Fake name given to ticket inspectors

[riat]

Hi,

I was trying to buy my ticket at the station, but the service was terrible. I got to the last stage of buying the ticket and I believed it went through but then as I was on the train inspector came on and it turned up the ticket hadn’t actually been purchased. I offered to pay for a new one but they said they couldn't issue one. So I was issued a receipt with the fine information but I panicked and gave my middle name as my first name and my mother’s maiden name as my last name and also my accommodation address but not the specific number. After I got to my station, I did buy another ticket for the same journey on a later train but it could’ve been used on the train that I was on, since they were both off-peak trains and I used that to get out of the station. What should I do? How likely is it that they will trace this back to me? Should I pay the fine or should I wait out? i’ve also thought about appealing and explaining the situation that I intended to buy a ticket and believed it had gone through and I have a valid ticket. How likely is it that this appeal will go through?

 

[z444z]

i’ve also thought about appealing and explaining the situation that I intended to buy a ticket and believed it had gone through and I have a valid ticket. How likely is it that this appeal will go through?

As close to 0% as you’ll get. Can you please upload a redacted (hide names, references numbers, time of day if you wish, but we need everything else) copy of the documentation you were given so we know what we’re working with?

 

[riat]

As close to 0% as you’ll get. Can you please upload a redacted (hide names, references numbers, time of day if you wish, but we need everything else) copy of the documentation you were given so we know what we’re working with?

It's the typical WM penalty fare notice, saying i can pay £50 (+fare) now or £100 after 21 days

 

[tram21]

Upload the penalty fare notice with personal details redacted, but by giving a fake name etc an appeal is unlikely to succeed and you'd be best to pay it to avoid escalation.

But there could be technical grounds for appeal, which experts can assist with.

 

[riat]

Here is the penalty fare notice

 

[z444z]

But there could be technical grounds for appeal, which experts can assist with.

An appeal risks this being looked at closer, which probably isn’t in the OP’s interests. Will check the PFN anyway for completeness.

 

[WesternLancer]

It's the typical WM penalty fare notice, saying i can pay £50 (+fare) now or £100 after 21 days

Pay this and it will be the end of the matter. Highly unlikely to be any further scrutiny if you do.

If you don’t pay it it will escalate to court. Eventually someone, probably court bailiffs, will untangle the fake name and find you by which time the sum wanted will be several hundred quid. They are good at getting the money.

Better to pay the £50 now imho.

 

[z444z]

The £3.30 fare charged doesn’t correspond to any fare between New Street and Coventry. An appeal on these grounds should succeed but often doesn’t because the appeals panel are incompetent.

However I agree with @WesternLancer that you should pay and hope nothing more comes of this. An appeal would not be a smart move here.

 

[furlong]

I panicked and gave my middle name as my first name and my mother’s maiden name as my last name and also my accommodation address but not the specific number.

If a letter was posted with the details you gave, how likely is it you would receive it? Some people do go by their middle name and mum's maiden name so the name can still identify you, and I'd only worry whether the missing number in the address would prevent delivery or not.

Did you board the train at Birmingham New Street? What was the next station after the point where the inspector issued the penalty?
How long ago did this happen?

The notice was made out incorrectly as the fare to Coventry is higher than the fare stated so you should have a valid appeal on that basis.

 

[Haywain]

If a letter was posted with the details you gave, how likely is it you would receive it? Some people do go by their middle name and mum's maiden name so the name can still identify you, and I'd only worry whether the missing number in the address would prevent delivery or not.

Ultimately, the important question here is whether bailiffs would be able to trace the OP, as mentioned in post #7. If the OP were to appeal they would need to use an address that the post will get to otherwise they won't know whether it's been successful but that will reveal the incomplete/false address already given.

 

[z444z]

I agree that the PFN is not compliant, but an appeal would be a really stupid move here as the risk far outweighs paying £53.

 

[SuspectUsual]

I'm sure the merits of appealing a PF on the basis that the OP has been undercharged have been discussed before, but I can't find any of the relevant threads. I recall it was thought to be unlikely to succeed

 

[z444z]

I'm sure the merits of appealing a PF on the basis that the OP has been undercharged have been discussed before, but I can't find any of the relevant threads. I recall it was thought to be unlikely to succeed

We have seen such appeals be approved or denied seemingly at random. The legislation is clear that such an appeal should succeed but the appeals panel don’t seem to understand the legislation that created them.

 

[tatitiliti]

Hi,

I was trying to buy my ticket at the station, but the service was terrible. I got to the last stage of buying the ticket and I believed it went through but then as I was on the train inspector came on and it turned up the ticket hadn’t actually been purchased. I offered to pay for a new one but they said they couldn't issue one. So I was issued a receipt with the fine information but I panicked and gave my middle name as my first name and my mother’s maiden name as my last name and also my accommodation address but not the specific number. After I got to my station, I did buy another ticket for the same journey on a later train but it could’ve been used on the train that I was on, since they were both off-peak trains and I used that to get out of the station. What should I do? How likely is it that they will trace this back to me? Should I pay the fine or should I wait out? i’ve also thought about appealing and explaining the situation that I intended to buy a ticket and believed it had gone through and I have a valid ticket. How likely is it that this appeal will go through?

On the basis of an incorrect fare being charged, an appeal should succeed. However, I’d strongly advise you to pay £53 to close the matter because you’ve already committed a criminal offence by providing a fake name and you don’t want this to be uncovered.

 

[jumble]

Pay this and it will be the end of the matter. Highly unlikely to be any further scrutiny if you do.

If you don’t pay it it will escalate to court. Eventually someone, probably court bailiffs, will untangle the fake name and find you by which time the sum wanted will be several hundred quid. They are good at getting the money.

Better to pay the £50 now imho.

Ho Hum
This depends on whether the OP gave a date of birth
If the middle name is shared with others in the address and there is no date of birth then in my view no Bailiff/court is going to be able to do anything of the sort

 

[Fawkes Cat]

If the middle name is shared with others in the address

This is a pretty big 'if'...

The thing is that by giving a false name the OP has put themselves in the wrong. If they try to pursue the possibly defective PF they will have to reveal this wrong: it cannot be certain that the railway would pursue them for the admitted error, but similarly it cannot be certain that the railway will overlook it.

The only certain way out of this bind is to pay up. And although most of us would prefer not to pay £50 (+ fare) if we didn't have to, it's not such a huge amount as to be life changing.

In the circumstances, I'm with those who think that paying £50 (+ fare) and getting certainty is reasonable value for money, and so is the practical way to go.

 

[jumble]

It was a general observation not a suggestion that payment should be avoided or that the PF should be appealed
I would certainly advise payment even on the basis that the money is owed and it is the right thing to do and as you say the matter gets put to bed