviour was. It is my first offence I didn't know honestly it will result to having offence! If they get me they will ask me to pay train fair and that's it.
I know it sounds stupid but I genuinely thought that's the case.

I'm extremely scared and don't know what to do. What if I can't afford how much they want me to pay? What if they decided to take it to court because of how severe it is?

 

[alholmes]

In practical terms, here’s what you need to do:

1. Wait for GTR Thameslink to write to you. That’ll be a letter in the post - it may not arrive for 2-3 months. Did you give them your correct name and address when you were stopped?
2. When you receive the letter, post a copy here (redacting name / address / reference)
3. Have a look through your Trainline account to estimate how often you’ve short-fared or used the wrong railcard.
4. Start saving money. You may need to pay all of those fares again (with no discounts, railcard etc.)
5. From now on, make sure you only travel on the correct ticket for the journey you are making

 

[AlterEgo]

It was there in the app and didn't think anything out of it just thought it will give me a good affordable price.

I'm in my 30s. So I completely know and understand that it was wrong from me. The only thing I didn't understand it could lead to fraud accusations.

No reasonable person thinks the 16-17 saver railcard discount is there "just to give you a good price", it's there for 16-17 year olds who hold that railcard. You know how railcards work - you have one yourself.

When the officer approached I bought the tickets but her refused to accept it.

So you did not hold a ticket to Farringdon at all, until you were challenged, and then bought one?

Were you confronted on the train, having travelled beyond Stevenage?

Have you, in the past, been using tickets from Hitchin to Stevenage all the way to London, and exiting using the lift at Farringdon? This will explain why your tickets aren't scanned anywhere - and certainly not at Stevenage.

I'm extremely scared and don't know what to do.

At the moment you should wait for the train company to write to you, there is not much else you can do at the moment. As you have no proof of being in Stevenage you cannot do anything else at the moment. You also need to be honest with yourself, and with us. If you've been short faring for some time, it is better for us to know about this, so we can help you with what to say in return.

What if I can't afford how much they want me to pay?

You will need to pay the full sum of all the fares avoided plus an admin fee of perhaps £100-200 on top. If you have been short faring or claiming discounts wrongfully for a long time this will be expensive, and the company may, if you cannot pay, choose instead to prosecute you in the magistrates' court, likely under railway-specific legislation. This is a criminal offence and you will receive a criminal record, be fined, have to pay the costs of prosecution, and the fare/s avoided.

 

[Ca1052]

No reasonable person thinks the 16-17 saver railcard discount is there "just to give you a good price", it's there for 16-17 year olds who hold that railcard. You know how railcards work - you have one yourself.


So you did not hold a ticket to Farringdon at all, until you were challenged, and then bought one?

Were you confronted on the train, having travelled beyond Stevenage?

Have you, in the past, been using tickets from Hitchin to Stevenage all the way to London, and exiting using the lift at Farringdon? This will explain why your tickets aren't scanned anywhere - and certainly not at Stevenage.


At the moment you should wait for the train company to write to you, there is not much else you can do at the moment. As you have no proof of being in Stevenage you cannot do anything else at the moment. You also need to be honest with yourself, and with us. If you've been short faring for some time, it is better for us to know about this, so we can help you with what to say in return.


You will need to pay the full sum of all the fares avoided plus an admin fee of perhaps £100-200 on top. If you have been short faring or claiming discounts wrongfully for a long time this will be expensive, and the company may, if you cannot pay, choose instead to prosecute you in the magistrates' court, likely under railway-specific legislation. This is a criminal offence and you will receive a criminal record, be fined, have to pay the costs of prosecution, and the fare/s avoided

I'm willing to pay for my mistake and pay for every ticket I used. We are both very sorry and will never do this behaviour again. My only fear because how long I've been doing it they might choose to treat it as fraud and destroy my husbands career.

 

[alholmes]

I'm willing to pay for my mistake and pay for every ticket I used. We are both very sorry and will never do this behaviour again. My only fear because how long I've been doing it they might choose to treat it as fraud and destroy my husbands career.

As others have already said, they will not treat is a fraud. Stop worrying about that.

 

[Haywain]

My only fear because how long I've been doing it they might choose to treat it as fraud and destroy my husbands career.

Your husband isn't the one who has been caught fare dodging, so he is in the clear.

 

[Ca1052]

Your husband isn't the one who has been caught fare dodging, so he is in the clear.

Yes, but can they open an investigation for his name through the two together purchase?

 

[AlterEgo]

I go there to walk and do my shopping sometimes but mostly go there to walk around as I don't know much people where I live. Will they be asking me for my bank purchases details?

No, but if they investigate your tickets you have a problem:

You were caught short faring, were you not? By having a Hitchin to Stevenage ticket yet travelling to Farringdon, where you can exit the system using a lift. Lots of fare evaders do this, they are used to it.

It's also not reasonable for the company to assume that they were so incredibly lucky they caught you the first time you did this; you are a hardened fare evader, as your ticketing history will show. You have been claiming half price tickets for some time, and your history will also show plenty of Hitchin to Stevenage tickets. Why then, would the train company believe that all those other tickets were for journeys where you got off the train at Stevenage? You already mention your concerns that the tickets weren't scanned there, and now you say you can't collect a single scrap of evidence that you were there and that you just "go to walk around". This doesn't sound like a story an investigator would believe unless it was evidenced.

It's a really simple question: have you, or have you not been using Hitchin to Stevenage tickets to go to London (or anywhere else for that matter) in the past, other than the day you were stopped? Yes or no.

 

[Haywain]

By having a Hitchin to Stevenage ticket yet travelling to Farringdon, where you can exit the system using a lift.

I think you misunderstood my earlier comment. It is Stevenage where the barriers can be avoided by using a lift, I do not believe this is the case at Farringdon.

 

[Ca1052]

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