Travel Irregularity

[banditomode]

Hello all, firstly i would like to say i know what ive done is wrong and im a dumbass.

I received an email from GA last week for a travel irregularity, they say that my journeys from July 2022 and October 2023 are potentially fraudulent.
I replied asking for more information and they are due to reply in a few days.

i have no recollection of short faring in 2022/2023 so im not sure why thats included in the time frame. from my ticket history, i have shortfared occurred 6 times (chelmsford to ingatestone and got off at stratford). they also said that it was between chelmsford and liverpool street, which when travelling to liverpool street i have always had a valid ticket.

how do i go about this without going to court, are GA known for giving out of court settlements? im happy to pay a fine as i deserve it but am terrified of the though of having a criminal record. i will never do this again for sure.
how should i admit it without overrly incriminating myself?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Nov 2025 ==

2025 sorry not 2023

 

[SussexMan]

I replied asking for more information and they are due to reply in a few days.

What did you say in the email to them? Copy and paste it removing anything that identifies you.

 

[AlterEgo]

There was no need to reply to their email. Nothing will happen if you don't and nothing you say to them will be in your interests.

 

[z444z]

Have you been stopped without a valid ticket at any point in the last 6 months? If you have then this a completely different matter but if not, it’s very unlikely they have enough evidence to bring a prosecution against you for this, but they are hoping that your reply will give them this evidence.

It’s also very unlikely that they’d bother bringing a civil claim for such a low value (£18.10 is the anytime fare Chelmsford - Stratford, x 6 = £108.60).

If you engage with them, you will end up paying them that £108.60 plus likely a £150 admin fee, for a total of £258.60. If you are, as you say, happy to pay, then you can do this, but if you don’t, it’s very likely nothing will happen.

Did their email specifically say what the source of their information is? Sometimes they specify that they’ve identified irregularities in your ticket purchasing records, which is basically them admitting they have no real evidence against you.

 

[banditomode]

Have you been stopped without a valid ticket at any point in the last 6 months? If you have then this a completely different matter but if not, it’s very unlikely they have enough evidence to bring a prosecution against you for this, but they are hoping that your reply will give them this evidence.

It’s also very unlikely that they’d bother bringing a civil claim for such a low value (£18.10 is the anytime fare Chelmsford - Stratford, x 6 = £108.60).

If you engage with them, you will end up paying them that £108.60 plus likely a £150 admin fee, for a total of £258.60. If you are, as you say, happy to pay, then you can do this, but if you don’t, it’s very likely nothing will happen.

Did their email specifically say what the source of their information is? Sometimes they specify that they’ve identified irregularities in your ticket purchasing records, which is basically them admitting they have no real evidence against you.

never been stopped, how do i reply without incriminating myself? they must think other journeys i did were shortfare too

 

[z444z]

never been stopped, how do i reply without incriminating myself? they must think other journeys i did were shortfare too

Just don’t reply.

 

[AlterEgo]

never been stopped, how do i reply without incriminating myself? they must think other journeys i did were shortfare too

Why would you want to reply? They don't have any real evidence against you.

 

[banditomode]

Why would you want to reply? They don't have any real evidence against you.

I’m worried about the threatening emails they will send. Other emails say that they sent them to prosecution if you don’t reply

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Nov 2025 ==

Just don’t reply.

I was told by my parents I had to reply, and I want to as I don’t want threatening emails sent to me constantly

 

[z444z]

I’m worried about the threatening emails they will send. Other emails say that they sent them to prosecution if you don’t reply

I was told by my parents I had to reply, and I want to as I don’t want threatening emails sent to me constantly

They will tell you they’re passing it to their prosecutions department, but they won’t, because they have no actual evidence that you used these tickets illegally.

They aren’t going to send you constant emails, but they will probably send a few more over the coming weeks or months.

You’re welcome to respond to them and pay up if you like - as I’ve said it’ll be around £260. This forum has spent countless hours telling people exactly what I’m telling you right now, sometimes people listen, sometimes they don’t. It’s your money and your decision, all we can do is give you the facts based on an immense amount of collective experience here.

