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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Lied to train ticket inspector - now what?

29 replies

ChampagneLassie · 15/05/2025 17:32

Feeling a bit of a wally. Lied to ticket inspector that I have a network rail card. I know mine expired but I said I’d forgotten it (thinking I’d pay a fine on spot). Instead he asked for my details and wrote something up which invites me to upload my rail card and says I could face prosecution. Bought a digital railcard. Followed the link and it says I could still face a prosecution if I’ve bought ticket after event. What should I do now? I’ve not uploaded anything as it wants lots of details. Be honest? Be half honest (ie say I can’t find the card but I’ve bought a new one now?)

OP posts:
ThatCyanCat · 15/05/2025 17:35

What details does it want? What's the website?

kwetu · 15/05/2025 17:36

How long ago did yours expire?

Panda89 · 15/05/2025 17:36

I would recommend you take a look at the site - Rail Forums. Specifically the sub board - disputes and prosecutions. Lots of useful advice there.

LarkspurLane · 15/05/2025 17:37

I think I'd say that I'd "made a mistake, didn't have a valid railcard and have now bought one". Or at least say that if there was an opportunity to. If there was no opportunity I would upload the new railcard and see what happens.

3678194b · 15/05/2025 17:37

Surely they won't prosecute straight away, maybe a fine and if you pay that, end of? I'd just be honest now.

lalalalalady · 15/05/2025 17:38

Can you not renew it now and then upload the new details and be a chancer? I’m not sure how it works but you could say you didn’t realise it had expired if they follow it up after you’ve submitted the forms.

OtherS · 15/05/2025 17:55

I'd just renew, then explain you hadn't realised it had run out. Terribly sorry, etc.

Catsandcannedbeans · 15/05/2025 17:57

I think they will throw you in jail and throw away the key!! That’s if you’re lucky enough to avoid public execution!

In all seriousness, you should probably ask on rail forum, the traniacs will probably be able to give you a solid answer, you absolute wrongun!

Londonrach1 · 15/05/2025 17:57

Renew and apologize saying didn't realize it was out of date

Instinct1 · 15/05/2025 18:14

Why did you lie?

Someone2025 · 15/05/2025 18:15

Instinct1 · 15/05/2025 18:14

Why did you lie?

For very obvious reasons …..

GeorgeA12 · 15/05/2025 18:20

Go on railforums.co.uk you will get good advice on there.

Instinct1 · 15/05/2025 18:20

Someone2025 · 15/05/2025 18:15

For very obvious reasons …..

Show quote history

I think I'm just surprised at MN not suggesting OP be publicly executed or something for stealing! Smile

Tryingtokeepgoing · 15/05/2025 18:20

I imagine they hear this all the time, and that plenty see it a a low risk way of getting cheaper tickets. Because an automated barrier can’t tell (yet…) so if you were so inclined why wouldn’t you save the money and pretend you’ve got one. Which is one reason they still check tickets on trains and at barriers!

Because it happens all the time, don’t try and upload a railcard bought after the ticket. They’ll be able to tell, and deception is worse than travelling without a valid ticket. Just be up-front and say you bought the wrong ticket. Maybe you’ll just have to pay the fare difference. Although, I can imagine they take a dim view of ticket fraud and might well issue a fine anyway.

Whaleandsnail6 · 15/05/2025 18:31

Send an email, or however you contact and say you didn't realise your railcard has expired.

Then accept the consequence.

I feel like anything else will prolong the situation and may end up worse for you

IzzyHandsIsMySpiritAnimal · 15/05/2025 18:32

If you have the previous railcard then upload that. State that you made an error as you realised only when checking, that it had expired, and that you have since purchased a new one.

TMMC1 · 15/05/2025 18:35

If your railcard was only recently out of date then you could claim that you hadn’t realised.
otherwise just be honest.

I got a fine when I genuinely couldn’t buy a ticket. I had various levels of evidence for this. My appeal was rejected but my re appeal was accepted. Mine was 100% genuine and 100% justifiable and I had more than enough evidence to back it up. And on my re-appeal got the credit for a delayed train!!

I think a lot of people are fare dodging so there is a clamp down.

TaggieO · 15/05/2025 18:36

Upload the old one and the new one. Say you didn’t realise it had expired until you checked so you bought a new one.

Divebar2021 · 15/05/2025 18:37

Be very careful how you go here. I was told of someone who had been caught with an expired young persons railcard and given a penalty notice. Rather than just paying the fine she disputed it… I have no idea what the grounds were or how she disputed it because the next thing she gets a £2000 fine. They had accessed her online ticket purchases and identified all the journeys she had made after the card has expired. ( I did not know they could do this but there you go). I’m not sure if the £2k included all the additional fares missed or not but I know it was a fair whack. They also billed her for the investigation ( there was a breakdown of costs including the writing of the statement etc). I had never seen that before.

Bearbookagainandagain · 15/05/2025 18:41

@ChampagneLassie To be honest it doesn't matter much what you say or do. It's a strict liability offense, so you either had a valid ticket or you didn't, there is no mitigation possible. Uploading your new Railcard won't help at all. Apologising for giving incorrect information could help a little bit (in that they might more likely to find you instead of prosecuting directly).

In this case it's pretty clear cut, but looking at rail forums can't hurt indeed (mainly to know how to not make it worse!).

What is likely to happen is that they'll look at your past travel history, particularly easy if you use an online account to buy tickets, and try to find out how many journeys you might have done without a valid ticket. They'll either make an out-of-court offer - very expensive if they can find multiple invalid journeys - or prosecute. If you refuse to pay they'll take you to court (and most likely win).

Freysimo · 15/05/2025 18:42

I've a Senior Railcard and have NEVER been asked to show it. They always seem to check young people though. Maybe they think oldies are more likely to be honest? The Railcard costs me nothing, I buy it using Tesco Club card points.

RubberyChicken · 15/05/2025 18:53

Londonrach1 · 15/05/2025 17:57

Renew and apologize saying didn't realize it was out of date

Yes this, I'm sure they've never heard that excuse before

PrimitivePerson · 15/05/2025 19:13
  1. Wait until they contact you.
  2. Apologise profusely, be absolutely honest about what's happened, bearing in mind that your travel history can be very easily traced and investigated.
  3. Offer to cooperate fully, and ask to settle at the first available opportunity.
  4. Take a deep breath, because potentially it could cost you a LOT of money.
  5. Never do it again - most people have no idea how serious the trouble you can get into over this stuff is.

I work in the industry.

Original poster
ChampagneLassie · 15/05/2025 20:11

Instinct1 · 15/05/2025 18:14

Why did you lie?

I guess embarrassment. I assumed the outcome would be the same- ie a fine. Not that I was entering some sort of legal process

OP posts:
Original poster
ChampagneLassie · 15/05/2025 20:13

PrimitivePerson · 15/05/2025 19:13

  1. Wait until they contact you.
  2. Apologise profusely, be absolutely honest about what's happened, bearing in mind that your travel history can be very easily traced and investigated.
  3. Offer to cooperate fully, and ask to settle at the first available opportunity.
  4. Take a deep breath, because potentially it could cost you a LOT of money.
  5. Never do it again - most people have no idea how serious the trouble you can get into over this stuff is.

I work in the industry.

Really honest? I’ve no idea when my card expired. I’ve got two small kids and I do not retain this sort of info. I didn’t actually realise I’d bought a ticket with network rail card selected

OP posts:
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