Gave wrong address

[Boldering]

Yesterday I travelled from norwich to London Liverpool st
I bought a ticket online & picked up from the machine at the ticket office
Upon inspection it transpired that I had not got all the bits I needed (there was nothing else coming out of the machine)
The inspector gave me an unpaid fair invoice - but when he asked for my details I gave an old address (3 houses ago) - he verified this by phone & it was cleared.
My question is shall I come clean? I could say that I have moved in the 21 days allowed to appeal - and go to change the address

Or... Ignore it ...will they ever find me?

 

[Flamingo]

Well, if the ticket was bought online, the train company already has your (current) contact details...

 

[Monty]

Well, if the ticket was bought online, the train company already has your (current) contact details...

As Flamingo has already said they may already have your correct details if you purchased a ticket online, and to give false details is a criminal offence. Assuming you've been issue a Unpaid Fares Notice, I highly suggest you pay it without question. To dispute your liability to pay or refusal to pay altogether may prompt the TOC concerned to cross reference any information they have and they may well find out about you giving false information.

 

[michael769]

The question to ask your self is what do you prefer:

Pay a few quid on the UPFN or 6 months in jail for fraud and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice?

You might get away with it. You might get a lesser sentence. Or they might decide to make an example of you. Only you can decide if you are comfortable gambling with your freedom, I doubt anyone on this forum will want to get involved in such a potentially serious criminal offence.

You can always try to appeal the UPFN on the grounds that you purchased a valid ticket and the ToC failed to ensure that all parts of the ticket required were delivered to you.You can probably get the transaction details from the online seller as proof. But as others mention this may draw their attention to the fact you provided false details.

 

[richw]

As above pay the UPFN without question, or you could be looking at the more serious offence stated above for providing an incorrect address.
If you ignore the matter, I'd be pretty certain the debt collections company the TOC use will have access to systems to trace you (especially if you provided an address you previously lived at), for which they often charge a hefty admin fee for the trace.

 

[Boldering]

Thanks for the responses. Don't know why I lied but went into panic. Will come clean and pay up

 

[Flamingo]

Thanks for the responses. Don't know why I lied but went into panic. Will come clean and pay up

Smart