Facing possible prosecution please help I’m so scared !

[heavenisbelowm]

Hi Everyone,

Yesterday evening I was stopped at Chatham by a railway officer who caught me with an invalid railcard (16-17 saver) on my ticket - he asked me some questions about whether I’ve used this railcard before and I didn’t want to lie so I told him yes i have when I’m struggling financially which isn’t a lie , and then he took a witness statement and said he will submit it to Southeastern and that they will contact me within 4 weeks with a letter wherein i will have to reply back and explain myself and they will decide whether they want to prosecute me , im so scared , im such an idiot this is 100% my fault and I have nobody to blame but myself , I’ve done this on several occasions I’m going to be honest and say that I have , I’ve been caught twice within 3 years and fined on the spot which i have paid, it’s just because sometimes train fare is so expensive and it’s so difficult to pay the full fee and even the railcard that I do have (16–25) offers less of a discount and doesn’t work before 9 am that’s why I often use the other 16-17 one , it’s not an excuse though I know im to blame im so worried I wasn’t able to sleep last night because of this ive been crying all day i dont know what to do , im so worried im going to go to jail if southeastern look through my Trainline history they will notice ive done this a lot maybe on 90 out of like the 150 journeys on there the rest were either paid in full or with a valid railcard and this is around 150
Journeys in about 3 years , but I am just such an idiot I live in this country on my own and I feel so scared and alone , please help , what will happen, will I go to jail? Will they take me to court ? Will they fine me ? I’ve read elsewhere it can be thousands of pounds what am I going to do? Please help me I’ll do anything thank you in advance

 

[Fawkes Cat]

Hi Everyone,

Yesterday evening I was stopped at Chatham by a railway officer who caught me with an invalid railcard (16-17 saver) on my ticket - he asked me some questions about whether I’ve used this railcard before and I didn’t want to lie so I told him yes i have when I’m struggling financially which isn’t a lie , and then he took a witness statement and said he will submit it to Southeastern and that they will contact me within 4 weeks with a letter wherein i will have to reply back and explain myself and they will decide whether they want to prosecute me , im so scared , im such an idiot this is 100% my fault and I have nobody to blame but myself , I’ve done this on several occasions I’m going to be honest and say that I have , I’ve been caught twice within 3 years and fined on the spot which i have paid, it’s just because sometimes train fare is so expensive and it’s so difficult to pay the full fee and even the railcard that I do have (16–25) offers less of a discount and doesn’t work before 9 am that’s why I often use the other 16-17 one , it’s not an excuse though I know im to blame im so worried I wasn’t able to sleep last night because of this ive been crying all day i dont know what to do , im so worried im going to go to jail if southeastern look through my Trainline history they will notice ive done this a lot maybe on 90 out of like the 150 journeys on there the rest were either paid in full or with a valid railcard and this is around 150
Journeys in about 3 years , but I am just such an idiot I live in this country on my own and I feel so scared and alone , please help , what will happen, will I go to jail? Will they take me to court ? Will they fine me ? I’ve read elsewhere it can be thousands of pounds what am I going to do? Please help me I’ll do anything thank you in advance

Welcome to the forum.

To start with the big one - you won't be going to jail. Unless there's something really awful that you're not telling us (like you hit someone who worked for the railways), prison just isn't used for dodging train fares.

So that's good news. The rest of the news isn't so good.

The railway can take you to court for this. And if they agree not to take you to court, you will have to pay them for the train fares that you dodged, plus an 'admin fee' of maybe £150 or so. And the train fares will most likely be charged at the 'anytime single' rate - so the most expensive fare, without any reduction for buying returns, or travelling off-peak, or for the money you've already paid.

For the moment, the best things you can do are
- work out how often you have done this (it sounds like you're already on the way there). Then find out what the anytime single fare is for those journeys. Multiply the fare by the number of journeys and that will give you some idea of how much the railway will want you to pay back.
- Watch your post and email closely for a letter from the railway. You will have to reply to it as if you don't keep in touch with the railway you will be taken to court and as well as having to repay the train fares* you will have to pay a fine and court costs.
- when you've got that letter, come back to us, and we'll do our best to help you write the most effective letter you can to encourage the railway to agree to settle out of court
- in the meantime, try and find someone sympathetic to talk to . If your family are elsewhere, can you phone them or email? If you're part of a religious, national or cultural community, are there people there who you could talk to who might understand your problem?

