HELP, FIRST CAPITAL CONNECT HAVE ACCUSED ME and are PROSECUTING ME OF FARE EVASION

[squiggly1]

Please please help me. I've just recieved a court summons on behalf of first capital connect stating that I was travelling last month from Denmark Hill to Elephant and Castle in the morning and that I bought a child ticket instead of an adult ticket. The thing is that I never do that, I wasn't travelling that morning, my lecturer can confirm that I was in a lecture. I just don't know what to do, I'm so scared that someone has been using my details, it isn't the first time that I've been a victim of fraud. Ijust don't know what to do and I'm really scared, I'm a medical student and I'm scared that I'm going to get a criminal record and have to stand up in court and this is going to ruin my career even though I'm innocent. I'm absolutely terrified. Please please help me

[andynsue]

Hi Squiggly,

 

Please calm down. You are in the right place. I don't have the info you require but someone will be along and will advise you what to do.

 

Good luck.

[flyingdoc]

Its reasonably simple to resolve. Get a signed statement from the UNI that you were in fact present in lectures (presumably some kind of register taken )and send it both to the company, and to the court.

 

If the case still goes to court, do not panic, simply go along and quietly and calmly again explain (with your evidence) that you were not travelling that day and that you have witnesses to prove you were in lectures.

 

The case should be dismissed

[squiggly1]

Thank you. I shall do that. Does this mean that someone somewhere has some sort fake ID that has my details on? I'm sorry for panicking, it's just so upsetting and frightening

[flyingdoc]

not necessarily, all it means is that someone gave your name and address when quizzed by an inspector and they believed him/her.

[squiggly1]

Oh ok. I hate the horrible lying person who did this. But I take it means that it is someone that knows me, which is even more upsetting

[flyingdoc]

again not necessarily - it could be someone who works in the post office and has seen you name and address (not suggesting it is), it could be someone who has a website you filled in a form for, it could be someone who simply trawled the electoral roll for a name and address.

 

there are many possibilities - so dont go accusing your pals

[exit3]

Please please help me. I've just recieved a court summons on behalf of first capital connect stating that I was travelling last month from Denmark Hill to Elephant and Castle in the morning and that I bought a child ticket instead of an adult ticket. The thing is that I never do that, I wasn't travelling that morning, my lecturer can confirm that I was in a lecture. I just don't know what to do, I'm so scared that someone has been using my details, it isn't the first time that I've been a victim of fraud. Ijust don't know what to do and I'm really scared, I'm a medical student and I'm scared that I'm going to get a criminal record and have to stand up in court and this is going to ruin my career even though I'm innocent. I'm absolutely terrified. Please please help me

 

I fail to see how a credit company can sue you over a matter which concerns the rail company , unless the rail company has tried to recover the funds from first capital connect.

 

You must respond to the court summons and prepare your defence and join the rail company in the action . You do not want a judgment by default.Ask First capital for a copy of the voucher which will give the time and date that the purchase was made and then go back to the supplier and ask them to prove that you purchased that ticket at that time whether in person or over the

phone. If in person then they should have ccv Tve to prove your counter purchase. Whet evidence do you have that your were the purchaser of the ticket.

 

As are fearful of identity fraud cancel the card immediately and ask for a replacement since you beleive that this has happened to you and that you are being pursued under false pretences.

 

Look up on the internet court procedure and buy a few books if you are legally minded

 

Keep fighting and to do let them get you down

 

backroom lawyer exit 3

[Old-CodJA]

The advice you have been given thus far is spot on. Don't pancic but there are a couple of things you can do to help yourself.

 

Did you get any letters regarding this before you received a summons and if so, why didn't you answer it.

 

Now, more importantly, try to save yourself a lot of time and worry.

 

Get a copy of the university register that shows you were present there at the material time.

 

If you cannot do that and have a recent facial photo of yourself, sign your name on the back of it and send it to the prosecutors office with your letter stating that you have been the victim of an impostor.

 

Ask for your photograph to be returned to you within 10 days.

 

This will allow the reporting staff to confirm that you were not the traveller and should close the case immediately with the rail company withdrawing their allegation.

 

By the way exit3, you've lost me completely. Where did suing any credit company come into this??

