Using wrong railcard

[Dilpreet Kaur]

Hi

I apologies for the long post.

I have used wrong railcard while traveling instead of network railcard i used 26 to 30.

i couldnt show my card while checking out at b station. as i changed phone etc... i was getting late as well for the office.

I have 2 address i had give the one where usually all my paper work goes. Even he checked my wallet from phone ehich had my A address where usually my paper or mails goes not usually but few them are yet to be updated to the B address.

i live at different address but i am usually on both the addresses.

The insoector heard the wrong dob and mentioned wrong on the paper and asked me uplaod within 14 days.

I have uploaded now i checked the railcard is wrong and DOB is also wrong.

I am worried now what could be the consequences.

It is my mistake i agree being new mum my brain is all over the places plus i work fulltime. I know its not the excuse.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 9 Apr 2025 ==

I had gilled the and provided my network railcard already via the link was provided

 

[Hadders]

We need to know more details to be able to assist.

- Which stations were you travelling between?
- Which train compnay are you dealing with?

I have 2 address i had give the one where usually all my paper work goes. Even he checked my wallet from phone ehich had my A address where usually my paper or mails goes not usually but few them are yet to be updated to the B address.

Can you be contacted via the address you gave the inspector?

i live at different address but i am usually on both the addresses.

As long as you can gain access to post sent to either address this isn't a problem.

The insoector heard the wrong dob and mentioned wrong on the paper and asked me uplaod within 14 days.

Did the inspector hear the wrong date of birth or did you give them an incorrect date of birth?

I have uploaded now i checked the railcard is wrong and DOB is also wrong.

OK, the incorrect railcard is going to be a problem.

I am worried now what could be the consequences.

You've comitted a criminal offence and the train company is entitled to prosecute you in the Magistrates Court if they want to.

Most train companies will offer an out of court settlement as long as you co-operate with them, and haven't come to their attention before. The train company will write to you in the next few weeks asking for your version of events before they decide how to proceed. When the letter comes, upload a redacted copy of it in this thread along with your draft reply and forum members will proof read it for you.

 

[Dilpreet Kaur]

Thank you @Hadders for the quick response. I was travelling from staines to east croydon but my orange slips says clpham to east croydon single.I had given him this information too that i am stravelling from staines. This i remember. He even clicked the pic of my ticket. Tho it was mentioned clapham to east croydon The Train was thameslink Govio. I dont want to have criminal record on me. I am immigrant here. I have family. amy furtire will be ruined. I am happy to pay the penality. I learnt my lesson. I dont think i have given wrong dob. I am not sure if that was even recording at all. But my address was picked from his phone and name were also matched.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 9 Apr 2025 ==

We need to know more details to be able to assist.

- Which stations were you travelling between?
- Which train compnay are you dealing with?


Can you be contacted via the address you gave the inspector?


As long as you can gain access to post sent to either address this isn't a problem.


Did the inspector hear the wrong date of birth or did you give them an incorrect date of birth?


OK, the incorrect railcard is going to be a problem.


You've comitted a criminal offence and the train company is entitled to prosecute you in the Magistrates Court if they want to.

Most train companies will offer an out of court settlement as long as you co-operate with them, and haven't come to their attention before. The train company will write to you in the next few weeks asking for your version of events before they decide how to proceed. When the letter comes, upload a redacted copy of it in this thread along with your draft reply and forum members will proof read it for you.

Thank you inwas travelling from staines to east croydon but my orange slips says clpham to east croydon single.He even clicked the pic of my ticket. Tho it was mentioned clapham to east croydon The Train was thameslink Govio. I dont want to have criminal record on me. I am immigrant here. I have family. amy furtire will be ruined. I am happy to pay the penality. I learnt my lesson. I dont think i have given wrong dob. I am not sure if that was even recording at all. But my address was picked from his phone and name were also matched.