It's obviously not good to have to worry about something like this - but it's not the end of the world. Your panic about it will pass, so try and stay strong.


*For experts - I know, a bit of a simplification. But I don't want to complicate matters by discussing the benefits of being prosecuted for only one instance against settling out of court for all occasions

 

[heavenisbelowm]

Welcome to the forum.

To start with the big one - you won't be going to jail. Unless there's something really awful that you're not telling us (like you hit someone who worked for the railways), prison just isn't used for dodging train fares.

So that's good news. The rest of the news isn't so good.

The railway can take you to court for this. And if they agree not to take you to court, you will have to pay them for the train fares that you dodged, plus an 'admin fee' of maybe £150 or so. And the train fares will most likely be charged at the 'anytime single' rate - so the most expensive fare, without any reduction for buying returns, or travelling off-peak, or for the money you've already paid.

For the moment, the best things you can do are
- work out how often you have done this (it sounds like you're already on the way there). Then find out what the anytime single fare is for those journeys. Multiply the fare by the number of journeys and that will give you some idea of how much the railway will want you to pay back.
- Watch your post and email closely for a letter from the railway. You will have to reply to it as if you don't keep in touch with the railway you will be taken to court and as well as having to repay the train fares* you will have to pay a fine and court costs.
- when you've got that letter, come back to us, and we'll do our best to help you write the most effective letter you can to encourage the railway to agree to settle out of court
- in the meantime, try and find someone sympathetic to talk to . If your family are elsewhere, can you phone them or email? If you're part of a religious, national or cultural community, are there people there who you could talk to who might understand your problem?

It's obviously not good to have to worry about something like this - but it's not the end of the world. Your panic about it will pass, so try and stay strong.


*For experts - I know, a bit of a simplification. But I don't want to complicate matters by discussing the benefits of being prosecuted for only one instance against settling out of court for all occasions

Hi thank you very much for reassuring me, I feel better reading your post! Nothing like this has ever happened to me before, and I just feel so uncertain , I’m sorry for being so emotional in my earlier message , I think it’s just the trauma of the ordeal , the fact I live alone with no family and also the fact I don’t have the financial means to take care of this . I saw about people paying solicitors and legal teams to help them , I don’t have that kind of money, I accept responsibility for my actions and know what I did was wrong … I shouldn’t have used the fake railcard . I genuinely only did it out of financial desperation

When they work out what the balance is will they charge me the difference between the price of the actual ticket and the ticket I used or will they charge me the cost of the full ticket as if I didn’t buy one at all?

Would you say if I word my letter correctly I could negotiate an out of court settlement? But I’ve read that can be thousands of pounds and that southeastern typically don’t accept a payment plan - would it still be worth asking? And if they say no, what should I do? I genuinely don’t have anywhere near that kind of money … I feel mortified talking to my mom about this and she’s the only person (her or her partner) who could potentially help me with the fine and that’s a big if but no other friends or family could … could I take out a loan? I tried looking earlier at pre approvals and some companies showed up…

You’re right , I’ll work out how often but is one “journey” a single journey? What if I booked a return? Would that count as two journeys? And if I booked a return ticket , say from Herne Bay to London, with the 16-17 card , how would they work that out ?

I will definitely come back to you once they have written ❤️

I can speak to family but I only really have my mom and if I tell her about this she will be extremely angry

Will I be ok? im feeling really vulnerable but really appreciate the support x

 

[Fawkes Cat]

I'll take some of your points in turn:

When they work out what the balance is will they charge me the difference between the price of the actual ticket and the ticket I used or will they charge me the cost of the full ticket as if I didn’t buy one at all?

