Railcard fraud

[isukzw]

Hello everyone, I was caught using an expired railcard with TransPennine Express, and they’ve listed over 100 instances of travel. I know this is a lot, but I’ve already emailed them explaining the situation and included proof of my new valid railcard. What’s the likely outcome? I’m really hoping to settle this out of court.

 

[Adam0984]

So they've found on your online account 100 tickets that were bought with a railcard between your railcard expiring and you getting caught and you've bought a new railcard after been caught in hope that they'll take pity on you?

 

[jamess]

This needs moving to the disputes and prosecutions sections, please?
but the figure of over 100 isn‘t exaggerated, this may not end well

 

[Huntergreed]

Hello everyone, I was caught using an expired railcard with TransPennine Express, and they’ve listed over 100 instances of travel. I know this is a lot, but I’ve already emailed them explaining the situation and included proof of my new valid railcard. What’s the likely outcome? I’m really hoping to settle this out of court.

Welcome to the forum.

We really need a lot more information before we can offer you advice on what’s best to do next.

• Where were you initially spoken to, and on which date?
• How many times have you travelled with an expired railcard?
• What type of railcard was it and when did it expire?
• What journey/journeys have you been making?
• What information have you sent why so far?

TPE are definitely known to settle outside of court. If, however, you have travelled with an expired railcard 100 times, then they will likely be asking for at least the full fare for all 100 journeys (they will likely not simply allow you to ‘pay the difference’) plus an admin fee (this is likely to be a 3-figure sum).

 

[John R]

Can you post the email you’ve received and your reply. Please redact your personal details and any reference numbers for your own privacy.

But from what you’ve said, you’re likely to have to pay the full Anytime Single fare for every journey undertaken where you applied the railcard. (That would be two for every return journey.)

 

[isukzw]

Stupid of me but I was really going through a difficult time at the moment, I’m just hoping for the best outcome. I bought a railcard to actually stop committing the fraud

Welcome to the forum.

We really need a lot more information before we can offer you advice on what’s best to do next.

• Where were you initially spoken to, and on which date?
• How many times have you travelled with an expired railcard?
• What type of railcard was it and when did it expire?
• What journey/journeys have you been making?
• What information have you sent why so far?

TPE are definitely known to settle outside of court. If, however, you have travelled with an expired railcard 100 times, then they will likely be asking for at least the full fare for all 100 journeys (they will likely not simply allow you to ‘pay the difference’) plus an admin fee (this is likely to be a 3-figure sum).

i was sent a later to confirm the incident, which I sent an email explaining and I attached a copy of the new purchased rail card. It’s a 26-30 railcard. I have used it over 100times, it was stated in this mail. From Liverpool to Manchester

 

[AlterEgo]

i was sent a later to confirm the incident, which I sent an email explaining

What did you say? Please show us the emails with your name and details removed.

 

[Huntergreed]

Stupid of me but I was really going through a difficult time at the moment, I’m just hoping for the best outcome. I bought a railcard to actually stop committing the fraud.

i was sent a later to confirm the incident, which I sent an email explaining and I attached a copy of the new purchased rail card. It’s a 26-30 railcard. I have used it over 100times, it was stated in this mail. From Liverpool to Manchester

Can you please upload a copy of the letter you recieved (with personal details redacted).

It’s also important to be very clear, what information have you sent them since then? Are they still awaiting a response to their letter?

 

[isukzw]

What did you say? Please show us the emails with your name and details removed.

I am writing to respectfully appeal the penalty fare issued to me on, At the time of inspection, I was unable to present my railcard due to unexpected internet issues that prevented me from accessing the digital version on my phone. I completely understand that it is my responsibility to ensure travel documents are readily available, and I truly regret this oversight.



I have attached a copy of the railcard for your consideration.



This situation occurred during a time of personal difficulty dealing with a death in the family. I genuinely value the service you provide and have always made an effort to travel fairly and responsibly. I respectfully ask that you review this charge with discretion and compassion, given the circumstances and the fact that I have since corrected the issue.

 

[AlterEgo]

I am writing to respectfully appeal the penalty fare issued to me on, At the time of inspection, I was unable to present my railcard due to unexpected internet issues that prevented me from accessing the digital version on my phone. I completely understand that it is my responsibility to ensure travel documents are readily available, and I truly regret this oversight.



I have attached a copy of the railcard for your consideration.



This situation occurred during a time of personal difficulty dealing with a death in the family. I genuinely value the service you provide and have always made an effort to travel fairly and responsibly. I respectfully ask that you review this charge with discretion and compassion, given the circumstances and the fact that I have since corrected the issue.

Were you issued with a penalty fare at the time? Who did you send this email to?

Is it true that you actually did have a railcard at the time you were stopped, or did you buy it afterwards? You mention you were caught with an expired one, so I expect you bought it afterwards, no?

 

[isukzw]

Were you issued with a penalty fare at the time? Who did you send this email to?