 

[banditomode]

They will tell you they’re passing it to their prosecutions department, but they won’t, because they have no actual evidence that you used these tickets illegally.

They aren’t going to send you constant emails, but they will probably send a few more over the coming weeks or months.

You’re welcome to respond to them and pay up if you like - as I’ve said it’ll be around £260. This forum has spent countless hours telling people exactly what I’m telling you right now, sometimes people listen, sometimes they don’t. It’s your money and your decision, all we can do is give you the facts based on an immense amount of collective experience here.

I wish to pay to get it over with as my anxieties are so high, I’m just wondering how to get them to offer me a sum without incriminating myself? I assume they will ask me to explain the origin of my travels. So what should I say just to take the fine and avoid court

 

[greatkingrat]

As you have already replied to the initial email just wait and see how they reply. It is likely the next email will have the amount they think it's owed.

 

[banditomode]

UPDATE.
i have received this email today:

Good Morning,

Thank you for getting into contact about your case.
Your account was highlighted due to some tickets either being purchased on board the trains or on arrival at stations. These tickets have been scanned on the barriers just after purchase to exit the barriers. These tickets are not valid. Tickets must be purchased prior to boarding the train to be valid. This flagged your account as possible fraudulent travel.
For example:
31/10/2025 18:25  Ingatestone Chelmsford
25/10/2025 15:21  Ingatestone Chelmsford

The time you are scanning in does not correlate with Greater Anglia services stopping at Ingatestone during this time. Therefore, can you please confirm your full journey.

In addition, could you provide evidence of your 16-25 railcard from October 2023 until present.

There has also been a number of child rate tickets purchased on your account, could you provide your date of birth please?

At this stage we would like to offer you an opportunity to explain these irregularities on your account, and based on your response the decision will be to either offer you the opportunity to repay any funds relating to these journeys (plus our administration fee), (b) to forward your case to our prosecutions department for processing or (c) close your case (if sufficient evidence has been provided and proved).

i have made a draft of this:
Dear Sir/Madam,
Thank you for contacting me.
I would like to provide clarification regarding the journeys you referenced. I had originally purchased a valid paper return ticket to Liverpool Street (attached) . Unfortunately, I misplaced this ticket prior to exiting the station, which led me to purchase another ticket to pass through the barriers at Chelmsford. I now understand that this was incorrect and that these tickets are not valid. I do regret this mistake.
I wish to clarify that I rarely travel to Liverpool Street, the majority of my journeys end at Stratford (London).
Attached is proof of my valid 16–25 Railcard, which has always been presented when requested. My date of birth is xxx.
I sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused and take full responsibility for my actions. This situation has caused me significant anxiety and I can assure you that I will ensure that the correct ticket is purchased going forwards.
I would be extremely grateful if you would consider allowing me to settle this matter out of court, and I am fully prepared to repay any outstanding fares and associated costs immediately.
Thank You.

i have no proof of the paper ticket and i used child tickets to stratford. should i own up more or change it. i want to pay the fine they offered and stay away from court. any advice is greatly appriciated.

 

[MarlowDonkey]

i have no proof of the paper ticket and i used child tickets to stratford. should i own up more or change it. i want to pay the fine they offered and stay away from court. any advice is greatly appriciated.

If you bought tickets on Trainline or similar, they will know that you have bought child tickets. They may not know for certain that it was you who used them, but you don't know what additional evidence they may have.

 

[banditomode]

If you bought tickets on Trainline or similar, they will know that you have bought child tickets. They may not know for certain that it was you who used them, but you don't know what additional evidence they may have.

do i just not acknowledge this or just state my birthday and move on with my explination?

 

[z444z]

They still have insufficient evidence to prosecute you, despite you seeming willing to give them that evidence. Again, engaging with them guarantees that you will lose a large sum of money, if you stop replying to them you’ll get one or two more emails and then nothing.p

If you have no proof of the paper ticket, not even a bank transaction or anything, they’re going to think you are lying to them. And do you expect them to believe that you purchased a paper ticket for your full journey and then lost it multiple times??

And they have said that you’ve purchased a child ticket “on a number of occasions” - did you use these tickets, and if so were you under the age of 16 when you did? This could get very expensive.