Northern Trains Fraud

[willow2026]

I have received an email from northern trains about using a 16-17 saver card from september 2025 to may 2026, which i do not have. i am guilty of this and am just wondering if anyone can give me any advice on how i should phrase the email response (there is also an option for an interview but i don’t know if this is a good idea to attend). below is a rough draft of my response. thank you to anyone who can help with advice!

Dear Sir/Madam,



I am writing in regards to (number), to express my deepest regrets for my actions. Although I have no excuse, I am a student in a struggling financial situation which is context for why I used the 16-17 saver card discount. Regardless of this, I should not have used it and i am deeply sorry for the loss and inconvenience i have caused Northern Trains. I now understand the weight of my actions and will not ever do this again. I have calculated the costs of every rail ticket I bought using the 16-17 saver card from September 2025 to May 2026, looking at the pricing of each journey as a single on-peak ticket. This total came to £171.30. I am prepared to pay this price rounded to £200 and any other administrative costs in dealing with this. I plead you to consider settling this matter outside of court.

 

[Haywain]

I have received an email from northern trains about using a 16-17 saver card from september 2025 to may 2026, which i do not have. i am guilty of this and am just wondering if anyone can give me any advice on how i should phrase the email response (there is also an option for an interview but i don’t know if this is a good idea to attend). below is a rough draft of my response. thank you to anyone who can help with advice!

Have you been stopped using such a ticket? If not, do not respond to the email and stop buying tickets with a discount that you are not entitled to.

 

[willow2026]

Have you been stopped using such a ticket? If not, do not respond to the email and stop buying tickets with a discount that you are not entitled to.

I have stopped the last purchase was in April 2026 and i received the email last week, the only issue is they threaten taking the issue to court if i do not respond, i have attached the email

 

[MarlowDonkey]

I have received an email from northern trains about using a 16-17 saver card from september 2025 to may 2026, which i do not have. i am guilty of this and am just wondering if anyone can give me any advice on how i should phrase the email response

If they haven't stopped you with an invalid ticket, you "have the right to remain silent". If you reply you may give them evidence which they potentially "could rely on in court".

Nevertheless you should travel in future with valid tickets and purchase a Railcard if eligible.

 

[Haywain]

the only issue is they threaten taking the issue to court if i do not respond, i have attached the email

They want to interview you under caution because they don't have evidence, and it is quite clear that without your assistance they won't get it. What they currently have is a suspicion and that isn't enough to take it to court. As above, you have the right to remain silent and not to self-incriminate - you need to exercise that right.

 

[gray1404]

Do not respond to their correspondence. They will likely send follow a up email. You can post that on here as and when it happens. The "purchase" of a ticket is not an offence. If you have not been stopped while travelling Northern have no proof that you have used such tickets.

 

[willow2026]

If they haven't stopped you with an invalid ticket, you "have the right to remain silent". If you reply you may give them evidence which they potentially "could rely on in court".

Nevertheless you should travel in future with valid tickets and purchase a Railcard if eligible.

is the fact that i did own a 16-17 saver card that expired in 2023 not evidence though as i would obviously not be eligible for the railcard anymore? that’s another concern as they have recognised that in the email

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 29 Jul 2026 ==

They want to interview you under caution because they don't have evidence, and it is quite clear that without your assistance they won't get it. What they currently have is a suspicion and that isn't enough to take it to court. As above, you have the right to remain silent and not to self-incriminate - you need to exercise that right.

is the fact that i did own a 16-17 saver card that expired in 2023 not evidence though as i would obviously not be eligible for the railcard anymore? that’s another concern as they have recognised that in the email

 

[walkingsophie]

If they have not stopped you, they can't know for certain that it was you who used the tickets, which is why the information they have right now is not enough to take you to court.

 

[Haywain]

is the fact that i did own a 16-17 saver card that expired in 2023 not evidence though as i would obviously not be eligible for the railcard anymore?

No, because they have no evidence that you used those tickets and won't have if you don't say so.

 

[MarlowDonkey]

is the fact that i did own a 16-17 saver card that expired in 2023 not evidence though as i would obviously not be eligible for the railcard anymore? that’s another concern as they have recognised that in the email

On balance of probabilities in a civil case perhaps. When you are not eligible for the Railcard doesn't make it a criminal offence to buy 16-17 discounted tickets. For all they or we know, you may have a sibling with the required card. Using the tickets is the offence for which it's believed they must catch you travelling without a valid ticket for a prosecution to succeed or get you to make a voluntary admission.

It's a very easy data trawl, which is probably why they do it.