Is it true that you actually did have a railcard at the time you were stopped, or did you buy it afterwards? You mention you were caught with an expired one, so I expect you bought it afterwards, no?

Yes it was afterwards

 

[Huntergreed]

I am writing to respectfully appeal the penalty fare issued to me on, At the time of inspection, I was unable to present my railcard due to unexpected internet issues that prevented me from accessing the digital version on my phone. I completely understand that it is my responsibility to ensure travel documents are readily available, and I truly regret this oversight.



I have attached a copy of the railcard for your consideration.



This situation occurred during a time of personal difficulty dealing with a death in the family. I genuinely value the service you provide and have always made an effort to travel fairly and responsibly. I respectfully ask that you review this charge with discretion and compassion, given the circumstances and the fact that I have since corrected the issue.

Is this what you sent them by letter?

This is confusing, as it doesn’t align with what you were saying earlier about an expired railcard. All you seem to say here is that you were unable to access your railcard due to the app not working on your phone.

Was it a “penalty fare” you were given, or were you reported for prosecution? It’s important you be as specific as possible so we can give advice which is relevant.

 

[AlterEgo]

Yes it was afterwards

So you lied to them then.

Please show us the letter or email you received from them. It’s very important because we can’t give proper advice without knowing all the facts.

 

[isukzw]

Yes I was given 2 penalty fare and didn’t pay it, this was the email I sent, I should have mentioned the penalty fares and not having a valid railcard that was ignored but I was hoping attaching the new railcard will help the situation.

 

[AlterEgo]

Yes I was given 2 penalty fare and didn’t pay it, this was the email I sent, I should have mentioned the penalty fares and not having a valid railcard that was ignored but I was hoping attaching the new railcard will help the situation.

Start again, list all the facts beginning from the first penalty fare, show us the correspondence. This is getting hard to follow.

 

[isukzw]

Mails

 

[SuspectUsual]

Yes I was given 2 penalty fare and didn’t pay it, this was the email I sent, I should have mentioned the penalty fares and not having a valid railcard that was ignored but I was hoping attaching the new railcard will help the situation.

I think it’ll be easier for people here to help you if you forget everything you’ve told us so far, and start from scratch and be totally honest about exactly what happened.

 

[isukzw]

I currently was given 3 fines to pay and I didn’t follow up on that then I got the letter, fines from northern and transpennie express

 

[SuspectUsual]

I currently was given 3 fines to pay and I didn’t follow up on that then I got the letter, fines from northern and transpennie express

Tell us exactly what happened and when.

 

[Huntergreed]

This is getting a little confusing and I feel we are missing many parts of the story which we need to be able to fully advise you.

We are happy to help you, but we do need you to clearly explain exactly what happened and break down the situation for us.

Can you please take a few minutes to go through the following points and answer the following questions:

• What type of railcard did you hold and when did it expire?
• How long have you been doing this for?
• Where were you initially stopped and which journey were you making?
• Where were you subsequently stopped and which journey were you making?
• What correspondence did you recieve from the train companies involved and what did you respond to them saying?

Please upload copies of all correspondence you have received (with personal details removed)

 

[AlterEgo]

I currently was given 3 fines to pay and I didn’t follow up on that then I got the letter, fines from northern and transpennie express

Explain, in bullet points and in chronological order, exactly what has happened, and when. It’s very important you get on top of this because you’ve dug a big hole with being reported for prosecution by two train companies and then telling them a lie in your evidence to at least one of them.

 

[isukzw]

This is getting a little confusing and I feel we are missing many parts of the story which we need to be able to fully advise you.

We are happy to help you, but we do need you to clearly explain exactly what happened and break down the situation for us.

Can you please take a few minutes to go through the following points and answer the following questions:

• What type of railcard did you hold and when did it expire?
• How long have you been doing this for?
• Where were you initially stopped and which journey were you making?
• Where were you subsequently stopped and which journey were you making?
• What correspondence did you recieve from the train companies involved and what did you respond to them saying?

Please upload copies of all correspondence you have received (with personal details removed)

“I initially received three penalty notices for travelling with an expired railcard — two from Northern and one from TransPennine Express — in February, April, and May. I didn’t pay these fines when I received them. Northern then contacted me by email asking me to explain why I was travelling without a valid railcard. In my response, I said that I didn’t have access to the internet at the time, I lied, but I attached proof showing that I have since purchased a new valid railcard.





More recently, I received a letter from TransPennine Express listing over 100 instances where I travelled using the expired railcard. They have now given me the opportunity to provide a statement or any mitigating information regarding this issue. I understand the seriousness of this and I am hoping to reach a settlement out of court

 

[Huntergreed]

“I initially received three penalty notices for travelling with an expired railcard — two from Northern and one from TransPennine Express — in February, April, and May. I didn’t pay these fines when I received them. Northern then contacted me by email asking me to explain why I was travelling without a valid railcard. In my response, I said that I didn’t have access to the internet at the time, I lied, but I attached proof showing that I have since purchased a new valid railcard.





