Fake (?) Southeastern Penalty Fare Email

[MotCO]

It could be anyone who has had access to your name and address and the odds are that they are not known to you.

But presumably not only that.
They seem to have your name and address, as well as your email address, (unless that was picked up by SE from your previous ticketing irregularity). If so, it would suggest that someone you know or have been in contact with has given your name and details fraudulently.

 

[saismee]

Yes to verify, the email was legitimate as when I called the prosecutions payment team, they had the notice reference number in their systems and the details (station and time) of the incident.

Update: The penalty fare has been closed, as there *was* body-worn video footage which shows it was not me. I received the following email after sending photos of myself:

'Sorry for the delay in getting back to you, I was getting hold of the body-worn video footage. I can see from the footage that it was not you travelling at the time, so I have closed the penalty fare. I have also noted on the system that your details were given fraudulently. If your name is given again, the inspector will see my note and should verify the person’s identity a lot more thoroughly. I apologise for any inconvenience, and this should not happen again.'

I'm planning to email back and request whether they can let me know whether this was an 'admin' error (misdirected to my email that was similar?), or if someone specifically gave my name. I know the email implies the latter, but I genuinely cannot think of a single person who would have done that, or anyone who knows me well who travels in that area.

If there is video evidence of someone giving another person's details after being stopped, would that not constitute identity theft? This seems a lot more serious than just a ticketing offence and I'm inclined to suggest that the video be given to police.

 

[Adam Williams]

Now, this opens a can of worms

Does anyone else get a Azure gateway error if they try and access the privacy statement on the new EPFN site?

As an aside, I think it's fairly irresponsible (and amateurish) for online payments to be collected on a website domain that's entirely unrelated to southeasternrailway.co.uk - in a world where phishing attacks and fraud are increasingly prolific.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 19 Jun 2025 ==

I'm not commenting on the "tips" bit

It's the name of the software: https://www.raspberrysoftware.com/tips

(which really, a passenger is going to know nothing about..)

 

[duffield]

Does anyone else get a Azure gateway error if they try and access the privacy statement on the new EPFN site?

As an aside, I think it's fairly irresponsible (and amateurish) for online payments to be collected on a website domain that's entirely unrelated to southeasternrailway.co.uk - in a world where phishing attacks and fraud are increasingly prolific.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 19 Jun 2025 ==


It's the name of the software: https://www.raspberrysoftware.com/tips

(which really, a passenger is going to know nothing about..)

No gateway error here (current Chrome browser).

 

[saismee]

Does anyone else get a Azure gateway error if they try and access the privacy statement on the new EPFN site?

No error for me either (Firefox)

As an aside, I think it's fairly irresponsible (and amateurish) for online payments to be collected on a website domain that's entirely unrelated to southeasternrailway.co.uk - in a world where phishing attacks and fraud are increasingly prolific.

Especially from a government-run operator. It's a little shocking.

 

[Haywain]

If there is video evidence of someone giving another person's details after being stopped, would that not constitute identity theft? This seems a lot more serious than just a ticketing offence and I'm inclined to suggest that the video be given to police.

I would suggest the OP just forgets about it.

 

[AlterEgo]

If there is video evidence of someone giving another person's details after being stopped, would that not constitute identity theft? This seems a lot more serious than just a ticketing offence and I'm inclined to suggest that the video be given to police.

The police won’t be interested.

 

[telstarbox]

Side question. Wateringbury to West St Leonards is usually 3 different trains (sometimes 2). Does that suggest someone was caught on the final leg but said they'd connected from a previous train?

 

[island]

Does anyone else get a Azure gateway error if they try and access the privacy statement on the new EPFN site?

Works fine for me.

As an aside, I think it's fairly irresponsible (and amateurish) for online payments to be collected on a website domain that's entirely unrelated to southeasternrailway.co.uk - in a world where phishing attacks and fraud are increasingly prolific.

Agreed.

 

[Adam Williams]

Works fine for me.

I cleared cookies and it started working again, so can only assume it was some over-eager web application firewall or something.

 

[greentrees7]

Thanks all for your efforts in helping me resolve this, glad I didn't ignore the initial email as phishing. Just in case this happens to others, I received the following explanation:

"Sorry I didn’t make this clearer; I will try to explain from the info I have. Firstly I should explain that there was no body-worn video recorded by the inspector that issued the notice. I had to use footage recorded by another inspector on the same carriage who was dealing with another passenger. This was enough for me to ascertain that the passenger was not you, but I could not make out much of what was discussed between the inspector and your impostor. In most cases, it is someone who knows you and would be familiar with your details. As your details were already on the system, it is hard to tell what was supplied by the passenger and what was assumed by the inspector, but your name will have been supplied by the passenger. I am quite confident that the passenger knowingly provided your details, as opposed to your data being breached from anywhere. It is also possible that the passenger is named '[my name]', and the inspector believed that your existing account was theirs. As I say, it is hard to tell from the limited BWV available. However, your name will not be accepted again by our inspectors. You can report the matter to the Police via this link if you wish https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/"

 

[WesternLancer]

Thanks all for your efforts in helping me resolve this, glad I didn't ignore the initial email as phishing. Just in case this happens to others, I received the following explanation:

"Sorry I didn’t make this clearer; I will try to explain from the info I have. Firstly I should explain that there was no body-worn video recorded by the inspector that issued the notice. I had to use footage recorded by another inspector on the same carriage who was dealing with another passenger. This was enough for me to ascertain that the passenger was not you, but I could not make out much of what was discussed between the inspector and your impostor. In most cases, it is someone who knows you and would be familiar with your details. As your details were already on the system, it is hard to tell what was supplied by the passenger and what was assumed by the inspector, but your name will have been supplied by the passenger. I am quite confident that the passenger knowingly provided your details, as opposed to your data being breached from anywhere. It is also possible that the passenger is named '[my name]', and the inspector believed that your existing account was theirs. As I say, it is hard to tell from the limited BWV available. However, your name will not be accepted again by our inspectors. You can report the matter to the Police via this link if you wish https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/"

at least they are taking this seriously and that is a proper reply rather than a 'fob off' type of response.

 

[ainsworth74]

Yes I think that's actually a very good reply so well done that individual at Southeastern!

 

[Adam Williams]

at least they are taking this seriously and that is a proper reply rather than a 'fob off' type of response.

Yes, 100% agreed

I am happy to criticise customer service responses when they're poor (and it's historically an area where I thought TOCs could do better!), but they've properly investigated and looked into the matter here, and deserve some credit for that.

 

[talldave]

......
You can report the matter to the Police via this link if you wish https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/"

That'll be a pointless waste of time you'll never get back, sadly.

 

[dcbwhaley]

I’d say that IF it is a genuine email it’s more likely someone else has used your name, however it’s not impossible for bizarre mix ups to happen if your name is on file somewhere. I received a speeding ticket last year for driving an Enterprise hire van in Cornwall on a day I didn’t have a van and wasn’t in Cornwall. I had however received a parking penalty through driving an Enterprise van (different van from
Different branch hundreds of miles away) a couple of weeks before and somehow my name had been passed on.
So mix ups with data CAN happen but it must be rare.

On a trip to USA I was detained at immigration. It turned out that someone of my name was wanted in Boston Mass on a Federal charge. And the fact that I had a parking conviction in Boston Lincs alerted them to my villainy