Where do they get the address confirmation from?

[orpine]

A bit confused here, surely the Inspector has to have suspicion of a false address, not lack of proof of a non-false address? An address that doesn't immediately "check out" doesn't prove anything about its falseness.

I guess that depends on whether you operate on "Innocent until proven guilty" or "Another scummy fare dodger - string 'im up". Unfortunately there are inspectors in the later as well as the former.

 

[Flamingo]

As I keep saying on various threads of this type, we can smell the fear - we can usually tell when somebody is lying...

The last one I had boarded at Paddington (unmanned platform), told me he had left his ticket in the bag on his bike (I walked up to check the bike shed - no bag, or place to attach it), he then says he must have dropped it, he then says (coming from London to Reading) that he has no money, card, ID or indeed wallet at all. He then gives me an address that is miles away from Reading, much further than is reasonable to expect him to cycle. So I figure that my Revenue colleagues are better placed to check out the address than me. So I ring them, but they ask BTP to meet.

His whole body language, and story, did not check out. What should I have done - waste time giving him a UFN that I am 100% certain would not have checked out, and let him have a free ride next time? If he was genuinely stuck, he could have done a SILK before boarding. Now, he is in the system, at the least he knows that it's not as simple as getting on a train and giving any old BS, which we will swallow in the name of "CustomerService".

For every genuine person who has lost their ticket, there are a dozen who will use it as an excuse when caught. Just think how many turn up here with stories that don't add up even when there is time to think about them. I work on the principle that if it doesn't sound logical it probably isn't true.

 

[PermitToTravel]

I would guess that an address not checking out is a reasonable cause to suspect that it is false.

 

[Flamingo]

I guess that depends on whether you operate on "Innocent until proven guilty" or "Another scummy fare dodger - string 'im up". Unfortunately there are inspectors in the later as well as the former.

I don't remember anywhere saying that if somebody hasn't got a ticket on them, the responsibility rests on the railway to prove they didn't buy one...

 

[island]

A bit confused here, surely the Inspector has to have suspicion of a false address, not lack of proof of a non-false address? An address that doesn't immediately "check out" doesn't prove anything about its falseness.

Correct, but it raises further suspicion.

 

[trivran]

I would guess that an address not checking out is a reasonable cause to suspect that it is false.

Though the times I've been P/Fared and my address has shown up as still housing the previous owners, the explanation has been accepted quite readily.

 

[Stigy]

Not quite. It's an offence not to respond to the canvas. Of course, if you're not on the Electoral Roll you may find it difficult to obtain any form of credit, which includes utilities...

Utilities aren't credit checked as credit cards/loans are etc. Hence why they don't show up on a credit file. Mobile phones and bank accounts are, however.

Reference to the original post. All a person is obliged by law to do is supply their name and address. There's no provision for being able to verify the details. Therefore if a person was detained or similar for being suspected of supplying false details, staff concerned could be on thin ice if all that raised their suspicion was not being able to verify details with IRCAS or similar (especially since a lot of records are inaccurate).

 

[island]

Utilities aren't credit checked as credit cards/loans are etc. Hence why they don't show up on a credit file.

That isn't fully correct. Some utility providers now run credit checks and report to credit agencies, such as British Gas.

 

[orpine]

That isn't fully correct. Some utility providers now run credit checks and report to credit agencies, such as British Gas.

I'm sure virgin Media was doing this years ago.

 

[richw]

Utilities aren't credit checked as credit cards/loans are etc. Hence why they don't show up on a credit file. Mobile phones and bank accounts are, however..

South west water report to credit files, as do Eon and plus net. These are my three utility suppliers and all show entries on my credit file

 

[Stigy]

South west water report to credit files, as do Eon and plus net. These are my three utility suppliers and all show entries on my credit file

Interesting, must be a fairly recent thing as I used to use EON and there wasn't an entry on any of the three main CRAs under my name....same with Virgin Media.

 

[richw]

Interesting, must be a fairly recent thing as I used to use EON and there wasn't an entry on any of the three main CRAs under my name....same with Virgin Media.

I use Equifax.

 

[Stigy]

I use Equifax.

I'm only signed up to to Experian now as the other two charge for more than one credit report a month, or used to. Experian is more expensive though.

 

[maniacmartin]

CallCredit have a free service through a different trading name Noddle. Free forever, but they send you a weekly spam email and try to recommend credit cards that they think you'll be approved for, from which they presumably get a signup commission

 

[Stigy]

CallCredit have a free service through a different trading name Noddle. Free forever, but they send you a weekly spam email and try to recommend credit cards that they think you'll be approved for, from which they presumably get a signup commission

I'm with them too, although they still restrict access to your report, and just show you your score as many times as you like.

 

[maniacmartin]

I'm with them too, although they still restrict access to your report, and just show you your score as many times as you like.

If you click one of the links on the side bar you can see more - payment and balance histories as reported by your banks, credit limits, associated addresses, and associated people. You can also see who put the records in and when.

There is more than the shiny home panel that has a "credit score" and just tries to sell you stuff