It will be the full price as if you hadn't bought a ticket at all

Would you say if I word my letter correctly I could negotiate an out of court settlement? But I’ve read that can be thousands of pounds and that southeastern typically don’t accept a payment plan - would it still be worth asking? And if they say no, what should I do? I genuinely don’t have anywhere near that kind of money … I feel mortified talking to my mom about this and she’s the only person (her or her partner) who could potentially help me with the fine and that’s a big if but no other friends or family could … could I take out a loan? I tried looking earlier at pre approvals and some companies showed up…

Realistically, if you don't agree an out of court settlement, then the railway will take you to court. For most people, going to court is a worse option as it's likely to be more expensive and will give you a 'criminal record' (so if a new employer or similar asks if you have a criminal record or have ever been convicted in court, you'd have to say 'yes' for a while). It might just be the better option for you as it can be possible to negotiate a payment plan with the courts rather than the railway - but you will have to decide for yourself if that makes sense for you.

On balance, it's best to start by trying to agree an out of court settlement. If you and the railway can't agree one, then you'll end up in court anyhow so it's worth a first try.

You’re right , I’ll work out how often but is one “journey” a single journey?

Yes

What if I booked a return? Would that count as two journeys?

Yes - that would count as two journeys

And if I booked a return ticket , say from Herne Bay to London, with the 16-17 card , how would they work that out ?

You would be charged the anytime single fare from Herne Bay to London, plus the anytime single fare from London to Herne Bay (which will be the same amount). Remember, you don't get any discount for what you have already paid.

I can speak to family but I only really have my mom and if I tell her about this she will be extremely angry

Try to think about how angry your mom will be if you don't tell her. At this point you can choose how and when to tell her, but if you leave it longer she might find out at a time which doesn't work for you. It might be better to do it under your control.

Will I be ok?

You should be. I know this is easy to say and a lot harder to live, but these things always feel worst when they have just happened. It won't all be fine tomorrow morning - but it probably won't feel as bad as it does right now. And it should be even better the day after that. If you can, stay strong.

 

[MarlowDonkey]

You’re right , I’ll work out how often but is one “journey” a single journey? What if I booked a return? Would that count as two journeys? And if I booked a return ticket , say from Herne Bay to London, with the 16-17 card , how would they work that out ?

The ususl practice is that they will look up the price of an Anytime Single from Herne Bay to London and from London to Herne Bay and add both to the settlement amount they may ask for. No credit is given for any tickets already purchased.

 

[Haywain]

Hi Everyone,

Yesterday evening I was stopped at Chatham by a railway officer who caught me with an invalid railcard (16-17 saver) on my ticket - he asked me some questions about whether I’ve used this railcard before and I didn’t want to lie so I told him yes i have when I’m struggling financially which isn’t a lie , and then he took a witness statement and said he will submit it to Southeastern and that they will contact me within 4 weeks with a letter wherein i will have to reply back and explain myself and they will decide whether they want to prosecute me , im so scared , im such an idiot this is 100% my fault and I have nobody to blame but myself , I’ve done this on several occasions I’m going to be honest and say that I have , I’ve been caught twice within 3 years and fined on the spot which i have paid, it’s just because sometimes train fare is so expensive and it’s so difficult to pay the full fee and even the railcard that I do have (16–25) offers less of a discount and doesn’t work before 9 am that’s why I often use the other 16-17 one , it’s not an excuse though I know im to blame im so worried I wasn’t able to sleep last night because of this ive been crying all day i dont know what to do , im so worried im going to go to jail if southeastern look through my Trainline history they will notice ive done this a lot maybe on 90 out of like the 150 journeys on there the rest were either paid in full or with a valid railcard and this is around 150
Journeys in about 3 years , but I am just such an idiot I live in this country on my own and I feel so scared and alone , please help , what will happen, will I go to jail? Will they take me to court ? Will they fine me ? I’ve read elsewhere it can be thousands of pounds what am I going to do? Please help me I’ll do anything thank you in advance

How old are you?

 

[heavenisbelowm]

The ususl practice is that they will look up the price of an Anytime Single from Herne Bay to London and from London to Herne Bay and add both to the settlement amount they may ask for. No credit is given for any tickets already purchased

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The ususl practice is that they will look up the price of an Anytime Single from Herne Bay to London and from London to Herne Bay and add both to the settlement amount they may ask for. No credit is given for any tickets already purchased.

Really? That sounds far more expensive than what it would have been to just buy a return ticket without a railcard ? Because aren’t two singles more expensive than a return?

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How old are you?

