Penalty fare notice thing

[xPhilip]

To start, I don't use trains at all, the last train I used was over 2 years ago when I went to Thorpe Park.

Anyway, I received a penalty fare notice in the post today demanding payment of £40, including administration fees. (If i don't pay within 14 more days another £20 will be added onto that for more admistration fees)

Obviously I don't want to pay this as its not for me as my details were given falsely, how can I appeal this? If i say it wasn't me the appeal obviously won't be accepted as I'm sure many people have used this excuse. But this genuinely wasn't me, heck i didnt even know my local station when registering on this site.

This has happened before, 4ish years ago infact but my parents dealt with it so I'm not sure what the outcome was, they might have even paid it, but for it to happen again, I think its someone that I know who is impersonating me so they get out of paying for the ticket? (i really don't know anything about how this works)

Any advice? What could I say in the appeal?

I would even be willing to help identify the person who claimed to be me, if they have CCTV and are willing to show it to me. (they should have CCTV anyway right? like for if this goes to court etc?)

 

[ian959]

Write back to the TOC with the truth - that you have not travelled on a train in 2 years and that the details they have been given must be false. Also report the matter to the police as it is identity theft and may have been used in other circumstances you are not aware of. If you reasonably suspect who the culprit is, tell the TOC and the police. Include your description in your letter to the TOC - just in case they have recorded the description of the person who used your name.

 

[Andrewlong]

Write back to the TOC with the truth - that you have not travelled on a train in 2 years and that the details they have been given must be false. Also report the matter to the police as it is identity theft and may have been used in other circumstances you are not aware of. If you reasonably suspect who the culprit is, tell the TOC and the police. Include your description in your letter to the TOC - just in case they have recorded the description of the person who used your name.

Would it also be worth reporting what you were doing on the day in question, where you were as well as providing supporting details from people you know etc ?

 

[xPhilip]

Write back to the TOC with the truth - that you have not travelled on a train in 2 years and that the details they have been given must be false. Also report the matter to the police as it is identity theft and may have been used in other circumstances you are not aware of. If you reasonably suspect who the culprit is, tell the TOC and the police. Include your description in your letter to the TOC - just in case they have recorded the description of the person who used your name.

I have a reasonable idea who it could be, based on the station the journey terminated. I don't want to point any fingers, it would just be a lot simpler if they had CCTV of the person.

Thanks for the replies everyone.

 

[PermitToTravel]

xPhilip: Don't worry. To convict you they would have to show beyond reasonable doubt that you travelled at the time without paying your fare.

As was said above, just tell them what happened. If you suspect you know who it is then say that you suspect that, but I wouldn't do so solely on the basis of knowing someone who lives at that location. Feel free to offer them your help with watching CCTV, they'll let you know if this would help them (if the person has done it more than once then this might well be helpful to them/the police).

 

[plastictaffy]

Don't RPI's (and Guards that can do them) have to check Identification before issuing a UPFN??

 

[Flamingo]

Not if the person has not got or refuses to furnish any.

 

[Tibbs]

Don't RPI's (and Guards that can do them) have to check Identification before issuing a UPFN??

An RPI has a right to demand name & address, but no right to demand proof of ID.

From other posts on here, the protocol is to detain the person somehow and wait for the Police, who can demand ID.

 

[bnm]

From other posts on here, the protocol is to detain the person somehow and wait for the Police, who can demand ID.

Do they? Under what legislation? And if you don't have any?

 

[broadgage]

This happened to me once, I received a demand for payment of a penalty for travel without a valid ticket between Surbiton and Waterloo.
This being a journey that I USED to make frequently, but had not made for several years.

Whilst in the end I convinced them that it was not me, this took considerable time and trouble with expenditure on telephone calls, postage, fares, and loss of wages. It would have been much cheaper to pay up for an "offence" that I had not commited.

At the time of the alleged "offence" I was on a train ! on a different route and with a valid ticket, this did not seem to help much.

 

[island]

Do they? Under what legislation? And if you don't have any?

Railway officers can detain passengers whom they reasonably believe to have committed an offence under certain enactments, but my understanding is that most if not all TOCs instruct their employees not to do so under any circumstances. In any event, the detention is supposed to be until the passenger can be brought before a magistrate and not until the police arrive.

 

[xPhilip]

How long does it take to get a response from an appeal? Does anyone know?

 

[DaveNewcastle]

How long does it take to get a response from an appeal? Does anyone know?

It varies greatly - varies between one company and another, and varies depending on their workload. They all seem to have very busy Prosecutions Depatments these days, so it could be weeks. Or it could be days.

Sorry, but it's very unpredictable. If you told us which Company it is, that might narrow down the range a bit - but ultimately you'll just have to be patient.

 

[xPhilip]

It varies greatly - varies between one company and another, and varies depending on their workload. They all seem to have very busy Prosecutions Depatments these days, so it could be weeks. Or it could be days.

Sorry, but it's very unpredictable. If you told us which Company it is, that might narrow down the range a bit - but ultimately you'll just have to be patient.

I believe Southeastern railway is the company.

But yeah fair enough. Even though I'm not that bothered about the response I would like to get everything over with as soon as possible.