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    • Hi all, Love this site and it's no nonsense advice, have dipped in and out of the consumer forums over the years, mostly to assure myself that what I was doing was the right thing when dealing with various businesses (almost 100% success rate, thanks in part to reading and more reading here.). Anyway, the time is almost approaching where I might need to ask for some specific help and I have a couple of queries that I can't see definitively answered. Due to financial mismanagement and severe anxiety issues I stopped paying all unsecured debt in December 2018 (one slipped to the first week in Jan 2019 when the last payment was made having rechecked my bank statement from that period - all my unsecured debt direct debits were cancelled in early Jan 2019). This has left half a dozen debts;  a couple of credit cards, a bank loan, Shop Direct and some Hitachi Finance stuff having been sold on and passing the rounds through the usual suspects, Lowells, Link, PRA Group, others related to them, and then back to them again. I have somehow successfully managed to maintain radio silence and avoided anything more worrying than their begging letters.  I have blocked their phone calls and texts, bumped all emails to the spambox and had a chuckle at their desperate letters.  I've never had anybody at the door.  I have been at the same address since before I defaulted and all correspondence comes to my current home address.  I have NEVER contacted them or admitted any debt. In anticipation of them perhaps ramping up action at the last minute I've had a look at my credit report on Credit Karma (rec'd from this very place) and I see that the default dates on these range from May 2019 to November 2019. Also in preperation I've been reading, reading and reading lots here as advised. Obviously being in Scotland there are a lot fewer posts relating to these matters and it's always quite annoying when OP's do not follow up with any outcome on their cases - how rude! This has also left me a bit confused of when I am able to finally breathe easy (although cancelling all the direct debits in Jan 2019 was the biggest sigh of relief as I knew it was all going to be unmanageable and, well, default one, default all.). I've been reading that defaults should be filed 3-6 months after the missed payment but one of my larger debts was defaulted on 27th August 2019 when the last payment I made was 10th December 2018, meaning the first missed payment was 10th Jan 2019.   My query for now is - when should I infer that these debts are prescribed?  From when the payment was missed, or taking the default date plus 5 years from the credit report? The three I have with the May date are moot anyway as either way they are gone  - some letters from Lowell offering me 90% off to settle is what got me thinking these must have been near SB status, however I have one big 10k+ with a July date and another 10k+ at the end of August I am feeling a bit anxious again, even though I know there is nothing to worry about with the begging letters.  Reading the various forums I am not sure why the OC's didn't take action against me when I read time and again the surprise that other posters haven't already been taken to court for lesser amounts - I'm also surprised I've avoided any action this long as there are plenty in this forum and sub forum who are whisked off to the court by the beggers minions after only a year or so after defaulting.  There are no CCJ/decrees listed on my credit report and I have not received any such judgements against me.  I still just regularly receive the begging emails to the spambox, the blocked phone calls and the letters from the they. I'm also reading that there is no need in Scotland to send an LBC so what should I be looking out for to know that the time has come to engage with CCA requests etc? I'm afraid in a fit I threw a lot of the paperwork out but I have a box of stuff I'm going to go through which may have the original letters from the OC's. Thanks in advance for any advice.  
    • I'm at work now but promise to look in later. Can you confirm how you paid the first invoice?  It wasn't your fault if the signal was so poor and there was no alternative way to pay.  There must be a chance of reversing the charge with your bank.  There are no guarantees but Kev  https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/09766749/officers  has never had the backbone to do court so far.  Not even in one case,  
    • OK  so you may not have outed yourself if you said "we". No matter either way you paid. Snotty letter I am surprised that they were so quick off the mark threatening Court. They usually take months to go that far. No doubt that as you paid the first one they decided to strike quickly and scare you into paying. Dear Chuckleheads  aka Alliance,  I am replying to your LOCs You may have caught me the first time but that is  the end. What a nasty organisation you are. You do realise that you now have now no reason to continue to pursue me after reading my appeal since you know that my car was not cloned. Any further pursuit will end up with a complaint to the ICO that you are breaching my GDPR.  Please confirm that you have removed my details from your records. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I haven't gone for a snotty letter this time as they know that you paid for your car in another car park. So using a shot across their bows .  If it doesn't deter them and they send in the debt collectors or the Court you will then be able to get more money back from them for  breachi.ng your data protection than they will get should they win in Court-and they have no chance of that as you have paid. So go in with guns blazing and they might see sense.  Although never underestimate how stupid they are. Or greedy.
    • Thank you. Such a good point. They did issue all 3 before I paid though. I only paid one because I didn’t have proof of parking that time, only for two others.    Unfortunately no proof of my appeal as it was just submitted through a form on their website and no copy was sent to me. I only have the reply. I believe I just put something like “we made the honest mistake of using the incorrect parking area on the app” and that’s it. Thanks again for your help. 
    • They are absolute chuckleheads. You paid but because you entered a different car park site also belonging to them they are pursuing you despite them knowing what you had done. It would be very obvious to everyone, including Alliance that your car could not have been in two places at the same time. Thank you for posting the PCN so quickly making it a pity that you appealed since there are so many things wrong with it that you as keeper are not liable to pay the charge. They rarely accept appeals since that would mean they lose money but they have virtually no chance of beating you in Court. Very unlikely that they will take you to Court given the circumstances. Just in case you didn't out yourself as the driver could you please post up your appeal.
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Caught using someone else's Freedom pass, convicted - leave to appeal granted