 

[30907]

Your future will not be ruined, even if you are taken to court. This is unlikely if you continue to engage with GTR.

Even a court conviction for a small offence like this won't usually be a disaster.

Would you have had to pay more with a Network Railcard? This would be the case if you travelled before 10.00 on weekdays. Also, when GTR investigate, will they find that you have done this before?

(You don't have to reply, but either of these or both make a difference to how GTR respond.)

 

[Dilpreet Kaur]

Yes i guess i have to pay more if i have travel before 10 but most of the apps show different discounts etc....if i choose the actual network railcard that still shows some sort of discount. i dont have to travel everyday. i am once in a blue moon traveller. This is first time i have done that. It was not intentional i was just checking through different apps what i am liable to etc.....i have it stayed there on the app and booked in hurredily. As i was getting late bplus my baby got up eventually and i had t hand it over to my husband etc.... it was chaotic. i dont want to have criminal stamp on me. my settelement is due in few months. I am panicking now. i have always travelled with railcard or pay as go. I donno how far this invrstigation goes. If i wanna hide this offence i would have tap the card and left. They didnt caught i went myself asked for help to open the barriers. I was one who showed them my ticket to them and requested them to let me go. Plus i dont remember why he had my wrong dob on orange slip i gave i dont remember or he heard wrong. Rest address and name matched perfectly. How do i check i have used this before ewith wrong travel card or how they find it ? I am genuenially curious. Sorry for being dumb.

 

[Titfield]

They can get details of the bookings you have made from the ticket retailer you used for the ticket when you were caught. They can then look at all those tickets (bookings) and see if there are any issues with those tickets though they can not prove you used those tickets wrongly. If you "fessed up" then it would be a different matter. They may send you a spreadsheet of all the bookings you have made and ask you to confirm whether you used those tickets (and possibly if so). They will then decide whether to offer you an out of court settlement or take you to court.

 

[Dilpreet Kaur]

They can get details of the bookings you have made from the ticket retailer you used for the ticket when you were caught. They can then look at all those tickets (bookings) and see if there are any issues with those tickets though they can not prove you used those tickets wrongly. If you "fessed up" then it would be a different matter. They may send you a spreadsheet of all the bookings you have made and ask you to confirm whether you used those tickets (and possibly if so). They will then decide whether to offer you an out of court settlement or take you to court.

oh make sense thank you so much. Hope for the best and pray for the best now. May I please know How long does it take them to send the letter ? I have already received the acknowledgement regarding my ticket and railcard which i uploaded on the link and they requested to provide via email.

 

[Titfield]

Letters can take anything from a few days to a few months depending on workload and backlog. I think it will be sooner rather than later as your case appears to be “live” already. When you receive it please post to this thread with all personal details obscured so you can be given the best advice before you respond. In the meantime please try not to worry.

 

[Dilpreet Kaur]

Letters can take anything from a few days to a few months depending on workload and backlog. I think it will be sooner rather than later as your case appears to be “live” already. When you receive it please post to this thread with all personal details obscured so you can be given the best advice before you respond. In the meantime please try not to worry.

Thank you so much

 

[rv123]

They can get details of the bookings you have made from the ticket retailer you used for the ticket when you were caught. They can then look at all those tickets (bookings) and see if there are any issues with those tickets though they can not prove you used those tickets wrongly. If you "fessed up" then it would be a different matter. They may send you a spreadsheet of all the bookings you have made and ask you to confirm whether you used those tickets (and possibly if so). They will then decide whether to offer you an out of court settlement or take you to court.

If you agree with the spread sheet they sent of your travel history do we have to accept it?
If so what are the chances they will settle out of court?

 

[Dilpreet Kaur]

If you agree with the spread sheet they sent of your travel history do we have to accept it?
If so what are the chances they will settle out of court?

Have you got the spreedsheet from them ?

 

[Titfield]

If you agree with the spread sheet they sent of your travel history do we have to accept it?
If so what are the chances they will settle out of court?