25

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I'll take some of your points in turn:

It will be the full price as if you hadn't bought a ticket at all

Realistically, if you don't agree an out of court settlement, then the railway will take you to court. For most people, going to court is a worse option as it's likely to be more expensive and will give you a 'criminal record' (so if a new employer or similar asks if you have a criminal record or have ever been convicted in court, you'd have to say 'yes' for a while). It might just be the better option for you as it can be possible to negotiate a payment plan with the courts rather than the railway - but you will have to decide for yourself if that makes sense for you.

On balance, it's best to start by trying to agree an out of court settlement. If you and the railway can't agree one, then you'll end up in court anyhow so it's worth a first try.

Yes

Yes - that would count as two journeys

You would be charged the anytime single fare from Herne Bay to London, plus the anytime single fare from London to Herne Bay (which will be the same amount). Remember, you don't get any discount for what you have already paid.

Try to think about how angry your mom will be if you don't tell her. At this point you can choose how and when to tell her, but if you leave it longer she might find out at a time which doesn't work for you. It might be better to do it under your control.

You should be. I know this is easy to say and a lot harder to live, but these things always feel worst when they have just happened. It won't all be fine tomorrow morning - but it probably won't feel as bad as it does right now. And it should be even better the day after that. If you can, stay strong.

Thank you for the information. That is really helpful … you’re right , I need to tell her , especially because I don’t know how else I am going to afford the fine I will inevitably face which will be in the thousands I suspect … is it true that southeastern charges you a rate you could realistically pay, vs the full theoretical rate? Or do they literally just put pen to paper and charge you the rate ?

Also , do you know if the below is true? It’s something I saw somewhere online but I have no idea if it’s true and if so im so confused , because it sounds like court prosecution could be under 2 different things?

1. Possible outcomes under Byelaws
   • Out-of-court settlement (most common) → unpaid fares + admin fees, no criminal record
   • Court prosecution under Byelaws (rare) → small fine, minor criminal record if any
   • Fraud Act prosecution (even rarer) → could lead to more serious criminal recor

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How old are you?

25 but I live in the UK completely on my own and I’ve never been through something like this before. I don’t have much support here other than friends but they wouldn’t be able to help me in a situation like this

 

[jfollows]

You will either agree an out of court settlement or be prosecuted under bylaws. Fraud prosecution is almost unheard of because the case that needs to be made against you has a high threshold of proof.

Full fare singles are charged in the settlement because they think otherwise you might try it again. You either agree with their figure or they take you to court, essentially.

Although the bylaws prosecution includes a fine, it will also include an application for costs by the rail company and the two together will usually match or exceed the settlement amount, plus you will have a criminal record.

Herne Bay to London single is £45.40, or £40.20 avoiding high speed services.

 

[John R]

Really? That sounds far more expensive than what it would have been to just buy a return ticket without a railcard ? Because aren’t two singles more expensive than a return?

I'm afraid so. The railway typically regards each time you travelled as a separate instance of fare evasion. Think of it as an additional penalty for fare dodging. You can't argue with them over it, as if you do they will just take you to court - and you will be found guilty.

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I shouldn’t have used the fake railcard .

Did you actually have a fake railcard, or just apply the wrong railcard when purchasing your ticket?

 

[heavenisbelowm]

I'm afraid so. The railway typically regards each time you travelled as a separate instance of fare evasion. Think of it as an additional penalty for fare dodging. You can't argue with them over it, as if you do they will just take you to court - and you will be found guilty.

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Did you actually have a fake railcard, or just apply the wrong railcard when purchasing your ticket?

I didn’t doctor or fabricate anything , I applied the wrong railcard when purchasing the ticket … all the times I have gotten caught ( 3 including this latest instance yesterday) I have tried to always be honest , because I feel like by lying I will dig an even deeper hole for myself

That makes sense about the fares … it’s just so frustrating that they don’t accept payment plans because some of the fines are insane , I can’t afford them … I really don’t know what to do. Could I apply for a loan with a loan company?

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You will either agree an out of court settlement or be prosecuted under bylaws. Fraud prosecution is almost unheard of because the case that needs to be made against you has a high threshold of proof.

Full fare singles are charged in the settlement because they think otherwise you might try it again. You either agree with their figure or they take you to court, essentially.

