Season ticket fraud - URGENT

[couldbescrewed]

Hi,

 

I bought a season ticket second hand from what in hindsight was a tout for a marked discount to the facevalue.

 

I bought it 2 months ago and have been using it to travel and it has until march 2010 to run.

 

I was not aware of non-transferability and thought I was getting a good deal (the guy said he was recently unemployed and didnt need it)

 

Yesterday i received a caution at the station.

 

Having researched i am now worried about prosecution

 

I want to contact prosecution/fraud team and explain the situation and my willingness to pay any fine to avoid court proceedings. I have never broken the law and it was not my intention to do so.

 

In hindsight alarm bells should have rung at the 33% discount to the value of the ticket but the price was too good!

 

Does anyone know the number of the fraud team or prosecution team for me. And secondly is this the best cause of action

 

When I get the letter (which i would like to preempt with a call) what can I expect.

 

There was 7.5 months set to run on the season ticket

 

Many Thanks in advance for your replies!

[Old-CodJA]

Hi,

 

I bought a season ticket second hand from what in hindsight was a tout for a marked discount to the facevalue.

 

I bought it 2 months ago and have been using it to travel and it has until march 2010 to run.

 

I was not aware of non-transferability and thought I was getting a good deal (the guy said he was recently unemployed and didnt need it)

 

Yesterday i received a caution at the station.

 

Having researched i am now worried about prosecution

 

I want to contact prosecution/fraud team and explain the situation and my willingness to pay any fine to avoid court proceedings. I have never broken the law and it was not my intention to do so.

 

In hindsight alarm bells should have rung at the 33% discount to the value of the ticket but the price was too good!

 

Does anyone know the number of the fraud team or prosecution team for me. And secondly is this the best cause of action

 

When I get the letter (which i would like to preempt with a call) what can I expect.

 

There was 7.5 months set to run on the season ticket

 

Many Thanks in advance for your replies!

 

This is a very serious case. You could help your self and the rail company if you can supply full information as to where you bought the ticket and information which could help to identify the person from whom you bought it.

 

As it stands, you are very likely to face prosecution for using the ticket with intent to avoid a fare or fares. Ignorance of the law is not a defence.

 

There is also an offence of obtaining a rail ticket from an unauthorised source and offences of using a transferred ticket, unauthorised selling of rail tickets etc.

 

You do not say where you were detected and so it is not possible to tell you which office you need to contact.

 

There are a number of different companies and agencies dealing with these matters. In some cases you will have more than one TOC operating trains from a given station, do you know which rail company the inspector who cautioned you worked?

[couldbescrewed]

He worked for First Capital Connect and the journey was from King Cross to Mill Hill Broadway.

 

I have already written to the prosecution team saying i am more than happy to pay a penalty fare and a a fine for the 6 weeks of travel on the ticket. I have also said i will meet the cost of any administration cost... I also spoke to the head of prosecution team. He said he understood my situation but couldnt comment until he sees the caution report.

 

I did not admit intent to avoid fare

 

Thanks for your help. Based on this information is there anything you can add to your advice?

[SRPO]

Deleted.

Edited September 23, 2009 by SRPO

[King Dong]

Hi there,

 

Something similar happened to me last week. It does not matter how I paint the picture, the fact is I was wrong to purchase the fake seasons ticket and I am deeply sorry to the train company and also very worried of what might happen to me and my career. Does my company have to be made aware? will I lose my job?, etc.

 

I have not heard anything from the train company but I am anxiously waiting for either a phone call or a knock on the door.

 

Would you pls let me know how your case is progressing so that I can fear the worse.

 

Regards

Richard

[Stigy]

Hi there,

 

Something similar happened to me last week. It does not matter how I paint the picture, the fact is I was wrong to purchase the fake seasons ticket and I am deeply sorry to the train company and also very worried of what might happen to me and my career. Does my company have to be made aware? will I lose my job?, etc.

 

I have not heard anything from the train company but I am anxiously waiting for either a phone call or a knock on the door.

 

Would you pls let me know how your case is progressing so that I can fear the worse.

 

Regards

Richard

I very much depends what job you do as to whether it's important to make them aware. Obviously if you don't make them aware and they find out, the consequeces could be worse than if you'd been truthful initially.

[Old-CodJA]

A 'phone call or knock on the door' are the least likely contact in my experience. You don't say where it happened, but if I were you, I would expect to get a letter from the rail company and dependent upon how busy the particular office concerned is, this can sometimes take a few weeks to arrive.

 

Stigy is right about not telling your employer, BUT this is only relevant if you are actually prosecuted & convicted.

 

Don't rush into anything yet. Wait until the letter arrives and then contact the relevant office to see if you can settle out of Court before rushing into telling anyone else.

[SRPO]

Deleted

Edited October 18, 2009 by SRPO