Lost ticket, now I'M in trouble?

[dance_monkey]

Hi, I had a week off work and must've left my ticket on the train or dropped it nearby. It's a very expensive, annual pass. By the time I had noticed I had lost it, it had already been a few days. I called up the helpline and the person on the end of the phone told me that my 'boyfriend' was caught using it. Although this is impossible as my boyfriend never uses a train, had the same week off as me and rides a motorbike to work. I have maxed out my credit card buying weekly tickets as they assured me they would pay me back once this was sorted. However, they have not contacted me and after numerous phone calls, they have told me that it's now in the hands of prosecution. Why is it me who's in trouble and not the person caught using my ticket?

I only know any of this because I've made numerous phone calls. They have NOT ONCE contacted me about this. It's outrageous and I'm being treated like a criminal for someone elses wrong doings. It's frustrating enough to lose a ticket that cost thousands of pounds, this is beyond a joke.

 

[sarahj]

There will be others who can help. But what amazes me is people having things worth thousands of pounds, and not taking better care, or noticing when its missing. If it was a laptop, or phone that was worth the same you would soon notice it gone.

But why should they contact you. You had not reported it missing. Someone has used it, been caught, gave a story. Perhaps even gave a telephone number to confirm the story. The pass was then confiscated, and its now in the system, a system that moves slowly. Now you have reported it missing, things will be moving, but as its now part of a fraud case, may take some time.
Plus, did they have your details, phone etc.

 

[Stigy]

Hi, I had a week off work and must've left my ticket on the train or dropped it nearby. It's a very expensive, annual pass. By the time I had noticed I had lost it, it had already been a few days. I called up the helpline and the person on the end of the phone told me that my 'boyfriend' was caught using it. Although this is impossible as my boyfriend never uses a train, had the same week off as me and rides a motorbike to work. I have maxed out my credit card buying weekly tickets as they assured me they would pay me back once this was sorted. However, they have not contacted me and after numerous phone calls, they have told me that it's now in the hands of prosecution. Why is it me who's in trouble and not the person caught using my ticket?

I only know any of this because I've made numerous phone calls. They have NOT ONCE contacted me about this. It's outrageous and I'm being treated like a criminal for someone elses wrong doings. It's frustrating enough to lose a ticket that cost thousands of pounds, this is beyond a joke.

They obviously think it's your Boyfriend that has been caught using your ticket, therefore they want to establish if you knew about it as there's obvious offences to answer at the very least from the person using the ticket. They want to be sure you knew nothing about it.

If it's impossible that he had used the ticket then you have nothing to worry about, nor does he. If somebody else has been using it after you reported it lost it shouldn't take long to fathom out. The problem here is, from what I can see, you reported it missing a few days after it was actually lost, and that will look suspicious by the company (much the same as reporting a car stolen to avoid a brush with the law...). Even if it did go to court, and assuming you're being 100% honest here (stupid not to be if you want help!) I'm going to go out on a limb here and say the person that will have been summonsed (the offender) more than likely won't be a dead ringer for your boyfriend and it'll be a waste of time on the ID front alone.

I'd imagine the train company will want to call you in for an interview to establish all the facts before they go any further. That being the case, it should go no further than this if it's as clear cut as you say it is.

I don't see it as either ridiculous or outrageous as millions of pounds are lost every year to fare evasion. Are you not at least a bit happy that they take the theft of your ticket seriously?

 

[dance_monkey]

Cheers for that Sarah! My ticket was in the wallet and as I hadn't taken it out, assumed it was still in there! How can this person who stole my ticket get off scott free and I'm the one in trouble? How can I even prove otherwise? They'll just think "a likely story"

 

[yorkie]

I advise you to consult a solicitor who is in a position to deal with such a case.

 

[Nick W]

Have you already been to the police station to report it lost under strange circumstances?

 

[cuccir]

If you have not reported it missing to the police, then you should immediately. Season tickets are only replaced if you've done this.