You don't have to accept it but you would need compelling evidence that some of the entries weren't correct to go back with.

The main point of the spreadsheet is to calculate the offer of the out of court settlement based on the listed fare evasion.

With most operators (not TfL) there is a good chance of a settlement providing (a) you cooperate (b) you werent abusive or threatening (c) this is not fraud# or industrial scale fare evasion*

#fraud for example forgery of tickets.

*It seems to take a very high level of fare evasion to qualify as industrial scale.

 

[Dilpreet Kaur]

Hi

Please help me what to do next.

i was travelling from staines to east croydon station. Bought tickets with wrong railcard. Which was 25-30 indeed above i am 32 year old. I accept the fact that i had given wrong dob and previous house address out of fear. I dont even remember if the guy was wearing camera etc. This happened first week of april 2025. Since than no letter no communication just one email i bave sent to provide my travel card i think ot was network railcard and i did provided them with the up to date house address too. This is only communication they did to that previous address. This is my only mistake so far till date. But these prices are too much as per chatgpt it seems criminal conviction too. Please please help me what i could next to save myself. I am out of job

 

[Mcr Warrior]

@Dilpreet Kaur. Looks from the attachment that you've uploaded in post #13 that matters have escalated and that you now have a court conviction. Is the date of the letter correct or is October 2025 when you were stopped? Others will, hopefully, now be best placed to advise on what to do to prevent matters from further spiralling out of control.

 

[soccermad]

Is this letter really 6 months old ??

If so and you have just received it, then you should contact the court straight away to inform them that you have only just received it.

Hopefully this will give you a short time to respond before they take enforcement action .

 

[Swedenorer]

The answer is simple. You have been found guilty at the Magistrates Court as you would automatically have been since travelling without a valid ticket is a strict liability offence. You have certain rights if you genuinely did not know about the case - listed here it also shows how you can appeal if you think the fine is wrong. But you must act quickly.

 

[Dilpreet Kaur]

@Dilpreet Kaur. Looks from the attachment that you've uploaded in post #13 that matters have escalated and that you now have a court conviction. Is the date of the letter correct or is October 2025 when you were stopped? Others will, hopefully, now be best placed to advise on what to do to prevent matters from further spiralling out of control.

This is only letter i have received yesterday by my cousin where i used to live on that address. I got caught on 4th april 2025 but no letter so far. I have no idea weather i was given chance to to do out of court settlement or anything help

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Jun 2026 ==

Is this letter really 6 months old ??

If so and you have just received it, then you should contact the court straight away to inform them that you have only just received it.

Hopefully this will give you a short time to respond before they take enforcement action .

Yes correct this letter i could down right hand aide says 2nd june 2026 hoever court offence date said 17 oct 2025. But i got caught on 4th april 2025. I am so confused at this stage. What should be my next step. Do i need to contact solicitors?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Jun 2026 ==

Do i just pay or ask them for installments because i am genuinely out of work. I am not taking any benefits just surviving on savings and applying for new jobs. Do i have any rights such as out of court settlement where criminal convictions title i am not having ?

 

[SuspectUsual]

Is this letter really 6 months old ??

If so and you have just received it, then you should contact the court straight away to inform them that you have only just received it.

Hopefully this will give you a short time to respond before they take enforcement action .

This is only letter i have received yesterday by my cousin where i used to live on that address. I got caught on 4th april 2025 but no letter so far. I have no idea weather i was given chance to to do out of court settlement or anything help

I think 17 October 2025 will be the date of the conviction won't it?

So offence April 2025; court October 2025; letter June 2026 following non-payment of the fine???

 

[Dilpreet Kaur]

I think 17 October 2025 will be the date of the conviction won't it?

So offence April 2025; court October 2025; letter June 2026 following non-payment of the fine???

