railway dispute, incorrect info given

[mam]

I got a train ticket from duddleston to Birmingham new street (one stop) via the train line app. but I got on from Aston which was one stop before and there were ticket officers on the train. Im not sure if he had a camera on.
He was asking me for proof of my previous tickets and thought I was a repeat offender. I didnt show him. He then was saying that what I did was fraud (booking ticket from one stop after) took my details and I gave him the wrong but a valid address, wrong name and wrong DOB. He asked me for id i said i didnt have it. he handed me a penalty charge notice and said start buying full tickets and you have to pay this fine.
Apart from my scanned ticket there is nothing else that traces back to me. What should I do?
Yes im aware I could just have paid the 2 stops but it passed the time and I couldn't pay for it from Aston. I usually do.

 

[WesternLancer]

I got a train ticket from duddleston to Birmingham new street (one stop) via the train line app. but I got on from Aston which was one stop before and there were ticket officers on the train. Im not sure if he had a camera on.
He was asking me for proof of my previous tickets and thought I was a repeat offender. I didnt show him. He then was saying that what I did was fraud (booking ticket from one stop after) took my details and I gave him the wrong but a valid address, wrong name and wrong DOB. He asked me for id i said i didnt have it. he handed me a penalty charge notice and said start buying full tickets and you have to pay this fine.
Apart from my scanned ticket there is nothing else that traces back to me. What should I do?
Yes im aware I could just have paid the 2 stops but it passed the time and I couldn't pay for it from Aston. I usually do.

So have you been issued with a Penalty Fare? £100 or £50 if paid promptly.

Can you upload copy of it. Remove any ref number before you upload it.

 

[mikeg]

What do you mean it was “passed the time”? Did you buy a ticket on a mobile phone whilst on the train? If so, why didn’t you do so before you boarded? Were there ticket machines or a booking office where you boarded? I see you used the train line app but was this when you were already on the train?

 

[swt_passenger]

Apart from my scanned ticket there is nothing else that traces back to me. What should I do?
Yes im aware I could just have paid the 2 stops but it passed the time and I couldn't pay for it from Aston. I usually do.

Your scanned ticket details will allow your correct name and email address to be traceable if/when the TOC revenue staff check with Trainline.

 

[mam]

So have you been issued with a Penalty Fare? £100 or £50 if paid promptly.

Can you upload copy of it. Remove any ref number before you upload it.

Yeah penalty fare

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 14 Nov 2025 ==

What do you mean it was “passed the time”? Did you buy a ticket on a mobile phone whilst on the train? If so, why didn’t you do so before you boarded? Were there ticket machines or a booking office where you boarded? I see you used the train line app but was this when you were already on the train?

Im at the train station, the train is delayed and when I go on the app it no longer allows me to buy a ticket as its passed the time.
I was rushing and I usually book it at the platform when I arrive. No there's no machines or booking office. No I wasn't on the train when I booked it

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 14 Nov 2025 ==

Your scanned ticket details will allow your correct name and email address to be traceable if/when the TOC revenue staff check with Trainline.

my email nor my name on the app are also not correct.

 

[mikeg]

If as you say there is no ticket machine or booking office at your origin then the penalty fare can be appealed. Others will know if this the case. Personally I’d be surprised if there wasn’t a machine.

 

[jfollows]

Aston has a ticket office and a ticket machine according to https://www.westmidlandsrailway.co.uk/stations/aston

Ticket office:​

Monday: 07:00 - 10:30, 12:00 - 18:00
Tuesday to Thursday: 07:00 - 11:00, 12:00 - 18:00
Friday: 07:00 - 11:00, 15:00 - 18:00
Saturday: 11:00 - 15:00
Sunday: Unavailable
None

 

[mikeg]

According to National Rail Enquiries there’s a ticket office, albeit a part time one and ticket machines at Aston. Why didn’t you use these?
In any case if there genuinely was no opportunity to pay, and only then, you buy from onboard staff or at interchange or destination, not buy a short ticket.

 

[AlterEgo]

my email nor my name on the app are also not correct.

What about your billing address?

 

[spotify95]

Personally I'd just pay the Penalty Fare, given that the ticketing facilities were available to use. Make use of the early payment discount as well - and always make sure to purchase the correct tickets prior to boarding the train.

 

[mam]

Aston has a ticket office and a ticket machine according to https://www.westmidlandsrailway.co.uk/stations/aston

According to National Rail Enquiries there’s a ticket office, albeit a part time one and ticket machines at Aston. Why didn’t you use these?
In any case if there genuinely was no opportunity to pay, and only then, you buy from onboard staff or at interchange or destination, not buy a short ticket.

They dont have a ticket machine and they do have a ticket office but you can just go through and its easier and quicker for me to get it off the app

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 14 Nov 2025 ==

What about your billing address?