Although the bylaws prosecution includes a fine, it will also include an application for costs by the rail company and the two together will usually match or exceed the settlement amount, plus you will have a criminal record.

Herne Bay to London single is £45.40, or £40.20 avoiding high speed services.

So would that mean that the cost of that journey in total is £90 ? Because they add the two singles together? Oh my God

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Also, can I just ask, is my case fairly common? do a lot of people do this?

 

[jfollows]

We have seen occasional cases of payment plans being agreed to, but I suggest you investigate alternative routes in the meantime. As and when and if you agree a settlement you can ask if a payment plan can be considered.

 

[heavenisbelowm]

We have seen occasional cases of payment plans being agreed to, but I suggest you investigate alternative routes in the meantime. As and when and if you agree a settlement you can ask if a payment plan can be considered.

Really? That gives me some hope … do you think a lot of people don’t think to ask? x

 

[jfollows]

Also, can I just ask, is my case fairly common? do a lot of people do this?

Search the forum, I suggest.
But, yes, lots of similar cases - invalid, outdated, incorrect, or false railcards.
I’m simply trying to consolidate what I’ve read and what I and others have said in the past.

 

[MarlowDonkey]

I didn’t doctor or fabricate anything , I applied the wrong railcard when purchasing the ticket … all the times I have gotten caught ( 3 including this latest instance yesterday) I have tried to always be honest , because I feel like by lying I will dig an even deeper hole for myself

What happened the two previous times? That isn't in your favour as part of the recommended reply when seeking an out of court settlement is an apology and an undertaking not to claim false discounts in the future.

 

[heavenisbelowm]

I

What happened the two previous times? That isn't in your favour as part of the recommended reply when seeking an out of court settlement is an apology and an undertaking not to claim false discounts in the future

The two previous times I was given a fine on the spot and I paid it x I didn’t avoid it or anything …. And I did get a railcard like they suggested …. But then when times got tough I used the 16-17 one again …

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Search the forum, I suggest.
But, yes, lots of similar cases - invalid, outdated, incorrect, or false railcards.
I’m simply trying to consolidate what I’ve read and what I and others have said in the past.

Yes, that is so true … that gives me hope though that this can be resolved I just need to power through and figure out how to get the money together

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What happened the two previous times? That isn't in your favour as part of the recommended reply when seeking an out of court settlement is an apology and an undertaking not to claim false discounts in the future.

Oh also just for clarity the two previous times I never had to write a letter , it was one of those where they fine you on the spot , you pay it and that’s it

 

[WesternLancer]

Really? That gives me some hope … do you think a lot of people don’t think to ask? x

I think it is best you assume they won't be keen on a payment plan I'm afraid, but if it gets to that stage you can ask as no harm in asking. The railways want people to pay the correct fare (and if they can't afford to pay the correct fare they would say you should not travel on the trains) - they are not in the business of setting up debt collecting plans because that costs them even more time and money chasing people who then don't pay their debts.

The railway want people to buy the correct ticket and learn a lesson not to do this again. You say you have been stopped and fined before (Penalty fares I assume?) so as far as they are concerned you have not 'learned a lesson' and changed you behaviour, so this time they are likely to want the money you have evaded in full using the process of threatening you with court action if you do not co-operate with them.

Have a good think about legal and legitimate ways you can get the money (do not go to dodgy money lenders under any circumstances however) - eg can you do extra hours at work to get over time, and save this up.

Alternatively if it goes to court then it is possible to pay the court in installments - but most people want to avoid the criminal record that goes with the court conviction and court fines.

But

If you stick with This forum as things develop people here will give you good advice on what to do step by step in order to tell you what choices you have, the pros and cons of them - and how to get the best outcome you can from this.

If you have good friends to talk to about all this that will help too I expect - even if they can't help you with the money side of things.

Just to clarify: are you saying you think you may have made about 90 single (one way) journeys from Herne Bay to London with tickets discounted by a 16-17 Saver Railcard that you do not have?
or 90 return journeys?

One thing you should do is to now carefully go through your Trainline account and make a list of all the occasions where this has happened to check if you are correct about the number of times involved (for your own private use - do not share it here). Do not delete your account - because you might need to check things on it as part of this process and even if you delete it the railway company can still access it but you then can not access it - so it's not in your interest to do that.

