Digital fraud team

[afia05]

Hello, I received a fraud investigation letter via email (attached) from West Midlands Trains, and I was hoping to get some advice.
I was travelling from Birmingham new street to Birmingham international and I put the wrong rail card by accident I was stopped by a member of staff I received a penalty fare which I payed the next following day; and I thought that was case closed.
But I didn’t realised that I had to show or attach my railcard on the appeal online and I completely forgot about this as I thought the payment would make the case closed .
This morning I received an email and I was wondering if any help is available as I’m quite nervous about this please.
Thank you

 

[AlterEgo]

They've reviewed your historical ticket purchases. Do you have a valid railcard? Have you been short faring?

 

[jfollows]

The Penalty Fare is closed, but they have instigated a fishing exercise to which you should not reply in a hurry, but wait for more advice here.

 

[afia05]

They've reviewed your historical ticket purchases. Do you have a valid railcard? Have you been short faring?

No I’ve not been short faring and I do have a railcard in that day I was just in a hurry and put the wrong rail card

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Nov 2025 ==

The Penalty Fare is closed, but they have instigated a fishing exercise to which you should not reply in a hurry, but wait for more advice here.

Okay thank you I’ve paid the 50£ plus the fare of the journey the next day of the incident and I thought that would be case closed didn’t realised I had to present the rail card

 

[AlterEgo]

No I’ve not been short faring and I do have a railcard in that day I was just in a hurry and put the wrong rail card

Which railcard do you have, and which one did you put in?

 

[afia05]

Which railcard do you have, and which one did you put in?

I have a 16-25 but I put the 16-17 by accident

 

[AlterEgo]

I have a 16-25 but I put the 16-17 by accident

And how many times have you done that? Becuase a lot of people do that quite often, as the discount on the 16-17 is basically that of a child fare.

They've been looking at your ticket purchases so they've found something beyond the issue covered by your penalty fare.

 

[afia05]

I would like to know if this is gonna proceed to court and a criminal record pls

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Nov 2025 ==

Should I respond to the email or not as it states to reply within 7 days

 

[AlterEgo]

I would like to know if this is gonna proceed to court and a criminal record pls

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Nov 2025 ==

Should I respond to the email or not as it states to reply within 7 days

Have you or have you not been applying discounts you aren't entitled to beyond the time you were stopped?

 

[afia05]

Have you or have you not been applying discounts you aren't entitled to beyond the time you were stopped?

No I haven’t

 

[AlterEgo]

No I haven’t

Great. So you can write back and tell them you haven't been evading any other fares, and confirm you've paid the penalty fare. What are you scared of?

 

[afia05]

On the email it mentions criminal record and court which is frightening me

 

[AlterEgo]

On the email it mentions criminal record and court which is frightening me

It shouldn't be frightening if your ticket purchases are above board. Your other option is to ignore the correspondence, if you are certain you haven't ever evaded any other fares.

 

[afia05]

Thank you

 

[jfollows]

If all your travel has been regular, then you have two choices. If you write to them, keep it short and to the point. They want you to incriminate yourself. Don’t.
The alternative is to ignore completely, do not reply, do nothing. The email is designed to frighten you but if they can’t prove any wrong-doing, there is nothing they can do.
Remember, buying tickets is not an offence. Using them incorrectly is. If you buy tickets for someone else, that is perfectly valid.

 

[afia05]

I appreciate it so much thank you

 

[JBuchananGB]

The general advice in this situation is not to respond at all. The earlier incident was dealt with there and then, and whatever LNR have found in your ticket purchasing history does not give them anything to claim against you, unless of course you respond, admitting to anything. They may write to you again, but they do not have a leg to stand on.

 

[afia05]

The general advice in this situation is not to respond at all. The earlier incident was dealt with there and then, and whatever LNR have found in your ticket purchasing history does not give them anything to claim against you, unless of course you respond, admitting to anything. They may write to you again, but they do not have a leg to stand on.

Okay thank you I responded with the receipt of the penalty fare and my railcard but that’s it nothing else