Interviewed under caution in relation to historic fare evasion (TfL)

[steve49]

Hi all,


I’m looking for advice regarding a fare evasion matter being investigated by TfL, which now involves both myself and my partner.


I was stopped and interviewed under caution yesterday in relation to historic fare evasion. The case they presented relates to an oyster card I had used over a period going back to October 2024 with the amount they told me being £1,380. I admitted I may have paid the wrong fare in the interview by mistake and will pay and cooperate. They linked the card to the journeys and they have a case.


Today, my partner was also approached by an inspector. She was not in possession of the card in question, and as she needed to get to work, she declined a formal interview but did provide her details. She was told there have an investigation and she will be called in for an interview.


We’ve not yet received letters of intended prosecution, but we are extremely anxious about what happens next. We are hoping to take responsibility and avoid court if possible.


I have contact details for TfL’s prosecutions team but I’m unsure whether writing to them now would be premature, or whether a proactive approach might help our case particularly in showing remorse and offering to settle.


If anyone has experience with similar cases or thoughts on the best way to handle this, we’d really appreciate the insight.

 

[AndroidBango]

I presume you 'mistakenly' used a Freedom Pass or other high value pass? I don't think they are going to believe that such sustained fare evasion was an error. Why was your partner approached if she wasn't using the card? Has she been dodging fares too?

TFL don't settle out of court (see their response to an FOI request: https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/transp.../foi-request-detail?referenceId=FOI-1521-2223) and take a binary approach to fare evasion: they either prosecute or issue a final warning. We have seen final warnings generally issued after the involvement of a solicitor (which is expensive and offers no guarantee of success).

 

[AlterEgo]

Hi all,



I was stopped and interviewed under caution yesterday in relation to historic fare evasion. The case they presented relates to an oyster card

What sort of an Oyster card? Is this a normal Oyster card, or something like a staff Oyster or other discounted or free pass?

I had used over a period going back to October 2024 with the amount they told me being £1,380.

Is this the alleged value of the evaded fares?

I admitted I may have paid the wrong fare in the interview by mistake

How would you have paid the wrong fare? You don’t mention exactly what the company’s suspicion is. Using an Oyster card is normal, but if you are using one to tap in and out and make incomplete journeys from travelling further afield, this is obviously…not good. If you clarify the nature of the alleged misuse, this will help us tailor advice.

Where was the interview conducted? Immediately, when you were stopped, or did you attend by appointment? Were you placed under caution and read your rights? Did you have a solicitor present? Is “may have paid the wrong fare by mistake” something the train company will believe?

Today, my partner was also approached by an inspector. She was not in possession of the card in question

Is this her own card? Not the same one as yours?

, and as she needed to get to work, she declined a formal interview but did provide her details. She was told there have an investigation and she will be called in for an interview.

Are you suspected of the same type of misuse?

We’ve not yet received letters of intended prosecution, but we are extremely anxious about what happens next. We are hoping to take responsibility and avoid court if possible.


I have contact details for TfL’s prosecutions team but I’m unsure whether writing to them now would be premature, or whether a proactive approach might help our case particularly in showing remorse and offering to settle.

Do not contact them proactively. It sounds like they operated a rarely-seen sting on you both which is very bad news for you indeed, as it means they may have been monitoring your offending for some time and have a large amount of evidence. It’s unclear what has been going on here but misuse of Oysters can amount to fraud; that’s serious.

Never ever initiate contact. Do not answer any questions under caution unless represented by a solicitor. Do not attend any voluntary interview unless represented by a solicitor. Do not say anything.

Get a solicitor.

 

[simonw]

Hi all,


I’m looking for advice regarding a fare evasion matter being investigated by TfL, which now involves both myself and my partner.


I was stopped and interviewed under caution yesterday in relation to historic fare evasion. The case they presented relates to an oyster card I had used over a period going back to October 2024 with the amount they told me being £1,380. I admitted I may have paid the wrong fare in the interview by mistake and will pay and cooperate. They linked the card to the journeys and they have a case.


Today, my partner was also approached by an inspector. She was not in possession of the card in question, and as she needed to get to work, she declined a formal interview but did provide her details. She was told there have an investigation and she will be called in for an interview.


We’ve not yet received letters of intended prosecution, but we are extremely anxious about what happens next. We are hoping to take responsibility and avoid court if possible.


I have contact details for TfL’s prosecutions team but I’m unsure whether writing to them now would be premature, or whether a proactive approach might help our case particularly in showing remorse and offering to settle.


If anyone has experience with similar cases or thoughts on the best way to handle this, we’d really appreciate the insight.

Tfl have a reputation for taking these matters to court, we are only a few examples of warnings being given and none (if memory serves) of them settling for a payment out of court.

There are a number of solicitor firms that others have used referenced in this section of the forum. I would recommend making contact with one of them. I have no experience of using them so can't recommend anyone. Manak solicitors is one people have used. This is not a personal recommendation A quick Google will throw up others.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Manak solicitors is one people have used. This is not a personal recommendation

This is their advert. Again, this is NOT a recommendation as such.

Transport for London Fare Evasion– Manak Solicitors

Samir has assisted clients with Transport for London cases for many years.

manaksolicitors.co.uk

 

[AlterEgo]

Just to add that this, unlike nearly every other case we’ve seen, appears to have involved targeted stings on the OP and their wife, having laid in wait for them to confront them with evidence, and TfL are likely to treat this differently. This is a big case.

 

[steve49]

What sort of an Oyster card? Is this a normal Oyster card, or something like a staff Oyster or other discounted or free pass?


Is this the alleged value of the evaded fares?


How would you have paid the wrong fare? You don’t mention exactly what the company’s suspicion is. Using an Oyster card is normal, but if you are using one to tap in and out and make incomplete journeys from travelling further afield, this is obviously…not good. If you clarify the nature of the alleged misuse, this will help us tailor advice.

Where was the interview conducted? Immediately, when you were stopped, or did you attend by appointment? Were you placed under caution and read your rights? Did you have a solicitor present? Is “may have paid the wrong fare by mistake” something the train company will believe?


Is this her own card? Not the same one as yours?


Are you suspected of the same type of misuse?


Do not contact them proactively. It sounds like they operated a rarely-seen sting on you both which is very bad news for you indeed, as it means they may have been monitoring your offending for some time and have a large amount of evidence. It’s unclear what has been going on here but misuse of Oysters can amount to fraud; that’s serious.

Never ever initiate contact. Do not answer any questions under caution unless represented by a solicitor. Do not attend any voluntary interview unless represented by a solicitor. Do not say anything.

Get a solicitor.

I was paying for Zone 1 to 2 but travelling from Zone 8 to 1 and not tapping in and out.

They have said £1300 is the alleged value of loss from Oct 2024

The interview was conducted at the station under caution with my rights read. No solicitor.

I doubt they will believe it given the length of time.

We are both suspected but with my they had recovered the oyster card with her they didnt recover a card and she refused the interview and gave her details

I will get a solicitor and it was a sting.

 

[steve49]

Just to add that this, unlike nearly every other case we’ve seen, appears to have involved targeted stings on the OP and their wife, having laid in wait for them to confront them with evidence, and TfL are likely to treat this differently. This is a big case.

It looks similar to this case - https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/...l-tube-scammer-thought-racked-3-000-debt.html

 

[John R]

Your OP is far too vague for us to understand exactly what both of you are likely to be accused of, which means we can’t give the best advice. Although I’m inclined to agree with @AlterEgo that from what we do know you may find it difficult to avoid prosecution given the quantum of evasion and what appears to be a targeted sting.