Need Help ::: Digital Fraud Investigations :::

[adil115]

Hi all ,
I have received an email from Digital Fraud Investigations <AWCDigitalFraud@avantiwestcoast.co.uk> on 14-05-2026 mentioned below but with unknown reason because i did not travelled by train at that day for sure 100%. But still i get an email i am not sure why it is so please advice ???


Case Reference: 

AWCEMG0000xxxxx

 
 Following your recent journey on an Avanti West Coast Service from Birmingham to Coventry on the11/3/26 a detailed investigation using industry systems and data followed, we have identified that travel was undertaken using a Fraudulent Rail Ticket. Our findings indicate that this may constitute a breach of the terms and conditions of travel. 

 
Avanti West Coast treats fraudulent activity seriously and reserves the right to pursue prosecution where appropriate. However, having reviewed the circumstances of this case, and in the absence of any previously reported incidents of a similar nature in your name, I am authorised to offer you a final opportunity to resolve this matter by way of an administrative disposal.  
 
This is an exceptional offer in cases of this nature, but I recognise that a conviction may have a disproportionate impact on your future. Therefore, if the sum of £250 is paid and cleared within 14 days of the date of this letter, this case can be discontinued.  
 
The sum quoted is a properly costed assessment of the average amount of time and cost needed to properly process a typical case of this kind and is not intended to represent a punitive sum. This is not a fine, a fine is something that a court will impose nor is this a demand for payment it is an offer to allow you to adopt an alternative arrangement that allows you to avoid Court proceedings. We are not obliged to make this offer, and you are not obliged to make any payment, and you may instead choose to have the evidence tested by the court if you prefer.

Should you decline this opportunity, I strongly advise that you seek legal counsel as prosecution may be instigated under sections 1 and 2 of the Fraud Act 2006.


 How to pay:  
 Secure payment can be made by credit or debit card at:  
 https://awcrecovery.avantiwestcoast.co.uk  

 
Quoting Notice Number: AWCEMG0000xxxxx

If you do not wish to accept this offer, you may provide a written explanation and any supporting evidence for our consideration.  
 
Failure to respond within 14 days may result in a reassessment of the claim, recalculating fares at Anytime rates and potentially increasing the Administrative Disposal figure.   

 

[Nova1]

Were you stopped and spoken to in person at any point?
Generally if they've sent an email they do not know who you actually are, just firing off emails on suspicious activity and hoping for the best - we've seen West Midlands Railway up to this recently. DO NOT reply or acknowledge at this stage.

 

[adil115]

Were you stopped and spoken to in person at any point?
Generally if they've sent an email they do not know who you actually are, just firing off emails on suspicious activity and hoping for the best - we've seen West Midlands Railway up to this recently. DO NOT reply or acknowledge at this stage.

Thank you for your quick response @Nova1 , I was not stopped at any point even i did not travel by train at that day for sure

 

[gray1404]

Have you had any issues on any journeys from Birmingham to Coventry? Do you purchase tickets for travel between those stations?

Have you used a train ticket and subsequently refunded it?

 

[Mattplans]

Hi all ,
I have received an email from Digital Fraud Investigations <AWCDigitalFraud@avantiwestcoast.co.uk> on 14-05-2026 mentioned below but with unknown reason because i did not travelled by train at that day for sure 100%. But still i get an email i am not sure why it is so please advice ???

Unless you were physically stopped on the railway, these communications generally have little weight and can be safely ignored. Don't worry about that 14 day limit which seems to have elapsed.

However, as you've indicated that you did not travel on the date in question, I think you should double check as it wouldn't surprise me if someone used your account/details to purchase a ticket? Perhaps you've shared your Uber (or another ticket retailer) account with a family or friend? You might have done this because there was a discount offered through your account, or perhaps you have a subscription that your friends could take advantage of? There's absolutely nothing wrong with this, but I think it's quite strange to be receiving such an email if you don't travel with them.

Have you ever travelled with AWC at all ? - is it possible there was a typo on the date in question? Double check your ticket retailer's app and see if you have a purchased a ticket between Birmingham and Cov on another date perhaps? Just so you can be conclusively certain

Common ticket retailers include any app/website youcan use to buy a trainticket. Ie Trainline, Trainpal, Uber etc. You might even have an account with a specific train company.

If none of the above apply, and you do not buy tickets on an app/website, it's safe to ignore. Granted, it's safe to ignore anyway (provided you have not been stopped on the railway) but it's in your interests to know why they're doing this

 

[adil115]

Have you had any issues on any journeys from Birmingham to Coventry? Do you purchase tickets for travel between those stations?