[squiggly1]

Thank you so much everyone. I shall do everything that you have advised. No I haven't had any letters regarding this before, not unless something has come through, and my housemates or I have chucked out if it has been mixed in with junk mail. I usually get quite excited when I recive mail, as I hardly get anythig other than bank statements, but this wasn't exciting, it was upsetting. I'm always fearful about identity fraud, it's happened before ( someone had been making top ups using my card details for an orange mobile phone (I'm with T-mobile, so this was obvious) and then when I had made a withdrawal at uni in Bristol, 2 mins later someone had made a withdrawal in Hull). So ever since then I am very very paranoid about everything. I just seem to be very unlcuky

[exit3]

The advice you have been given thus far is spot on. Don't pancic but there are a couple of things you can do to help yourself.

 

Did you get any letters regarding this before you received a summons and if so, why didn't you answer it.

 

Now, more importantly, try to save yourself a lot of time and worry.

 

Get a copy of the university register that shows you were present there at the material time.

 

If you cannot do that and have a recent facial photo of yourself, sign your name on the back of it and send it to the prosecutors office with your letter stating that you have been the victim of an impostor.

 

Ask for your photograph to be returned to you within 10 days.

 

This will allow the reporting staff to confirm that you were not the traveller and should close the case immediately with the rail company withdrawing their allegation.

 

By the way exit3, you've lost me completely. Where did suing any credit company come into this??

The credit company are suing her for a an fraudulent transaction which must emanate from the fact that the tuve/rail company is seeking recovery of paymnet of what they consider a frudulent transaction . So the first action would be to defend the action brought to squiglly by frist connect and then also she needs to bring the tube.rail company into the action as they are the ones who are the accusers.

 

Sorry, I am not a lawyer but have had some experience of being sued for a debt which was not our debt and had to bring the person from whom the money was due into the action . In squiggly case it is because she has been falsely been accused of fraud by the rail/tube company who are the originators of the accusation, which they have passed on to the credit company by reclaiming the money, which squiggly needs to prove is teh case so she must get the voucher and confirmation of htis fact. It is a case of the "buck passing" and getting to the accuser and the claimant:confused:! who is the credit compnay. If a credit company is advised by a merchant that a fraudulent transaction has taken place the credit company will endevour to recover the money, and in this instance appears to have taken on the repsonsilbility of suing for funds for a purchase of an alleged fraudulent transaction.It is very importatn for Sqiglly to be very proactive on this. We have had experience of this but have recovered the money and no further action was needed.

[Old-CodJA]

I'm sorry exit3 but YOU have got this all wrong!!

 

First Capital Connect are a train operating company running passenger rail services in the home counties, London and the south of England.

 

There is no mention of a credit card nor a credit card transaction in any of this until you mentioned it.

 

First Capital Connect have issued a summons because a person giving squiggly1's name and details was caught fraudulently avoiding a rail fare.

Edited February 28, 2009 by Old-CodJA

[exit3]

I'm sorry exit3 but YOU have got this all wrong!!

 

First Capital Connect are a train operating company running passenger rail services in the home counties, London and the south of England.

 

There is no mention of a credit card nor a credit card transaction in any of this until you mentioned it.

 

First Capital Connect have issued a summons because a person giving squiggly1's name and details was caught fraudulently avoiding a rail fare.

apoligies stand corrected I tought it was connercted with Capital one, the issue is much simpler!

[Guest mc661]

The advice given so far is good.

 

As you can prove that you were in lectures at the time 'the imposter' was stopped you can really show FCC up in court.

However this is not a matter of showing whoever up.

[squiggly1]

Thank you everyone for your help. You have all been very helpful. I got a letter from my tutors saying that I was present in lectures, along with the copy of the attendance sheet that was signed that day by everyone present (which I have signed myself). Also, after reading the summons sent out to me correctly, it's titled as Mr, so it turns out that the imposter was a man, whilst I am very clearly not a man (I just saw my name on the letter and panicked and didn't read the name address bit properly, and completely missed out the Mr bit). So I'm hoping that I do not have any problems Thank you everyone once again for your help

[exit3]

Squiggly that's fantastic, make sure you deal with the summons