Wrongly accused

[NotslyAA]

Hi today I received a letter from the IRCAS stating that I traveled on 1st of august from place x to place Y. And it says I have to pay £140 fine because I didn’t pay the discounted rate or apeal.

Okay so the problem is that it didn’t spell my name correctly also I didn’t travel that day and I never take that train to that location and never recieved any fine. Also the date of birth is also wrong. I’m not sure who even are the IRCAS. So what would be the best option I sent them a message but i don’t know what’s going on.

 

[MotCO]

Sorry for asking the obvious, but are you saying that you definitely did not make that journey, and therefore someone else has given your name and details? Have you received any previous correspondence about this? Normally there are letters asking for your side of the story before they ask for payment.

If you definitely did not make that journey, you can respond to them to that effect. It is not the first time that someone has given someone else's name and details. The chances are that it was someone you know, but you are not required to tell IRCAS who you think it might be - it is up to them to find the right person. Further, although you do not have to prove your innocence (it is up to IRCAS to prove it was you) it might be helpful if you can gather any evidence to prove where you were that day, such as phone location trackers, credit or bank card purchase slips or receipts, any business meetings or college tutorials etc. Keep any evidence for yourself at this stage, but collect it before the evidence is lost.

IRCAS is Independent Revenue Collection and Support, and is a company used by train operating companies to process debt collection.

 

[NotslyAA]

Sorry for asking the obvious, but are you saying that you definitely did not make that journey, and therefore someone else has given your name and details? Have you received any previous correspondence about this? Normally there are letters asking for your side of the story before they ask for payment.

If you definitely did not make that journey, you can respond to them to that effect. It is not the first time that someone has given someone else's name and details. The chances are that it was someone you know, but you are not required to tell IRCAS who you think it might be - it is up to them to find the right person. Further, although you do not have to prove your innocence (it is up to IRCAS to prove it was you) it might be helpful if you can gather any evidence to prove where you were that day, such as phone location trackers, credit or bank card purchase slips or receipts, any business meetings or college tutorials etc. Keep any evidence for yourself at this stage, but collect it before the evidence is lost.

IRCAS is Independent Revenue Collection and Support, and is a company used by train operating companies to process debt collection.

Yh I never take that train and I was home all day however I don’t have any proof because I was just at home and no they didn’t ask for my side of the story it just says I missed to pay the discounted fine and now have to pay or could lead to prosecution. Also they only got my surname they got the wrong date of birth and totally wrong first name but have my address. But yh I didn’t make that journey.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 30 Aug 2023 ==

Yh I never take that train and I was home all day however I don’t have any proof because I was just at home and no they didn’t ask for my side of the story it just says I missed to pay the discounted fine and now have to pay or could lead to prosecution. Also they only got my surname they got the wrong date of birth and totally wrong first name but have my address. But yh I didn’t make that journey.

Also I never revised a prior fine from them before.

 

[Hadders]

Welcome to the forum!

It sounds as though a Penalty Fare was issued which is £50 plus the outstanding fare if paid within 21 days otherwise the Penalty is £100 plus the outstanding fare, but we reallyt need to see a copy of the letter you've been sent to be able to confirm this.

As noted above it is not unusual for someone to give false details when they've been caught with a ticketing irregularity. I would write to IRCAS pointing out what you did not travel by train that day, that there are inconsistencies in details that have been gives, and consequently you are not responsible for the charge. Ask them to update their records and conrim in writing that they will taje no further action against you. I would senf this by 1st class posr recorded delivery.

 

[NotslyAA]

Welcome to the forum!

It sounds as though a Penalty Fare was issued which is £50 plus the outstanding fare if paid within 21 days otherwise the Penalty is £100 plus the outstanding fare, but we reallyt need to see a copy of the letter you've been sent to be able to confirm this.

As noted above it is not unusual for someone to give false details when they've been caught with a ticketing irregularity. I would write to IRCAS pointing out what you did not travel by train that day, that there are inconsistencies in details that have been gives, and consequently you are not responsible for the charge. Ask them to update their records and conrim in writing that they will taje no further action against you. I would senf this by 1st class posr recorded delivery.

Would replying on their website be fine also they never gave me a prior fine letter this is the first I’m hearing about this and never travelled that day.

 

[kacper]

Not an expert on this but they may ask for your ID so they can match against body cam footage/description left of the person who gave your details

 

[Hadders]

Would replying on their website be fine also they never gave me a prior fine letter this is the first I’m hearing about this and never travelled that day.