Have you used a train ticket and subsequently refunded it?

Thank you for your response.
I had not travelled at all on that day to any destination at all that is what want to explain that how it could be possible. I bought a ticket from trainline app for 12-03-2026 and send it to my friend but my friend edited it for 11-03-2026 for same time and travelled on that ticket after editing , he said he was asked for ticket on entrance at birmingham station and he was told that you have a fake ticket or wrong dated ticket then after few minutes he managed or run to get through the barriers into the train and travelled from Birmingham to Preston(Lancs).
I asked him all that and he said no body took his details through out his journey , moreover he told me that he never travelled from Birmingham to Coventry where as in the notice it says you had a travel from Birmingham to coventry which he never did.
I have attached a photo when an officer scanned the ticket at the entrance but he did not asked any details from him.
Please advice on this ?
Kind regards,

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 31 May 2026 ==

Unless you were physically stopped on the railway, these communications generally have little weight and can be safely ignored. Don't worry about that 14 day limit which seems to have elapsed.

However, as you've indicated that you did not travel on the date in question, I think you should double check as it wouldn't surprise me if someone used your account/details to purchase a ticket? Perhaps you've shared your Uber (or another ticket retailer) account with a family or friend? You might have done this because there was a discount offered through your account, or perhaps you have a subscription that your friends could take advantage of? There's absolutely nothing wrong with this, but I think it's quite strange to be receiving such an email if you don't travel with them.

Have you ever travelled with AWC at all ? - is it possible there was a typo on the date in question? Double check your ticket retailer's app and see if you have a purchased a ticket between Birmingham and Cov on another date perhaps? Just so you can be conclusively certain

Common ticket retailers include any app/website youcan use to buy a trainticket. Ie Trainline, Trainpal, Uber etc. You might even have an account with a specific train company.

If none of the above apply, and you do not buy tickets on an app/website, it's safe to ignore. Granted, it's safe to ignore anyway (provided you have not been stopped on the railway) but it's in your interests to know why they're doing this

Thank you for your response.
I had not travelled at all on that day to any destination at all that is what want to explain that how it could be possible. I bought a ticket from trainline app for 12-03-2026 and send it to my friend but my friend edited it for 11-03-2026 for same time and travelled on that ticket after editing , he said he was asked for ticket on entrance at birmingham station and he was told that you have a fake ticket or wrong dated ticket then after few minutes he managed or run to get through the barriers into the train and travelled from Birmingham to Preston(Lancs).
I asked him all that and he said no body took his details through out his journey , moreover he told me that he never travelled from Birmingham to Coventry where as in the notice it says you had a travel from Birmingham to coventry which he never did.
I have attached a photo when an officer scanned the ticket at the entrance but he did not asked any details from him.
Please advice on this ?
Kind regards,

 

[methecooldude]

I bought a ticket from trainline app for 12-03-2026 and send it to my friend but my friend edited it for 11-03-2026 for same time and travelled on that ticket after editing

Right, so they got your details from Trainline, which the railway is allowed to do, as you were the one that purchased the ticket. Basically your so called friend has got you in trouble. I would suggest emailing them back with your friends details so they can chase him for use of the fraudulent ticket.

 

[AlterEgo]

Don't dob your friends in.

Explain that it wasn't you, and that you bought the ticket for someone else and that it wasn't you that travelled. If you can substantiate that you were elsewhere that day then all the better for you.

Your friend is an idiot of course.

 

[adil115]

Right, so they got your details from Trainline, which the railway is allowed to do, as you were the one that purchased the ticket. Basically your so called friend has got you in trouble. I would suggest emailing them back with your friends details so they can chase him for use of the fraudulent ticket.

Thank you for your response.
Yes they got my details from trainline data , one question can i legally buy a ticket from my app or account and send it my friend for use because my account has railcard.

 

[methecooldude]

can i legally buy a ticket from my app or account and send it my friend for use because my account has railcard.

If your friend has not got a railcard, then no.

 

[AlterEgo]

Thank you for your response.
Yes they got my details from trainline data , one question can i legally buy a ticket from my app or account and send it my friend for use because my account has railcard.

If you know your friend doesn't have a railcard then it would potentially be an offence. Why aren't they buying their own tickets?

 

[adil115]

Don't dob your friends in.

Explain that it wasn't you, and that you bought the ticket for someone else and that it wasn't you that travelled. If you can substantiate that you were elsewhere that day then all the better for you.

Your friend is an idiot of course.

I have received another email from them because i did not replied them at all nor i paid them.