Yes correct,

 

[WesternLancer]

This is only letter i have received yesterday by my cousin where i used to live on that address. I got caught on 4th april 2025 but no letter so far. I have no idea weather i was given chance to to do out of court settlement or anything help

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Jun 2026 ==


Yes correct this letter i could down right hand aide says 2nd june 2026 hoever court offence date said 17 oct 2025. But i got caught on 4th april 2025. I am so confused at this stage. What should be my next step. Do i need to contact solicitors?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Jun 2026 ==

Do i just pay or ask them for installments because i am genuinely out of work. I am not taking any benefits just surviving on savings and applying for new jobs. Do i have any rights such as out of court settlement where criminal convictions title i am not having ?

So are you saying that you left the address the railway had for you / that you gave them originally when the incident happened earlier in the year

You made no arrangements to get your post forwarded and did not go to check for the post at the old address

Your cousin found the letter very recently (does your cousin live at that address, or are they the landlord etc)?

Are those things correct?

 

[Dilpreet Kaur]

So are you saying that you left the address the railway had for you / that you gave them originally when the incident happened earlier in the year

You made no arrangements to get your post forwarded and did not go to check for the post at the old address

Your cousin found the letter very recently (does your cousin live at that address, or are they the landlord etc)?

Are those things correct?

When the incident happened i was that address the i told the person i am moving to the new one which i am not having yet as we are in position to finalise the between 2 houses.

1. Cousin live at that apartment since day 1.

2. In between i did sent tbe email to govia thameslink mentioning my recent address on 7th april 2025.

No communication on my recent new address or previous one.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Jun 2026 ==

I was keep on chasing my brother if there are nay letters for me he never got any all other letters i have been getting on mew address.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Jun 2026 ==

He is the landlord of that house.

 

[WesternLancer]

When the incident happened i was that address the i told the person i am moving to the new one which i am not having yet as we are in position to finalise the between 2 houses.

1. Cousin live at that apartment since day 1.

2. In between i did sent tbe email to govia thameslink mentioning my recent address on 7th april 2025.

No communication on my recent new address or previous one.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Jun 2026 ==

I was keep on chasing my brother if there are nay letters for me he never got any all other letters i have been getting on mew address.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Jun 2026 ==

He is the landlord of that house.

OK - thanks for clarifying all that

 

[Dilpreet Kaur]

Do i have right for statutory declaration ?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Jun 2026 ==

The answer is simple. You have been found guilty at the Magistrates Court as you would automatically have been since travelling without a valid ticket is a strict liability offence. You have certain rights if you genuinely did not know about the case - listed here it also shows how you can appeal if you think the fine is wrong. But you must act quickly.

Ok make sense but how would i check what letters been sent etc as this is only communication i have received so far.

 

[30907]

Do i have right for statutory declaration ?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Jun 2026 ==

Yes, if you didn't receive any communication.

Ok make sense but how would i check what letters been sent etc as this is only communication i have received so far.

You need to check with your cousin/landlord at this stage

 

[Dilpreet Kaur]

Yes, if you didn't receive any communication.

You need to check with your cousin/landlord at this stage

I have checked with him since last year i have been in touch for the letters just received one bank letters and only this one but no other letter he said he ever received. I guess i have to call tomorrow the number been given and request ? I hope i am not triggering anything. But sure shot nothing was received else i wouldnt have reached to this stage ever. Please let me know if this is right approach in case if you have any idea please please

 

[WesternLancer]

I have checked with him since last year i have been in touch for the letters just received one bank letters and only this one but no other letter he said he ever received. I guess i have to call tomorrow the number been given and request ? I hope i am not triggering anything. But sure shot nothing was received else i wouldnt have reached to this stage ever. Please let me know if this is right approach in case if you have any idea please please

Sorting out a Statutory Declaration about a conviction you have received without you knowing about it is not something you can do over the phone

It's a process you need to carry out fully understanding how to do it or it will result in no meaningful outcome to the situation (you will just be convicted again). It is not especially difficult but you do need to understand how to go about it step by step.