There doesn't seem to be an option to e-mail them. Call me old fashioned, but I would send your reply by post. Make sure you keep a copy of what you send them so there is an audit trail.

I agree with @kacper that they might ask you to supply some ID. While you're not obliged to do so I would co-operate with them as you want this matter to get resolved.

 

[AlterEgo]

This is a reminder letter. Have you received any other correspondence from them before?

 

[MotCO]

There doesn't seem to be an option to e-mail them. Call me old fashioned, but I would send your reply by post.

Just to reiterate, send the letter by 'Signed For' so that you can prove that you sent them a letter. You need to go to a Post Office or sub-Post Office to do this. It will cost £2.60 first class, and worth every penny!

If English is not your first language, you may want to post a draft of your response on here, and forum members are often happy to make suggestions / help redraft it.

 

[NotslyAA]

This is a reminder letter. Have you received any other correspondence from them before?

Nope and online where you pay it says the wrong date of birth aswell like idk how this happened.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 30 Aug 2023 ==

Just to reiterate, send the letter by 'Signed For' so that you can prove that you sent them a letter. You need to go to a Post Office or sub-Post Office to do this. It will cost £2.60 first class, and worth every penny!

There was an option online to submit it if they have gave wrong details

 

[Haywain]

This is a reminder letter. Have you received any other correspondence from them before?

It will probably be a reminder to a PF having been issued. The PF would give 28 days for payment so the letter may be automatically generated due to no response.

 

[Hadders]

Nope and online where you pay it says the wrong date of birth aswell like idk how this happened.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 30 Aug 2023 ==


There was an option online to submit it if they have gave wrong details

In that case you can submit the details through their website, although I would write out what you are going to say first so that what you submit is exactly what you want to say.

 

[Deafdoggie]

Just to reiterate, send the letter by 'Signed For' so that you can prove that you sent them a letter. You need to go to a Post Office or sub-Post Office to do this. It will cost £2.60 first class, and worth every penny!

If English is not your first language, you may want to post a draft of your response on here, and forum members are often happy to make suggestions / help redraft it.

Signed For isn't really worth anything. If you want proof of delivery you really need Special Delivery. But for this I'd just post at a post office with 2nd class and get a free proof of posting receipt. It proves you replied which, in this case, is all you really need. No need to go to extra expense.
Better still, reply for free online if you can. Its faster and shows you've responded.

 

[Darandio]

Also I never revised a prior fine from them before.

No prior one from IRCAS? You did have a previous thread on here of which you didn't post the outcome.

Seeing these threads with false details given appear here quite regularly. But I don't think i've ever seen one where the false details related to someone with a previous offence.

 

[Bluejays]

Have you spoken to any member of staff on a train or at a station about a ticketing issue, that resulted in them taking your details ?

It appears to be mistaken identity. But there's just enough in what you've written to make me wonder if you've had your details taken for an infringement and they've then got muddled with a bit of the detail.

 

[Puffing Devil]

Have you spoken to any member of staff on a train or at a station about a ticketing issue, that resulted in them taking your details ?

It appears to be mistaken identity. But there's just enough in what you've written to make me wonder if you've had your details taken for an infringement and they've then got muddled with a bit of the detail.

Unlikely, as the OP states he was home all day on the day in question.

 

[Fawkes Cat]

Have you spoken to any member of staff on a train or at a station about a ticketing issue, that resulted in them taking your details ?

It appears to be mistaken identity. But there's just enough in what you've written to make me wonder if you've had your details taken for an infringement and they've then got muddled with a bit of the detail.

Unlikely, as the OP states he was home all day on the day in question.

However, for the benefit of anyone who stumbles onto this thread when they have a similar problem, it may be worth pointing out that inaccuracies in name, address, date of birth and so on aren't of themselves a reason that will make the railway drop a challenge.

To work a couple of examples: let's say that you're Mr John Smith of 1 The Street, Anytown

EXAMPLE 1: You never use the train on Mondays, but you get a letter from the railway saying that you were caught fare dodging on Monday 7 August 2023. The letter is addressed to you, with your proper name and address. As it can't have been you (you never use the train on Mondays) you're within your rights to ignore the letter altogether as it's obviously someone else using your details, but as people have said earlier in this thread, it will probably save you hassle further down the road if you write back and explain that it's not you, and someone must have used your details to try and get away with it.