I know things look tough at the moment - but you will be able to sort this out and it won't ruin your life - you just need to take things one step at a time.

 

[heavenisbelowm]

I think it is best you assume they won't be keen on a payment plan I'm afraid, but if it gets to that stage you can ask as no harm in asking. The railways want people to pay the correct fare (and if they can't afford to pay the correct fare they would say you should not travel on the trains) - they are not in the business of setting up debt collecting plans because that costs them even more time and money chasing people who then don't pay their debts.

The railway want people to buy the correct ticket and learn a lesson not to do this again. You say you have been stopped and fined before (Penalty fares I assume?) so as far as they are concerned you have not 'learned a lesson' and changed you behaviour, so this time they are likely to want the money you have evaded in full using the process of threatening you with court action if you do not co-operate with them.

Have a good think about legal and legitimate ways you can get the money (do not go to dodgy money lenders under any circumstances however) - eg can you do extra hours at work to get over time, and save this up.

Alternatively if it goes to court then it is possible to pay the court in installments - but most people want to avoid the criminal record that goes with the court conviction and court fines.

But

If you stick with This forum as things develop people here will give you good advice on what to do step by step in order to tell you what choices you have, the pros and cons of them - and how to get the best outcome you can from this.

If you have good friends to talk to about all this that will help too I expect - even if they can't help you with the money side of things.

Just to clarify: are you saying you think you may have made about 90 single (one way) journeys from Herne Bay to London with tickets discounted by a 16-17 Saver Railcard that you do not have?
or 90 return journeys?

One thing you should do is to now carefully go through your Trainline account and make a list of all the occasions where this has happened to check if you are correct about the number of times involved (for your own private use - do not share it here). Do not delete your account - because you might need to check things on it as part of this process and even if you delete it the railway company can still access it but you then can not access it - so it's not in your interest to do that.

I know things look tough at the moment - but you will be able to sort this out and it won't ruin your life - you just need to take things one step at a time.

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply to me

It’s 90 journeys in total I think , some are single and some are return , but on the app it shows it as one journey so I don’t really know how to calculate it , I’ve just calculated it as1 journey per “line”, a lot of them were between Herne Bay to London but others were between Herne bay and Tunbridge wells and then others were smaller ones between local stations . I didn’t used to travel every day , a few times a month maybe . Now since March ive been traveling every day for work - after I got caught in March and fined on the spot I did get a legitimate railcard that I have been using but I also have been using the save occasionally when I’m really short on funds But need to get to my destination

The last sentence made me cry , thank you ! I feel a lot better after posting on here I feel less alone , it’s just so hard I don’t want make myself sound like a victim but sometimes I feel so alone and things like this happen and they almost make me realise how alone I am

 

[WesternLancer]

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply to me

It’s 90 journeys in total I think , some are single and some are return , but on the app it shows it as one journey so I don’t really know how to calculate it , I’ve just calculated it as1 journey per “line”, a lot of them were between Herne Bay to London but others were between Herne bay and Tunbridge wells and then others were smaller ones between local stations . I didn’t used to travel every day , a few times a month maybe . Now since March ive been traveling every day for work - after I got caught in March and fined on the spot I did get a legitimate railcard that I have been using but I also have been using the save occasionally when I’m really short on funds But need to get to my destination

The last sentence made me cry , thank you ! I feel a lot better after posting on here I feel less alone , it’s just so hard I don’t want make myself sound like a victim but sometimes I feel so alone and things like this happen and they almost make me realise how alone I am

You are definitely not alone!

So ref the journeys - try to work through your list and set it out if you think it was single or return etc, do them by date or some such so you can see the difference between the short local trips and the longer more expensive ones.

What's likely to happen is that SE trains will investigate and check the records - then they will want to ask you about them and the number of journeys - so by making your own list you can prepare for this - at the right stage (and people here can advise you about when that is) you can then ask them for the list of travel that they believe you have not paid correctly for - this can be a way of checking that they don't charge you for more than you owe.

From what we see on here if the railway company believe you are being honest and co-operating with you they will play fair with you over the amount of money concerned.