 

[flitwickbeds]

When you say your friend "edited" the ticket - I don't believe it's possible to officially change the date on a rail ticket (ie initially buy it for the 12th but then change it to the 11th). I believe you would need to purchase a new ticket and then refund the incorrectly-dated one. However I have no experience of Trainline so I guess it may be possible on that platform.

What I suspect we're talking about, however, is digitally photo-editing of the ticket? Is that correct?

 

[AlterEgo]

I have received another email from them because i did not replied them at all nor i paid them.

Okay, and have you been fraudulently claiming refunds? That's the first place to start.

 

[Gloster]

I would point out that it is mentioned that the friend manipulated the ticket, managed to get through the barriers after being advised that the ticket was invalid (so it reads to me) and then (apparently) used it for a different journey. (This is how I understand it.) To my mind this make it more likely that Avanti will pursue the matter.

 

[Mattplans]

And I think we should entertain the possibility that there is no “friend”

Given OP (or their friend) has been stopped on the railway and made off after being questioned, and the TOC have now identified them through the retailer, it might now be a good time to establish whether such a friend really exists, as the ensuing advice may differ depending on whether it was really the OP that was stopped or someone else they happened to purchase a ticket for.

So, @adil115? Sorry to be doubtful or presumptuous but if it was actually you that was stopped, you should say so, so you aren’t given incorrect advice

 

[adil115]

When you say your friend "edited" the ticket - I don't believe it's possible to officially change the date on a rail ticket (ie initially buy it for the 12th but then change it to the 11th). I believe you would need to purchase a new ticket and then refund the incorrectly-dated one. However I have no experience of Trainline so I guess it may be possible on that platform.

What I suspect we're talking about, however, is digitally photo-editing of the ticket? Is that correct?

Yes , that is a digitally photo-edited.

 

[WesternLancer]

Thank you for your response.
I had not travelled at all on that day to any destination at all that is what want to explain that how it could be possible. I bought a ticket from trainline app for 12-03-2026 and send it to my friend but my friend edited it for 11-03-2026 for same time and travelled on that ticket after editing , he said he was asked for ticket on entrance at birmingham station and he was told that you have a fake ticket or wrong dated ticket then after few minutes he managed or run to get through the barriers into the train and travelled from Birmingham to Preston(Lancs).
I asked him all that and he said no body took his details through out his journey , moreover he told me that he never travelled from Birmingham to Coventry where as in the notice it says you had a travel from Birmingham to coventry which he never did.
I have attached a photo when an officer scanned the ticket at the entrance but he did not asked any details from him.
Please advice on this ?
Kind regards,

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 31 May 2026 ==


Thank you for your response.
I had not travelled at all on that day to any destination at all that is what want to explain that how it could be possible. I bought a ticket from trainline app for 12-03-2026 and send it to my friend but my friend edited it for 11-03-2026 for same time and travelled on that ticket after editing , he said he was asked for ticket on entrance at birmingham station and he was told that you have a fake ticket or wrong dated ticket then after few minutes he managed or run to get through the barriers into the train and travelled from Birmingham to Preston(Lancs).
I asked him all that and he said no body took his details through out his journey , moreover he told me that he never travelled from Birmingham to Coventry where as in the notice it says you had a travel from Birmingham to coventry which he never did.
I have attached a photo when an officer scanned the ticket at the entrance but he did not asked any details from him.
Please advice on this ?
Kind regards,

So basically your friend has been carrying out criminal activities, but leaving your digital fingerprints at the scene of the crime for the investigators to find.

Your friend is quite smart really.

Stop buying tickets for this friend and ideally for anyone else too.

 

[adil115]

Okay, and have you been fraudulently claiming refunds? That's the first place to start.

But i have never refunded any ticket with avanti west coast.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 31 May 2026 ==

I would point out that it is mentioned that the friend manipulated the ticket, managed to get through the barriers after being advised that the ticket was invalid (so it reads to me) and then (apparently) used it for a different journey. (This is how I understand it.) To my mind this make it more likely that Avanti will pursue the matter.

No , the journey was same but date was changed only.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 31 May 2026 ==

And I think we should entertain the possibility that there is no “friend”

Given OP (or their friend) has been stopped on the railway and made off after being questioned, and the TOC have now identified them through the retailer, it might now be a good time to establish whether such a friend really exists, as the ensuing advice may differ depending on whether it was really the OP that was stopped or someone else they happened to purchase a ticket for.

So, @adil115? Sorry to be doubtful or presumptuous but if it was actually you that was stopped, you should say so, so you aren’t given incorrect advice

I understand why you are asking for clarification. However, I can confirm that I was not the person travelling on that date, nor was I the individual who was stopped and questioned by the OTC. The ticket was purchased through my account, but I was not present during the journey in question.