More recently, I received a letter from TransPennine Express listing over 100 instances where I travelled using the expired railcard. They have now given me the opportunity to provide a statement or any mitigating information regarding this issue. I understand the seriousness of this and I am hoping to reach a settlement out of court

Okay, thank you.

To confirm (regarding the most recent letter from Transpennine):

1) Have you have replied to this letter yet?
2) When did you recieve this?

 

[isukzw]

Explain, in bullet points and in chronological order, exactly what has happened, and when. It’s very important you get on top of this because you’ve dug a big hole with being reported for prosecution by two train companies and then telling them a lie in your evidence to at least one of them.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 6 Jul 2025 ==

Okay, thank you.

To confirm (regarding the most recent letter from Transpennine):

1) Have you have replied to this letter yet?
2) When did you recieve this?

No i haven’t replied to it yet, i got it on Friday, it is dated 2nd July

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 6 Jul 2025 ==

What did you say? Please show us the emails with your name and details removed.

I am writing to respectfully appeal the penalty fare issued to me on, At the time of inspection, I was unable to present my railcard due to unexpected internet issues that prevented me from accessing the digital version on my phone. I completely understand that it is my responsibility to ensure travel documents are readily available, and I truly regret this oversight.



I have attached a copy of the railcard for your consideration.



This situation occurred during a time of personal difficulty dealing with a death in the family. I genuinely value the service you provide and have always made an effort to travel fairly and responsibly. I respectfully ask that you review this charge with discretion and compassion, given the circumstances and the fact that I have since corrected the issue.
This was what I sent, I lied about not being able to access my internet but the railcard was expired and then I attached a copy of the new railcard bought

 

[Huntergreed]

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 6 Jul 2025 ==


No i haven’t replied to it yet, i got it on Friday, it is dated 2nd July

Thank you for confirming.

It is important you reply to the letter. I would recommend you send a reply that includes the following:

- That you are sorry for what has happened
- What you have learned from the incident
- That you are keen to settle the matter without the need for court action
- Offer to pay the outstanding fare and the train company's administrative costs in dealing with the matter

I would also be careful to avoid incriminating yourself further, however I would apologise for the listed incidents on the sheet (provided they are all correct).

I would avoid giving too much of a sob story as the companies are used to receiving these and it is unlikely to make a difference to the outcome of the case.

Please upload a draft of your response to the forum so we can recommend any changes to make before you send it.

 

[isukzw]

Okay I will do that, thank you so much

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Any thoughts / recommendations / suggestions as regards the OP maybe considering engaging the services of a solicitor, should the settlement amount demanded by the rail company be in excess of two grand? (100+ times the Anytime Day Single fare between Liverpool and Manchester, if that's the typical journey).

 

[isukzw]

I am writing in response to your recent letter outlining the journeys I made using an expired railcard. I would like to sincerely apologise for my actions during this period. I fully acknowledge that I travelled without a valid railcard on the dates listed in your notice, including the journey on 17th February and the other occasions you have detailed.



I deeply regret my failure to renew my railcard on time and the fact that I continued to travel without checking its validity. This was a serious lapse of judgment on my part and I accept full responsibility for it. I have purchased a new valid railcard, which I have attached as proof.



I have learned a valuable lesson from this experience and I fully understand the seriousness of travelling without a valid ticket. I am determined never to repeat this mistake.



I respectfully ask that you allow me to settle this matter without it proceeding to court. I am willing to pay the outstanding fares for all the journeys made during this period, as well as any reasonable administrative costs your company has incurred in dealing with this case.



I genuinely regret my actions and I sincerely apologise for any inconvenience and extra work this has caused for your staff. I hope you will accept my offer to settle this directly and allow me the opportunity to make amends without the need for further legal action.



Thank you for taking the time to read my statement and for considering my request.

 

[John R]

I deeply regret my failure to renew my railcard on time and the fact that I continued to travel without checking its validity. This was a serious lapse of judgment on my part and I accept full responsibility for it. I have purchased a new valid railcard, which I have attached as proof.

But you were stopped twice for having an expired railcard and so it wasn't a case of travelling without checking its validity. After the first instance you knew that it was expired and didn't renew it, and they know you knew too. So don't write anything that is false - it won't help your case and may well hinder it, as I suspect this is a case that will be more borderline than many in terms of whether a settlement is offered, given the multiple instances you were stopped and were able to change your behaviour but didn't, and the failure to pay the PF's.

And you might like to consider apologising for not paying the Penalty Fares which were issued to you.

 

[WesternLancer]

In addition to the situation with TPE can the OP explain if they also have unpaid Penalty Fares outstanding with any train company at all?

If so I assume they will escalate to court somehow as the railway will seek to obtain that money for the penalty fares mentioned in the thread. And it will have significantly increased compared with the £50 penalty fare sum to pay if paid promptly.