You're not in trouble yet. Someone has used it and has claimed to be your boyfriend. The train company will investigate this claim, and will probably write to you to ask you about this, at which point you can set them straight.

 

[sheff1]

There will be others who can help. But what amazes me is people having things worth thousands of pounds, and not taking better care, or noticing when its missing. If it was a laptop, or phone that was worth the same you would soon notice it gone.

What an outrageous post !!

You have a season. You travel home on Friday. You arrive home and put your ticket wallet in the drawer as you will not need it for few days as you are on holiday. You finish your holiday xx days later, take the wallet out to go to work and discover your ticket is not in it. Why would you notice something you didn't need was missing until you actually needed it ?

Exactly the same with a laptop. You lock it away and go on holiday. You return home and it has been stolen. How would you notice any earlier ?

Amazingly, when we go on holiday we leave the car (worth thousands of pounds) parked outside the house. How do you propose we notice that is has disappeared when we are a thousand miles away

To the OP, I can only echo the advice to consult a solicitor.

 

[VauxhallandI]

What an outrageous post !!

You have a season. You travel home on Friday. You arrive home and put your ticket wallet in the drawer as you will not need it for few days as you are on holiday. You finish your holiday xx days later, take the wallet out to go to work and discover your ticket is not in it. Why would you notice something you didn't need was missing until you actually needed it ?

Exactly the same with a laptop. You lock it away and go on holiday. You return home and it has been stolen. How would you notice any earlier ?

Amazingly, when we go on holiday we leave the car (worth thousands of pounds) parked outside the house. How do you propose we notice that is has disappeared when we are a thousand miles away

To the OP, I can only echo the advice to consult a solicitor.

Here here, what a defensive post.

My season ticket is in my work trousers which may sit in the spare room if I was off. Maybe silly passengers should do an itinery check every day or be damned
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

If you have not reported it missing to the police, then you should immediately. Season tickets are only replaced if you've done this.

You're not in trouble yet. Someone has used it and has claimed to be your boyfriend. The train company will investigate this claim, and will probably write to you to ask you about this, at which point you can set them straight.

Not true.

I lost mine and I didn't report it to the police.

GA were terrible at sorting it out and I had to make every move.

I'm afraid you will have to push at every turn as they basically don't care as it not their problem.

 

[trainophile]

Cheers for that Sarah! My ticket was in the wallet and as I hadn't taken it out, assumed it was still in there! How can this person who stole my ticket get off scott free and I'm the one in trouble? How can I even prove otherwise? They'll just think "a likely story"

So the thief had access to your wallet then? That narrows it down a bit doesn't it?

Edit: Or did you lose the wallet as well?

 

[Haywain]

I lost mine and I didn't report it to the police.

GA were terrible at sorting it out and I had to make every move.

I'm afraid you will have to push at every turn as they basically don't care as it not their problem.

How would you expect GA to deal with it without you making most of the moves? Were they supposed to know it was lost without you telling them? I think that it is reasonable to assume that if you have lost your season ticket it will inevitably cause you some inconvenience.

 

[VauxhallandI]

How would you expect GA to deal with it without you making most of the moves? Were they supposed to know it was lost without you telling them? I think that it is reasonable to assume that if you have lost your season ticket it will inevitably cause you some inconvenience.

Eh thanks for the insight.

Maybe because four times they said they would ring me they didn't.

Good enough?

 

[cuccir]

Not true.

I lost mine and I didn't report it to the police.

GA were terrible at sorting it out and I had to make every move.

I'm afraid you will have to push at every turn as they basically don't care as it not their problem.

You're correct - I misread the advice on National Rail which says that they only offer a second replacement within 12 months if you have a crime number.

I still don't think it would do any harm to report it, however.

But yes, keep pushing them.

 

[VauxhallandI]

You're correct - I misread the advice on National Rail which says that they only offer a second replacement within 12 months if you have a crime number.

I still don't think it would do any harm to report it, however.

