Underground plain clothes RPIs?

[telstarbox]

Just been through Piccadilly Circus tube station and saw a man and woman in plain clothes (no police or TfL uniform) on the Picc platform issuing some sort of fixed penalty to a tourist who they said had no valid ticket.

Does TfL do plain clothes stings like this or was it a scam?

 

[yorkie]

Does TfL do plain clothes stings like this or was it a scam?

LU certainly do! In fact you know someone who has carried out that role

 

[transmanche]

Does TfL do plain clothes stings like this or was it a scam?

Yes; and TfL actually publicise the fact, in order to try reducing fare evasion.


Spotting a ticket inspector is easy - they look just like you! by codepo8, on Flickr

 

[Domh245]

They showcased this in one of the episodes of "the tube" (both the BBC series and the older Sky series - using the same people!) with some northern line based RPIs - who wore their own clothes

 

[Robertj21a]

.
Yes - and even more common abroad.

 

[Mojo]

TfL Inspectors do occasionally work in plain clothes but usually operate in uniform.

LU Inspectors are mostly in plain clothes (at least three quarters of their work).

FWIW, TfL Inspectors are RPIs whereas on LU they are RCIs (Revenue Control).

 

[starrymarkb]

I've seen plain clothes on buses. They carry a TfL ID Card

 

[theageofthetra]

Roma gangs try this scam on all over European cities. I for one would not hand over any details without getting a station supervisor to confirm their identity as I.D badges are easily forged. I have witnessed this first hand in the last year in London & Berlin & Prague. In the last two cities a local tour guide I was working with alerted me to their activity.

 

[transmanche]

I for one would not hand over any details without getting a station supervisor to confirm their identity as I.D badges are easily forged.

And Oyster card readers?

 

[tsr]

Yes; and TfL actually publicise the fact, in order to try reducing fare evasion.

[Poster]

I am often amused by those posters... "They look just like you" doesn't quite fit as a description of a plain-clothes RCI, when I am in fact wearing a fairly noticeable amount of orange hi-vis stuff...

 

[theageofthetra]

These gangs have recreated exactly the card reader of a TFL ticket machine to skim cards so not inconceivable. Never ever hand over payment details/personal data to someone without being 100% certain of their identity.

 

[telstarbox]

Genuine RPIs wouldn't require payment on the spot would they? They would take details and the fine would be paid later or appealed against.

 

[spinba11]

Payment can be done on the spot.

 

[theageofthetra]

So therefore refuse to pay/give details until you have confirmation from a uniformed TFL official that they are genuine. That said I saw Roma in Hungary in a fake uniform working this scam on a train to a popular tourist destination. They were caught by the state police at an intermidiate station and were given a good 'ahem' talking to.

 

[185]

Not exclusive to London.

Manchester Metrolink has done this for 20 years. Quite often in an undercover operation, traveling from stop A to B to C, cross over and back from C to B to A. At station B, 15 uniformed staff are in waiting with numerous police.

All staff in plain clothes carry ID badges on lanyards, and anyone refusing to present a ticket to them is met by uniformed staff at the next station.

 

[Daniel]

I am often amused by those posters... "They look just like you" doesn't quite fit as a description of a plain-clothes RCI, when I am in fact wearing a fairly noticeable amount of orange hi-vis stuff...

I first saw that poster when a friend sent me a picture of it, whilst he was working as a plain-clothes RPI, with the caption "Oh really?"

 

[simple simon]

I've also encountered plain clothes RPI's on buses. It was a shock to see a young lady who was doing this job - alone!

Not trains however.

Simon

 

[jon0844]

Not seen plain clothed RPIs on a train for a long time. A shame really as they were always effective as it stopped people moving down the train, or alighting before being caught.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Not seen plain clothed RPIs on a train for a long time.

EastCoast send someone down the train with a clicker, with the RPI passing down about ten minutes later. Pretty effective!

Ticket inspectors are a common scam so I'd be very wary of handing cash over too, especially on the platform.

 

[jon0844]

Many years ago, some chav stood outside the gate at Hatfield asking for tickets. He wasn't very convincing! I am also pretty sure that he hadn't thought to issue fake penalties to those that didn't have a ticket - he just wanted to be handed used Travelcards to sell on.

To be honest, if some enterprising people wish to pretend to be plain-clothed RPIs and get money from fare evaders, I won't lose much sleep! It would be especially amusing if the 'victim' then appealed and revealed the offence to get done again.

 

[Antman]

Just been through Piccadilly Circus tube station and saw a man and woman in plain clothes (no police or TfL uniform) on the Picc platform issuing some sort of fixed penalty to a tourist who they said had no valid ticket.

Does TfL do plain clothes stings like this or was it a scam?

I've seen such inspectors on the London Overground but one of them said they only do LO and not LU. Of course without police back up they have little authority and are likely to just get a mouthful of abuse from those without tickets.

As for being a scam, with any type of fixed penalty ticket (and that includes non railway related ones) there is no requirement to hand over any money there and then.

 

[PermitToTravel]

And Oyster card readers?

Many people don't know what an Oyster card reader looks like, and I'd guess that most of those who did wouldn't question seeing a different contraption given that TOCs can issue different models to their staff.

anyone refusing to present a ticket to them is met by uniformed staff at the next station.

Uniforms are easier forged than Oyster card readers

 

[Clip]

Ive been stopped by these many times when entering Stockwell station, then again thats only to check I have a photocard with my spouse pass.