EXAMPLE 2: while you still don't use the train on Mondays, you do use it on Tuesdays, and on Tuesday 8 August you were caught fare dodging by a ticket inspector. You gave your details, but when you get a letter about being caught, it's addressed to Ms J Smuth at 11 The Street, Anytown. You can't say that the letter isn't for you in that you know that actually you were caught fare dodging: what the railway (and the law courts) are interested in is getting to the right person - whatever name and address is used to do so. You're going to have to deal with the railway accusing you of being a fare dodger as if you ignore it they will eventually turn up with the ticket inspector who as an eye witness will be able to identify you even if they haven't got your name and address quite right.

 

[Deafdoggie]

However, for the benefit of anyone who stumbles onto this thread when they have a similar problem, it may be worth pointing out that inaccuracies in name, address, date of birth and so on aren't of themselves a reason that will make the railway drop a challenge.

To work a couple of examples: let's say that you're Mr John Smith of 1 The Street, Anytown

EXAMPLE 1: You never use the train on Mondays, but you get a letter from the railway saying that you were caught fare dodging on Monday 7 August 2023. The letter is addressed to you, with your proper name and address. As it can't have been you (you never use the train on Mondays) you're within your rights to ignore the letter altogether as it's obviously someone else using your details, but as people have said earlier in this thread, it will probably save you hassle further down the road if you write back and explain that it's not you, and someone must have used your details to try and get away with it.

EXAMPLE 2: while you still don't use the train on Mondays, you do use it on Tuesdays, and on Tuesday 8 August you were caught fare dodging by a ticket inspector. You gave your details, but when you get a letter about being caught, it's addressed to Ms J Smuth at 11 The Street, Anytown. You can't say that the letter isn't for you in that you know that actually you were caught fare dodging: what the railway (and the law courts) are interested in is getting to the right person - whatever name and address is used to do so. You're going to have to deal with the railway accusing you of being a fare dodger as if you ignore it they will eventually turn up with the ticket inspector who as an eye witness will be able to identify you even if they haven't got your name and address quite right.

This is, of course, all perfectly correct. In this case it's probably not worth worrying about and it is probably worth making an initial contact to say it's not you.
Whilst not recommending this, it is possible (were you to be guilty!) if there is an error in the name that a future CBS (or whatever it is called these days) will not detect it. So a wrong name (or at least a minor varient) can work to your advantage.
But, regardless, it's not a way to get away with it!

 

[LAX54]

If he was at home and his mobile was on, then Google / Tracking will (or maybe ) have him pinpointed

 

[Bluejays]

However, for the benefit of anyone who stumbles onto this thread when they have a similar problem, it may be worth pointing out that inaccuracies in name, address, date of birth and so on aren't of themselves a reason that will make the railway drop a challenge.

To work a couple of examples: let's say that you're Mr John Smith of 1 The Street, Anytown

EXAMPLE 1: You never use the train on Mondays, but you get a letter from the railway saying that you were caught fare dodging on Monday 7 August 2023. The letter is addressed to you, with your proper name and address. As it can't have been you (you never use the train on Mondays) you're within your rights to ignore the letter altogether as it's obviously someone else using your details, but as people have said earlier in this thread, it will probably save you hassle further down the road if you write back and explain that it's not you, and someone must have used your details to try and get away with it.

EXAMPLE 2: while you still don't use the train on Mondays, you do use it on Tuesdays, and on Tuesday 8 August you were caught fare dodging by a ticket inspector. You gave your details, but when you get a letter about being caught, it's addressed to Ms J Smuth at 11 The Street, Anytown. You can't say that the letter isn't for you in that you know that actually you were caught fare dodging: what the railway (and the law courts) are interested in is getting to the right person - whatever name and address is used to do so. You're going to have to deal with the railway accusing you of being a fare dodger as if you ignore it they will eventually turn up with the ticket inspector who as an eye witness will be able to identify you even if they haven't got your name and address quite right.

I didn't suggest that inaccuracies would lead to the case being dropped. Merely trying to work out if there is some extra detail that the op may wish to add.

 

[Fawkes Cat]

I didn't suggest that inaccuracies would lead to the case being dropped. Merely trying to work out if there is some extra detail that the op may wish to add.

And my apologies if I gave that impression. I was hoping to amplify your valid point in case anyone with a problem does find this thread through Google or similar.

 

[Bluejays]

And my apologies if I gave that impression. I was hoping to amplify your valid point in case anyone with a problem does find this thread through Google or similar.

Think I was being a bit oversensitive tbh, my mistake.