How do I check? Im not sure it could be my real one.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 14 Nov 2025 ==

Personally I'd just pay the Penalty Fare, given that the ticketing facilities were available to use. Make use of the early payment discount as well - and always make sure to purchase the correct tickets prior to boarding the train.

I dont have £50 to pay for a £3 ticket

 

[alex17595]

I believe both platforms have machines at Aston. Were you actually going to Aston? The fare difference between Aston and Duddeston to/from, New St is between 10p and 30p

 

[AlterEgo]

I dont have £50 to pay for a £3 ticket

So what are you wanting assistance with exactly?

 

[dosxuk]

How do I check? Im not sure it could be my real one.

It will almost certainly be correct, as your bank would likely block the payments if provided with wrong details.

If the TOC wanted to take this that far, they will be able to get your details from the bank.

It sounds like you've tried to make it difficult for someone to identify you, but then you've gone and used an app. You will be able to be traced, it's just a matter of how much effort it is to put into it. The TOC will have access to your Trainline history, and if they see you've been short faring regularly, could easily ask staff to keep an eye out for you.

While it's often said on these pages that TOCs don't like to go for Fraud cases in court, because of the challenges of proving intent, you are playing directly into their hands with this behaviour.

I strongly suggest you find the money to pay the Penalty Fare, and then change your behaviour. Consider it a shot across the bows as you could find yourself with a serious criminal accusation heading your way if you continue.

 

[AlterEgo]

It will almost certainly be correct, as your bank would likely block the payments if provided with wrong details.

Not true, as I can attest. Amex allows me to enter any billing address and postcode (usually done due to autofill laziness or error) and it works just fine, often without authenticating via the app too.

 

[Watershed]

The Penalty Fare was issued for £103.70, which is a £100 penalty (reduced to £50 if you pay soon) plus £3.70 for the fare.

The single fare from Aston to Birmingham is £3.20, not £3.70. You have also redacted the "From" station on the Penalty Fare.

If you really did travel from Aston, the fare on the Penalty Fare would be wrong and this could be grounds for appealing.

If you didn't travel from Aston but somewhere further along the line, you have been dishonest with us in your original post.

Obviously you're under no obligation to share any particular details with us. But if you don't tell us the truth, it's hard for us to give you advice that will actually help you.

 

[blimmo]

Im at the train station, the train is delayed and when I go on the app it no longer allows me to buy a ticket as its passed the time.

You can buy a ticket for a later train between your real origin and destination and as long as it's a flexible ticket and you aren't breaching any Railcard restrictions use it on an earlier train. You must still buy the ticket before boarding the train (and they will know from the purchase time if you don't).

 

[mam]

I believe both platforms have machines at Aston. Were you actually going to Aston? The fare difference between Aston and Duddeston to/from, New St is between 10p and 30p

They dont. How else would I be able to get to the platform without having an aston ticket

 

[blimmo]

There is a difference between a ticket machine and a ticket barrier. If there are any ticket machines you are obliged to pay for your ticket before boarding regardless of the (lack of) presence of barriers.

 

[Royston Vasey]

They dont. How else would I be able to get to the platform without having an aston ticket

Referring to ticket machines, not barriers

 

[mam]

It will almost certainly be correct, as your bank would likely block the payments if provided with wrong details.

If the TOC wanted to take this that far, they will be able to get your details from the bank.

It sounds like you've tried to make it difficult for someone to identify you, but then you've gone and used an app. You will be able to be traced, it's just a matter of how much effort it is to put into it. The TOC will have access to your Trainline history, and if they see you've been short faring regularly, could easily ask staff to keep an eye out for you.

While it's often said on these pages that TOCs don't like to go for Fraud cases in court, because of the challenges of proving intent, you are playing directly into their hands with this behaviour.

I strongly suggest you find the money to pay the Penalty Fare, and then change your behaviour. Consider it a shot across the bows as you could find yourself with a serious criminal accusation heading your way if you continue.

Not true, as I can attest. Amex allows me to enter any billing address and postcode (usually done due to autofill laziness or error) and it works just fine, often without authenticating via the app too.

I have had this happen to me before a few years ago and did it and nothing came back to me.

 

[agk2126]

The single fare from Aston to Birmingham is £3.20, not £3.70. You have also redacted the "From" station on the Penalty Fare.

If you really did travel from Aston, the fare on the Penalty Fare would be wrong and this could be grounds for appealing.

If you didn't travel from Aston but somewhere further along the line, you have been dishonest with us in your original post.

I'm assuming the Penalty Fare was for Chester Road, not Aston. That would be a £3.70 single fare and may be the station name redacted from your image (hard to verify).

Does the Penalty Fare indicate Chester Road as your origin station? Did you actually board at or before Chester Road and receive a Penalty Fare there? If not, and you boarded at Aston, that could be valid grounds for appealing your Penalty Fare.