I appreciate that this may affect the advice being given, which is why I wanted to make that distinction clear.

 

[AlterEgo]

But i have never refunded any ticket with avanti west coast.

What about any other train company? They will have audited all of your transactions and will have the scan data to see if tickets have been used or not.

 

[adil115]

So basically your friend has been carrying out criminal activities, but leaving your digital fingerprints at the scene of the crime for the investigators to find.

Your friend is quite smart really.

Stop buying tickets for this friend and ideally for anyone else too.

Please advice the best solution for this because I have got only 3 days to respond them ?
Should I pay penalty fare even after deadline ?
And / Or
Should I go through the legal process to prove that I was not there at that moment ?
And / Or
What should I do in this type of case ?
Please advice
Best regards

 

[gray1404]

You may want to just pay this off whilst the matter is still in house with Avanti.

They have said that they are going to refer the matter to a notorious company called Transport Investigations Limited. They are very difficult to deal with and you have to write to them several times asking for a settlement. That company also have no hesitation whatsoever in referring a matter to Court. So what I am saying is if the case gets referred to them you may very well find yourself having to stand in Court saying it was not you who traveled on the day. If they were to agree to a settlement then I think it would be substantially more then what Avanti are willing to accept now.

I believe you have two options at this point. The first is to simply pay up. The second is that you respond to Avanti explaining to them that it wasn't you who travelled.

 

[Mattplans]

OP's ticket (the scan data) in post #6 shows it was an Advance ticket. My understanding is these are non-refundable? This ticket doesn't even correspond to the stations mentioned in the email. It might be the case that the two incidents are unrelated.

 

[gray1404]

My strong advise would be:

Go online now and pay the notice. Screen shot or print off a copy of the payment confirmation.

Then

Respond to the email from Avanti simply confirming that the payment has now been made and would they please respond confirming the case has now been closed.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 31 May 2026 ==

Then you can demand the money (or part of) from your so called friend (if indeed they exist or are actually a friend).

Bear in mind if you come to the attention of a railway company again then they may go straight to prosecution. So do not be purchasing any tickets for anybody else anymore. Do not refund any tickets, make sure any tickets you travel on are totally valid with any rail cards in date and actually held and only make delay repay claims that are absolutely kosher.

 

[adil115]

My strong advise would be:

Go online now and pay the notice. Screen shot or print off a copy of the payment confirmation.

Then

Respond to the email from Avanti simply confirming that the payment has now been made and would they please respond confirming the case has now been closed.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 31 May 2026 ==

Then you can demand the money (or part of) from your so called friend (if indeed they exist or are actually a friend).

Bear in mind if you come to the attention of a railway company again then they may go straight to prosecution. So do not be purchasing any tickets for anybody else anymore. Do not refund any tickets comma make sure any tickets you travel on are totally valid with any rail cards in date and actually held and only make delay repay claims that are absolutely kosher.

Thank you for your advice.
I am trying to pay it but it is saying Merchant Name : debtrecoveryweb
Where as the company is Avanti West Coast
So is it legitimate ?
Please reply

 

[methecooldude]

Thank you for your advice.
I am trying to pay it but it is saying Merchant Name : debtrecoveryweb
Where as the company is Avanti West Coast
So is it legitimate ?
Please reply

If you have done it via https://awcrecovery.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/ then yes it's fine. Merchant names can be anything

 

[WesternLancer]

Please advice the best solution for this because I have got only 3 days to respond them ?
Should I pay penalty fare even after deadline ?
And / Or
Should I go through the legal process to prove that I was not there at that moment ?
And / Or
What should I do in this type of case ?
Please advice
Best regards

I agree with the advice in post24

 

[Haywain]

can i legally buy a ticket from my app or account and send it my friend for use

Yes, you can but as you now know that your friend is being a dickhead and letting you deal with the consequences, I would strongly advise against it. They are not deserving of any sort of help from you.

 

[adil115]

I agree with the advice in post24

Thank You

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 31 May 2026 ==

If you have done it via https://awcrecovery.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/ then yes it's fine. Merchant names can be anything

Thank You for the help

 

[soil]

Wow

Post 1 " i did not travelled by train at that day for sure 100%. But still i get an email i am not sure why it is so please advice ???"
Post 2 " I was not stopped at any point even i did not travel by train at that day for sure"

Post 3 <long admission that in fact a ticket was fraudulently edited by a supposed 'friend'>

Ticket fraud &c is one thing, but coming here and making multiple posts acting like it's a big mystery when in fact you know exactly what happened is not really a very good use of the forum.