Virgin Rail Fare Evasion Letter received.

[tropical1967]

Hi all.

I received a letter today from the transport investigations limited and im really scared and i dont know what to do, i stumbled upon this forum and saw the posts here and i would really appreciate any advice if possible.



so these are the facts;
- i bought a year long rail card which ive been using for the past year and it expired two days before i was about to make my trip to see a friend of my mine who was diagnosed with a tumor and had a surgery coming up. i had already bought my ticket before i realised that my rail card had expired. But guess what i did, i changed the date on it with a pen,stupid i know , it was dumb i realise that but i dont know what i was thinking at that point. On the day of the journey there was a long line at the ticket office so i would have even missed my train if i had gone to get a new rail card.

- i was at london euston about to take the train to birmingham and there were checking the tickets on the queue , i dont know why i didnt just leave the line it was dumb i feel awful but its done already, i took out the card and showed the guy and he asked me a bunch of questions and collected the rail card saying that i committed fraud and could go to jail, it was all so scary. he eventually let me go. i thought that was the end until. i got this letter today. Which says that they have evidence to warrant further action and i should write an email giving my side of the story. and if i dont then ill get a summons. i already spoke extensivelly to the ticket officer . i really dont want this to go tocourt and im just so scared. Im 18 and old enough to know that what i did was wrong and stupid and i feel awful. Any advice will be appreciated . thank you

 

[CheesyChips]

Yes, it is fraud. No, you're not going to prison unless you have a history you're not sharing. It is a serious offence.

Writing back with a full and frank apology and acknowledgement that you have defrauded the railway is your next step. Offering fo pay for admin costs and any losses is ideal.

I dare say the replies that follow mine will include more of a template for you to follow.

Your best outcome is one in which they are willing to consder annthttg

 

[BestWestern]

Does the fact that the OP didn't travel make any difference here?

 

[island]

No. Attempting to travel without paying the fare and with the intent to avoid payment thereof is also an Offence.

 

[AlterEgo]

Virgin West Coast are very prosecution-averse because it doesn't fit with their brand. I used to work for them and only knew of one case which was actually prosecuted, and that was a blatant fraud akin to the one described above (though for a much larger value).

You should apologise, admit fault, and offer to pay their costs incurred pursuing the case (which may be up to £100).

 

[Greenback]

I'm sure you don't need to be told this now, but whatever you do, don't ever try anything like this again.

Follow the advice here to write to them, apologise profusely and offer to pay for the time and trouble you've caused by your foolishness. Say that you've learnt a lesson from it, and that it will never happen again.

 

[gray1404]

Virgin West Coast are very prosecution-averse because it doesn't fit with their brand. I used to work for them and only knew of one case which was actually prosecuted, and that was a blatant fraud akin to the one described above (though for a much larger value).

You should apologise, admit fault, and offer to pay their costs incurred pursuing the case (which may be up to £100).

I understand VTWC are very prosecution-averse but does it make a difference that Transport Investigations are acting on VT's behalf? I act that because Transport Investigations are not exactly the best of outfit to deal with and seem more pro-court action.....

 

[AlterEgo]

I understand VTWC are very prosecution-averse but does it make a difference that Transport Investigations are acting on VT's behalf? I act that because Transport Investigations are not exactly the best of outfit to deal with and seem more pro-court action.....

My point was that VTWC do not like prosecuting people, or even taking details with intention to prosecute, so if they have decided to go for it this time then they really do mean it and any out-of-court settlement may be more difficult or more expensive to obtain than with other TOCs.

This is a blatant fraud and Virgin really, really hate that.

 

[Fare-Cop]

I understand VTWC are very prosecution-averse .....

I wonder if anyone has given thought to the possibility that VTWC might have changed their policy generally.

 

[gray1404]

This is a blatant fraud and Virgin really, really hate that.

Wouldn't VTWC regard a customer getting on the train without a ticket to avoid paying their fare as fraud as well?

 

[najaB]

Wouldn't VTWC regard a customer getting on the train without a to avoid paying the fare as fraud as well?

I think there's a word or two missing from this question...

 

[gray1404]

I think there's a word or two missing from this question...

Corrected.

 

[najaB]

Corrected.

Okay, to answer the question - there are any number of reasons that someone might board a train without a ticket, not all of them meet the definition of fraud.

Willfully altering the dates on a railcard is *always* going to meet the definition. It's not something that could be done by accident or due to a misunderstanding.

 

[AlterEgo]

Wouldn't VTWC regard a customer getting on the train without a ticket to avoid paying their fare as fraud as well?

No, because that is not a fraud.