 

[srg]

Although it might be better for the OP to just pay the penalty fare if they could rather than drawing the attention to the fact they gave false details

 

[WesternLancer]

Yeah penalty fare

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 14 Nov 2025 ==


Im at the train station, the train is delayed and when I go on the app it no longer allows me to buy a ticket as its passed the time.
I was rushing and I usually book it at the platform when I arrive. No there's no machines or booking office. No I wasn't on the train when I booked it

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 14 Nov 2025 ==


my email nor my name on the app are also not correct.

Thanks for this - so my advice is that you should just pay the Penalty Fare demanded within the time period to get the £50 discount. If you need more time to raise the money to pay it then you could submit an Appeal (the clock on the docicitn period is stopped whilst you appeal). You could submit any sort of Appeal you like really - tho people here might have suggestions of an Appeal that might actually work to over turn the Penalty fare - you get 3 goes at an appeal so it would be possible to buy a fair bit of time by doing this.

What you need to understand is what will happen if you do not pay this or do not submit a successful appeal - so this is my take on that:

If you say you can not afford to pay the £50 Penalty Fare then they will come after you for £100 - if you don't pay that sum they will then take you to court to secure the money - the cost will escalate (with costs added to the sum) and eventually court Bailiffs will come knocking on the door (court Bailiffs are very good at finding people - they can also obtain attachments of earnings orders for wages or benefit deductions). They can trace your details and address via your payment records for the ticket I would think. By the time all this happens the £50 sum will have escalated significantly (probably to over £250 at a guess)

You would be best trying to find a trusted friend or family member who can help you by lending you the £50 now or soon in my view.

 

[mikeg]

Thanks for this - so my advice is that you should just pay the Penalty Fare demanded within the time period to get the £50 discount. If you need more time to raise the money to pay it then you could submit an Appeal (the clock on the docicitn period is stopped whilst you appeal). You could submit any sort of Appeal you like really - tho people here might have suggestions of an Appeal that might actually work to over turn the Penalty fare - you get 3 goes at an appeal so it would be possible to buy a fair bit of time by doing this.

What you need to understand is what will happen if you do not pay this or do not submit a successful appeal - so this is my take on that:

If you say you can not afford to pay the £50 Penalty Fare then they will come after you for £100 - if you don't pay that sum they will then take you to court to secure the money - the cost will escalate (with costs added to the sum) and eventually court Bailiffs will come knocking on the door (court Bailiffs are very good at finding people - they can also obtain attachments of earnings orders for wages or benefit deductions). They can trace your details and address via your payment records for the ticket I would think. By the time all this happens the £50 sum will have escalated significantly (probably to over £250 at a guess)

You would be best trying to find a trusted friend or family member who can help you by lending you the £50 now or soon in my view.

Or pay it on a credit card or see if you can get a loan etc. just beware of people who lend money who seem like friends but then want interest. It may not always seem like it but this is loan sharking and seriously… don’t.

The advice on submitting an appeal to stop the clock whilst you assemble fifty quid is gold. Whatever you do don’t ignore it and hope it will go away. It won’t.
Also we really need to know the name of the station you travelled from to advise properly.

 

[WesternLancer]

Or pay it on a credit card or see if you can get a loan etc. just beware of people who lend money who seem like friends but then want interest. It may not always seem like it but this is loan sharking and seriously… don’t.

The advice on submitting an appeal to stop the clock whilst you assemble fifty quid is gold. Whatever you do don’t ignore it and hope it will go away. It won’t.
Also we really need to know the name of the station you travelled from to advise properly.

Good advice there in my view.

 

[spotify95]

They dont have a ticket machine and they do have a ticket office but you can just go through and its easier and quicker for me to get it off the app

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 14 Nov 2025 ==


How do I check? Im not sure it could be my real one.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 14 Nov 2025 ==


I dont have £50 to pay for a £3 ticket

But it's better to pay the Penalty Fare at £50 + ticket cost, compared to it going up to £100 + ticket cost, or if you still don't pay, court action/criminal record/bailiffs trying to find the person whose details were given etc. (And if there is any link to you, bailiffs will find you...)

Also, think of it this way: you were given a Penalty Fare which is often reported to be the least worst outcome. You could have been reported for prosecution, which would have resulted in a three figure administrative charge. The matter could have gone to court. Etc...

But as others have said, you could appeal (which stops the clock on the early discount payment), and even if you have your appeals denied (you'r allowed 3 of them, with the 3rd being an independent appeal) it gives you more time to find the £53. Then take the advice of always paying the correct fare for your journeys!

 

[reb0118]

Is the credit/debit card that you used to pay for the ticket in your name or someone else's?

 

[MrJeeves]

Not true, as I can attest. Amex allows me to enter any billing address and postcode (usually done due to autofill laziness or error) and it works just fine, often without authenticating via the app too.

Even better when it's the wrong expiry date and CVV code too. With no 3DS. It's incredible.

 

[RPI]

WMT can get the correct details via the payment method used, it's quite easy these days.