But yes, keep pushing them.

Ah, we'll hopefully I won't lose it again

 

[Fare-Cop]

So far as I can see, the best suggestion is to follow the advice given by Yorkie.

Unless I've missed it, you haven't said which TOC this was on. Knowing that might help understand how likely they are to call you in, but either way, the fact that 'your boyfriend' has been reported for using it and that you hadn't reported it missing before it was detected being misused will inevitably lead to some suspiscion.

You should seek qualified advice of a solicitor who is used to dealing with criminal matters and preferably one who has good knowledge of railways ticketing legislation.

 

[dance_monkey]

So the thief had access to your wallet then? That narrows it down a bit doesn't it?

Edit: Or did you lose the wallet as well?

I still have the wallet. I doubt a thief would take my wallet, take the ticket and replace it. The plastic flap is torn on one side, so can only assume it fell out somewhere near the train/train station and some opportunist picked it up. I had it on the train and I park near the station, so it's likely it was dropped it nearby.

 

[dance_monkey]

So far as I can see, the best suggestion is to follow the advice given by Yorkie.

Unless I've missed it, you haven't said which TOC this was on. Knowing that might help understand how likely they are to call you in, but either way, the fact that 'your boyfriend' has been reported for using it and that you hadn't reported it missing before it was detected being misused will inevitably lead to some suspiscion.

You should seek qualified advice of a solicitor who is used to dealing with criminal matters and preferably one who has good knowledge of railways ticketing legislation.

The thing is, I had a week off. I couldn't have known 'til I went to use it again.

 

[ian959]

Hi, I had a week off work and must've left my ticket on the train or dropped it nearby.

How can this person who stole my ticket

Two mutually exclusive statements surely?

As far as I can see you are not in trouble at all - yet. On the limited information given it sounds like your ticket has been confiscated from someone who was using it. Presumably once the matter is resolved your ticket will be returned to you, possibly with a reminder to take better care with it.

However, you would be wise to follow Yorkie's advice as well as to adopt a slightly less histrionic attitude when dealing with the TOC particularly as you admit to not taking care with the ticket.

Surely if your ticket wallet is damaged and the ticket can fall out, you would get a replacement ticket wallet to ensure this very sort of issue does not arise? At the very least knowing that the ticket wallet is damaged, surely you would check very carefully after each use to make sure the ticket was still in the damaged wallet? I check mine after I get off the train every time I travel and it is hardly an annual pass worth thousands of pounds.

 

[cuccir]

Hi, I had a week off work and must've left my ticket on the train or dropped it nearby.

How can this person who stole my ticket

Two mutually exclusive statements surely?

No. A ticket is lost/dropped. Someone finds it and then takes it. They've stolen it.

I'm not sure why the OP is facing such hostility here.

 

[VauxhallandI]

I had to have an "interview" with a revenue office. This is what took me three trips to The station and four phone calls to organise.

The interview seemed pretty pointless but there you go.

The first time I have lost my season ticket in twelve years but it would seem that is unforgivable to some!

 

[Squaddie]

I'm not sure why the OP is facing such hostility here.

To be fair, I think it's because the opening post was rather angry and short on detail. The story as initially presented did rather suggest that someone known to her had used the ticket fraudulently, perhaps with her consent, and that she had concocted the story of the theft only after he was caught.

Assuming that the additional details now being given are correct (and there's no reason to believe they're not), it seems that the ticket might simply have fallen out of the wallet and been picked up by a stranger who then used it and got caught. If that's the case, there should be no problem in getting the ticket and the cost of the weekly tickets purchased in the meantime back from the rail company. The OP simply has to go through the required process.

(On reading this back I realise that I've assumed the OP is female. If that's not the case, no offence is intended).

 

[maniacmartin]

That's not how I read it. The fact that the opening post had boyfriend in inverted commas implies to me that the OP does not believe it to be their actual boyfriend - ie the TOC is claiming the fraudster is the boyfriend but actually this person is probably just a stranger.