I assume they took our name and address correctly and you have no problems with post reaching you as it's vital you get their letter so you can reply to it - also keep an eye on your e-mail and spam in case they use that to communicate with you (eg the e-mail linked to your trainline account)

They just generally want you to pay them what they think you owe them and to stop evading fares in future.

 

[MarlowDonkey]

Now since March ive been traveling every day for work - after I got caught in March and fined on the spot I did get a legitimate railcard that I have been using but I also have been using the save occasionally when I’m really short on funds But need to get to my destination

if travelling every working day, a season ticket could well work out cheaper than purchasing tickets every day, particularly as it would have no time restrictions.

 

[Haywain]

25 but I live in the UK completely on my own and I’ve never been through something like this before. I don’t have much support here other than friends but they wouldn’t be able to help me in a situation like this

Well, I doubt your mom is going to find out about this unless you tell her, and that's entirely up to you. As for support, you've come to the right place as we will give as much support as we can, although we can't put an arm round your shoulder!

Also, can I just ask, is my case fairly common? do a lot of people do this?

Loads, it's how we have become a busy and well respected forum.

 

[fandroid]

You say that you have a 16-25 Railcard and you also say that it "doesn't work before 9am". That is totally wrong. There's a minimum fare of £12 before 10am Monday to Friday (except July and August) but if you are travelling from Herne Bay to London, that's irrelevant. You may have dropped yourself deep in the mire for very little reason. Get on and use the Railcard that you have, and get a 26-30 one when you need to renew and are too old for the 16-25 one. That's little different except there's no relaxation of the minimum fare in July & August.

 

[heavenisbelowm]

Well, I doubt your mom is going to find out about this unless you tell her, and that's entirely up to you. As for support, you've come to the right place as we will give as much support as we can, although we can't put an arm round your shoulder!

Loads, it's how we have become a busy and well respected forum.

Thank you ! Yes, I feel so much better and more optimistic after posting on here ! I’m glad I did ! When I get the letter eventually and post it on here , will you guys get notified?

 

[jfollows]

Just add to this thread, don’t create a new one, and we’ll see it.

 

[WesternLancer]

Thank you ! Yes, I feel so much better and more optimistic after posting on here ! I’m glad I did ! When I get the letter eventually and post it on here , will you guys get notified?

Yes new posts in your thread usually generate a notification to all people who have posted in the thread by default.

 

[duffield]

Yes new posts in your thread usually generate a notification to all people who have posted in the thread by default.

And those of us who haven't posted see them as "new posts" of course.

 

[WesternLancer]

And those of us who haven't posted see them as "new posts" of course.

Good point. Which can broaden the advice and help that can be offered to the person seeking help.

 

[heavenisbelowm]

Quick question , so sorry I didn’t ask this before … will they be able to detect that I also carry a valid railcard ? 16-25?
On my Trainline app there tickets bought with 16-25 on them as well so I just hope I don’t get charged for those as well in the case of them thinking that railcard is invalid also?

 

[John R]

Quick question , so sorry I didn’t ask this before … will they be able to detect that I also carry a valid railcard ? 16-25?
On my Trainline app there tickets bought with 16-25 on them as well so I just hope I don’t get charged for those as well in the case of them thinking that railcard is invalid also?

No, so they may ask you to prove that you have held one for the period when you have bought tickets using it.

 

[heavenisbelowm]

No, so they may ask you to prove that you have held one for the period when you have bought tickets using

it

No, so they may ask you to prove that you have held one for the period when you have bought tickets using it.

When would they do this? Would it worth me calling them for example tomorrow and giving them the railcard number , to assist with their investigations? Or should I wait to receive the letter first, and then quote my railcard details when I reply ?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Sep 2025 ==

The thing is , when the officer took the witness statement , he asked me if it was my intention to avoid paying the full fare and I was honest and said yes. But I really hope that when they look into my train line account they don’t assume the 16-25 railcard is invalid also - because it’s not . The ones bought with the 16-17 applied yes, but I’m just worried they’ll assume the 16-25 one I rightfully hold is invalid as well

 

[John R]

No, don’t panic about it. Just wait until they contact you and see what they say. If you have proof of it, you’ll easily be able to provide it to them.