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I used my grans freedom pass and got caught.

 

I have phoned/emailed tirelessly to try and settle out of court but they are not backing down.

I offered to pay triple the fine but its seems they just want to prosecute me.

 

I don't care the fine

I just can handle that I will get a criminal record as this is my first ever incident with the law

and I am a student

 

When is your trial date?

 

 

have you settled out of court?

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I have the exact same thing as you I used my grans freedom pass and got caught.

 

I have phoned/emailed tirelessly to try and settle out of court but they are not backing down. I offered to pay triple the fine but its seems they just want to prosecute me.

 

I don't care the fine I just can handle that I will get a criminal record as this is my first ever incident with the law and I am a student doing well not some London riot chav.

 

 

These passes are issued as a benefit to people in genuine need and paid for by the public purse.

 

Your suggestion that you don't care about the fine is a good example of why the robust policy of reporting misuse does seem appropriate.

 

If you don't have a problem with paying perhaps hundreds of pounds in fine & costs, then it seems that you could have paid your fare.

 

The fact that misuse of Freedom Passes is a widespread breach of trust and can be considered in the same vein as stealing public money, is the very reason that TfL and the TOCs take a very hard line in prosecuting these matters.

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These passes are issued as a benefit to people in genuine need and paid for by the public purse.

 

Your suggestion that you don't care about the fine is a good example of why the robust policy of reporting misuse does seem appropriate.

 

If you don't have a problem with paying perhaps hundreds of pounds in fine & costs, then it seems that you could have paid your fare.

 

The fact that misuse of Freedom Passes is a widespread breach of trust and can be considered in the same vein as stealing public money, is the very reason that TfL and the TOCs take a very hard line in prosecuting these matters.

 

And so they should. The scheme is expensive enough without it being abused.

 

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Hello there.

 

I have started a new thread for you, please continue to post here.

 

You may or may not hear from the forum members you asked for updates, not everyone comes back to tell us how they get on. To me, it seems particularly prevalent for Freedom pass cases.

 

My best, HB

Illegitimi non carborundum

 

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi everyone I really need some help,

 

I was travelling on the tube and decided to use my sister's freedom pass.

To cut a long story short I got caught and gave all my details and admitted everything.

 

I know what I have done was wrong and I am ashamed of what I have done it has been the biggest mistake of my life and has made me really unwell.

 

I then received a letter saying I might be prosecuted to which I replied with a sincere apology and a plea not to take me to court.

 

They ignored my plea and sent me a court summons.

I have tried about seven times to call/email them to allow me to settle out of court but have had no luck.

I have even offered to pay triple to fine and court costs but they just want to prosecute me.

 

I know I have to pay the fines and court costs ect and that is not a problem as that is fair.

The main problem is the fact I will get a criminal record.

 

This is my first ever offence and I am currently at university and hopefully will become a primary school teacher

and I am sure this will do fair amount of damage to my future prospects.