There are some other threads on here where people have had to do a Statutory Declaration that you could /should read before doing anything - and you may want to consider getting professional help (eg from a solicitor) if you are not sure about how to go about it. I will look for a thread you could read through and post a link to it later

As a general rule I think you have to do the Statutory Declaration within 21 days of learning about the conviction - so if that letter you uploaded was the first you knew of this court conviction then it's 21 days from when you first saw that letter.

So work out when the 21 days is up.
You should not do things in a rush, as it is important you do them correctly, if you are doing this yourself - but you should not miss that deadline.

 

[SuspectUsual]

Do i have right for statutory declaration ?

You do, and I can see you've been given some advice on how to do this.

However there is one massive but you have to bear in mind.

A statutory declaration is a legal device, and you have to be absolutely 100% certain you are telling the truth. Its not like putting messages on an internet forum where the majority of people we see posting in this sub-forum are somewhere between not telling thew whole truth and totally fabricating stories.

If you make an SD and it later transpires you did know about the court case because you had received at least one letter, that is perjury, and perjury is something people can and do go to prison for

I'm not accusing you personally of lying or anything, this is just advice that anyone thinking of making a statutory declaration should think very carefully about.

 

[Dilpreet Kaur]

You do, and I can see you've been given some advice on how to do this.

However there is one massive but you have to bear in mind.

A statutory declaration is a legal device, and you have to be absolutely 100% certain you are telling the truth. Its not like putting messages on an internet forum where the majority of people we see posting in this sub-forum are somewhere between not telling thew whole truth and totally fabricating stories.

If you make an SD and it later transpires you did know about the court case because you had received at least one letter, that is perjury, and perjury is something people can and do go to prison for

I'm not accusing you personally of lying or anything, this is just advice that anyone thinking of making a statutory declaration should think very carefully about.

I agree 100% i definitely did wrong by giving wrong dob and travelling with wtong travel card however never done after that its been over a year now. I do have proof of asking my landlord/brother if he received any letter even in writing as i dont call him often. He refused however he did got my phone bank letter which he informed i collected. Today he only given me this letter which i got to know i am convicted. Since that incident i was afraid that i really wanted yo sort this matter asap. Thank you so much for the brief. I will call them tomorrow. I just wanna see if i was given chance to settle this out of court or any other option. if it was than i would have done it way before. I hope it womt backfire. But defo that my story when filling the form fail to carry form by gtr thingy i did gilled correct details within deadline with new address where i was suppose to move.

 

[WesternLancer]

I agree 100% i definitely did wrong by giving wrong dob and travelling with wtong travel card however never done after that its been over a year now. I do have proof of asking my landlord/brother if he received any letter even in writing as i dont call him often. He refused however he did got my phone bank letter which he informed i collected. Today he only given me this letter which i got to know i am convicted. Since that incident i was afraid that i really wanted yo sort this matter asap. Thank you so much for the brief. I will call them tomorrow. I just wanna see if i was given chance to settle this out of court or any other option. if it was than i would have done it way before. I hope it womt backfire. But defo that my story when filling the form fail to carry form by gtr thingy i did gilled correct details within deadline with new address where i was suppose to move.

Who is it you are planning to call?

You can not get an out of court settlement for a matter that has been to court, verdict decided and punishment issued by the court. Which is what it looks like has happened. You can only get an out of court settlement before things go to court.

 

[Dilpreet Kaur]

Who is it you are planning to call?

You can not get an out of court settlement for a matter that has been to court, verdict decided and punishment issued by the court. Which is what it looks like has happened. You can only get an out of court settlement before things go to court.

Yes i get it but it was issue when i was not even aware. As per me i was not got given chance to do settlement. That is why i was thinking to get the statutory declaration. So that i’ll be given a chance atleast. I am not sure if its right at this stage ?