 

[Clip]

That's not how I read it. The fact that the opening post had boyfriend in inverted commas implies to me that the OP does not believe it to be their actual boyfriend - ie the TOC is claiming the fraudster is the boyfriend but actually this person is probably just a stranger.

Thats how I read it also. Especially the part where they state that they had the same week off as them and surely he/she would have noticed if his/her fella had popped off on the train somewhere!

Theres a lot of jumping on OPs at the moment who are coming here for advice and telling them what they shouldve done and offering nothing constructive apart from attacking them - why has it come to this?


Anyway, I would, like others have told you, go to the Police also to report this ticket as stolen. If you wallet has a tear in it then it way have fallen out when you last used it and put it back in your pocket - My Oyster did the same last week buit luckily someone told me about it - then write to the TOC concerned - do not phone anymore - using recorded delivery or something so you know they have got the lett, outlining everything that has happenned and include the crime number.

If everything is as you say but they still do not believe you then please follow Yorkies advice and go see a lawyer. In fact in may be prudent to seek one out for a free session first - though most high street lawyers will not be converse in Railway laws they will at least be able to assist you on the whole Police/Fraud issue.

Good luck.

 

[tony6499]

The TOC may have CCTV evidence of the individual concerned who has used your ticket so you can compare that with a picture of your boyfriend and also if they have the details of when, where and who was using your ticket then you and your boyfriend would be able to prove it was not him.

 

[Haywain]

A question here, asked in the interests of simply gaining more information:
If the person caught using the season claimed to be the OP's boyfriend, was the photocard also lost? If not, how would the miscreant have known the ticket belonged to a female?

Otherwise, whilst reporting the loss to the police is a good idea, they will probably only treat it as lost property if there is no evidence of actual theft (as opposed to finding and misusing). Finally, I think the OP is making a rather wild assumption that the person using the ticket is not in any sort of trouble. As they were caught, it is highly likely that they are.

 

[jon0844]

A question here, asked in the interests of simply gaining more information:
If the person caught using the season claimed to be the OP's boyfriend, was the photocard also lost? If not, how would the miscreant have known the ticket belonged to a female?

On the back of the season is a box to say M_ ______________

Now I've nearly always filled it in, but on some replacements I've forgotten for a bit.

But even though that might give a clue that it was owned by a female, and even the surname (if readable) so you could make up a first name and claim to be the same family - I wonder how many people would think to look?

Of course if only the season fell out, it might have been the reason the person was so quickly caught - for being asked to show his photo ID.. prompting a further inspection.

If the other person had the photo ID, frankly, I'd expect that if you waved it quick enough you'd probably be okay at many stations or on an on-board check where the RPI will likely just glance at the expiry date and little else.

I suppose you could just carry a genuine photo ID that has your photo, but a season with another photo ID number written on. There's almost NO chance that anyone would check the two matched up unless you were already suspected of something and it prompted a closer look.

 

[snail]

On the back of the season is a box to say M_ ______________

My season has "Issued to ____" printed on the front of the ticket at the top left (the opposite side to the box containing the photocard number).

 

[Deerfold]

Most people do not realise the value of an annual ticket. It can be worth thousands but is usually uninsured and often carried in a vulnerable loaction. People assume that if it's lost or stolen then it's easy to get it replaced. Threads like this help reiterate the point that it isn't.

They are usually fairly uninsurable.

If I'm wrong and you know of an insurer who covers season tickets, please do let me know.

 

[jon0844]

I read that there are plans/aspirations to have a national smartcard system in place by 2016? If so, paper smartcards with all the risks (both for the user and the rail industry) can finally disappear and not be missed.

 

[rdwarr]

They are usually fairly uninsurable.

If I'm wrong and you know of an insurer who covers season tickets, please do let me know.

No, I think you're right. You may be able to do it as "cash" on a home insurance policy but there's normally a £500 limit on that.