 

I am not a bad person I am not one of them London riot chavs I want to make something of my life.

 

I have lost a lot of weight and now need sleeping tablets as I haven't been able to sleep well since this has happened.

I am petrified that this one mistake of trying to save a bit of money will have an effect on the rest of my life.

 

Is there any help or advice you can give me as I am in court next week and I am terrified.

 

I know I should plead guilty as I was and they can definitely prove it.

When I get to the court will I get to put my points across even if I plead guilty,

like will I be able to explain how this is my first offence and that I am generally a good person.

 

Also will a few of my friends be able to watch my case while it is in progress for support,

or will they have to wait outside. Any other advice would be great.

 

Thanks guys

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Plead guilty

Be completely honest

Be contrite.

Explain that you appreciate the seriousness and stupidity of what you have done.

 

Explain the effect on your job and that this is the first and last time that you will ever break the law.

 

There is nothing else you can do.

 

Read this:- https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/advice/planning/Pages/convictions.aspx

and this - https://www.askthe.police.uk/content/Q89.htm

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Thanks for the advice and links. Will follow the advice. Hopefully will go okay but I doubt it very much.

 

Still wondering if my friends can come into the court room with me?

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Yes, they can - but if I were you wouldn't invite them.

The magistrate might not understand why they are there and they might feel that they want to make an example to your friends.

 

Take one friend if you want the support - but leave it at that.

Dress decently - not formally but respectfully.

If you are a male - no jewelry

If you are a female - keep it toned down

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I'm sure that a suit is fine - as long as you wear it and it doesn't wear you

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I've merged your two threads to keep the information together. I'm a bit confused about this.

 

I was travelling on the tube and decided to use my sister's freedom pass.

 

Previously, you said it was your Gran's?

 

HB

Illegitimi non carborundum

 

 

 

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Hi yeah thanks Old-CodJA's forum sticky was very helpful.

 

Just wondering will I get the chance to put my points across, like when I asked the ticket inspector if it would go any further he said that it wouldn't and it was just a warning.

 

Should I bring this up, or will I get the chance to, should I ask for the inspector that caught me to attend.

 

Thanks

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You know that some of the helicopters you hear over London are TfL? -loooking for cable thieves, you see.

 

But they haven't set up an Internet Forum Monitoring dept. yet. On a slightly more serious note... if you just fibbed about a little thing like that... :| ...no wonder you're waiting for your case to come up eh? LOL

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I just didn't want them to have anything to use against me in court, it doesn't matter if it was my nan's or sisters pass it was a freedom pass and TFL go mental about that.

 

I offered them £1000 to settle out of court but they still said no.So they will waste time and money just to prosecute me.

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What do you mean? I would happily pay a grand instead of going to court and getting a criminal record.

 

They refused it and seeing as its my first ever offence I think that's a bit harsh especially as the ticket inspector misled me and said it was just a warning.

Edited by honeybee13
Removing contraversial word.
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I meant, if you sent them a cheque for a grand, I bet they would've cashed it! I'm a bit of a believer in 'a bird in hand', although TfL can be contrary bastards. But if you just offered a grand it's not quite the same thing as paying it. E.g., when you hear about people settling on the steps of the Court, they literally pay up on the steps of the Court... they doon't make arrangements to ppay a little bit incrementally a month. See what i mean? Not that I'm suggesting you should pay a grand anyhow. Blimey. In fact:

 

"'Crumbs!" -Said William'.

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What do you mean? I would happily pay a grand instead of going to court and getting a criminal record.

 

They refused it and seeing as its my first ever offence I think that's a bit harsh especially as the ticket inspector lied to me and said it was just a warning.

 

Ahh well, mind you, you "lied" by using someone else's freedom pass, and got caught.

You've "lied" about whose pass it was, and been pulled up for that.

 

You've had it explained to you why Freedom pass abuse is viewed so seriously, and why TfL almost always prosecute : yet you feel you are being treated harshly?

 

If it is worth a grand to you not to be prosecuted, how much was the fare that you dodged? And why dodge it by abuse of a publically funded system intended to benefit some of the most disadvantaged?

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