I got caught using my mums freedom pass. need advice

[unknown101]

I got caught using my mums freedom pass which i had been temp using for about 3 or 4 weeks  to travel on the undeground with.

 

the inspector took me to one side asked for my details and confiscated the card.

 

i was completely honest with them about it from the start. 

they  said i would get a letter from TFL, which i have not had as of yet.

 

but doing some research about this online.

sounds like im going to have to go to court for it and I will have a criminal record. 

 

im completely in the dark at this point and stressing out.

 

I know what i did was wrong and really stupid.

[honeybee13]

Hello, welcome to CAG.

 

The letter can take up to six weeks to arrive and as you may know they'll ask for your version of events. If you like we can help you with that. Then they'll take a decision about what happens next.

 

Best, HB

[unknown101]

thanks for the welcome.

 

my version?.

 

well there is not much to say really.

 

i was using it temp to try to save money and i know what i did was wrong.

 

im willing to pay a fine and the journeys i used.

 

i dont want a criminal record.

[dx100uk]

how many times over what period?

is there a pattern of use?

 

dx

 

[unknown101]

i cant remember exactly, but i think it was a period of 3 or 4 weeks  and there was a pattern.

2 days a week 2 journeys each day with the exception of the day i got caught which would of been 3 journeys

Edited July 25, 2022 by dx100uk
unnecessary previous post quote removed

[dx100uk]

did you admit to using it previously when you were questioned?

 

go read a good few threads in this same forum you found.

get upto speed on things or not you might need to say/avoid saying in your reply WHEN the letter comes.

 

dx

[unknown101]

i cant remember.

I dont think they asked me that. if they did, they never specified anything about how many times i used it.

 

I was in shock and really tired to be honest so my brain was not all there at the time it happened. 

I just remember they asked for my details and that there is a rise in people using stolen freedom passes and that if i was aware that it can only be used by the original owner. which i was unaware of.

 

i was going to be completely honest in the letter.

[dx100uk]

no need to keep hitting quote just type.

 

await their letter which will probably simply be a generic one like the ones you'll see here already.

 

what you don't do in your reply is tell them nor confirm, anything they dont already know, they might be guessing.

 

you stand a chance here of an OOC IMHO , but only a slight one.

 

was your mother aware you were using the pass?

 

dx

 

[unknown101]

yes she was aware

[dx100uk]

ok, better than stealing it but keep that to your self

get reading threads here lots of them.

comeback with any questions.

 

dx

 

 

 

[unknown101]

i received the letter today. and it says "the fact of this incident are being considered and that i am advised that legal proceedings may be taken against me"

 

I am to reply to this either by letter or email

 

on the back of the letter it asks for the case number, my full name address date of birth telephone number email address and date.

 

it then says

 

If You accept committing an offence please provide any exceptional reasons including pre existing medical conditions that you may feel are relevant and evidence to support this. as to why TFL should not proceed with a prosecution.

 

how should i go about a response.

[dx100uk]

Time to get reading like threads here as advised before and you'll see the type of reply you need to make by email before the 10days expires 

 

Pop your idea up here if you want help with it 

 

Dx

[honeybee13]

Post up what you plan to send and we'll help you to refine it.

 

HB

[unknown101]

something like this.

 

to Whom It May Concern,

 

Thank you for your letter on

I sincerely apologising for my actions in this case and I am extremely regretful of what i did.

I know what i did was wrong but totaly unaware of how serious this offence was. if I knew this beforehand I would never of done it in the first place.

 

I am extremely sorry for using my mother’s Freedom Pass. I was completly honest with the officer’s questions when taken to one side and from now on i will be using my Oyster card.
 
 I am very sorry for the inconvenience this has caused. I have never been in trouble with the law before and I would wish for it to stay that way.

 

again I am very sorry for this situation which was caused by my actions. I am happy to make immediate payment for what I have done and if possible avoid a criminal record.
 
I Now understand that fare evasion is a serious matter and not something to get involved in. I hope you will consider my plee avoiding this in court and instead settle this matter privately.

 

Kind regards,

[unknown101]

Is my letter any good? any advice?.

 

should I mention that I am unemployed and struggle to find work and was trying to save money by doing it temporally?

 

I did not do it for that long compared to a lot of other threads Ive read up on here. 

 

I dont really know what to say other then just apologising and pleading not to take it to court.

 

i have 9 days to reply back to them.

[honeybee13]

I would say your letter needs some more work. It does repeat itself a bit.

 

One thing you could add is what you've done since you were caught to make sure you pay the right fare. You just say that you will use your Oyster card.

 

See what others think but I'm not sure saying that you took a calculated risk to not pay for a while is the best thing to say. But you could mention being unemployed and how it affected you.

 

Rather than say you'd like to settle it, I would say something like you would be grateful if they would allow you to pay the outstanding fares and their reasonable administration expenses to settle this out of court.

 

I expect you'll have other comments but that gives you something to move on with.

 

HB

[unknown101]

thanks for the feedback..im not good at writing.   do you have any idea how much I would have to pay.

[honeybee13]

It would be a guess, that's for TfL to decide.

 

So how many journeys did you do and what do you think the missing fares amount to?

 

Also, can you tell us what TfL's letter says you did wrong please?

 

HB

[unknown101]

of the top of my head im not 100% sure. it was not much though. i only traveld zone 1-2   2 days a week.  maybe a little over a month. maybe less. wont they look into the journy though? and have CTV proof? id asume there would be a pattern beacuse i went to the same place every week.

 

Edited July 28, 2022 by unknown101

[dx100uk]

Forget CCTV. 

The pattern, if there is one, will show in the usage history they might look at .

 

You said you did it to save money.. for who, the whole household, are you it's only potential income earner?

 

You need to explain what caused your bad idea ...

 

 

[unknown101]

yes i did it to try to save money. i am the only potential income earner of the household and I am unemployed.

[unknown101]

well i havent told them how many times it was used. i dont recall the officer asking me that. I was shook at the time and very tiered and dident expect to be stoped. I just remember  the officer asking to see my pass, and i said "why" then I just showd them it and as i was showing it i said it was my mothers. I then gave my full details then realising I was not getting it back i paniced asking how i would get home. then rememeberd i had my oyster card.on me aswell and told them to check the balance...

 

but if they do ask me in a follow up reply from this letter, i will be as honest as i can about it.

[dx100uk]

Then as with many examples letters here, you need to explain that 

 

Dx

[unknown101]

Hows this?

 

to Whom It May Concern,

 

Thank you for your letter on

I sincerely apologise for my actions and am now extremely regretful for what I did.
I know it was wrong  but I was unaware of how serious an issue it was . I thought I would just be issued a warnning, I did not realise it would involve the pass being taken away and me being faced with a procecution. had i known  this, I would never of done it.

I am extremely sorry for using my mother’s Freedom Pass. I am unemployed and not in a good finantual state. which has forced me to cut back on expenses wherever I can.

I was completly honest with the officer’s questions when taken to one side and since the incedent, i have been using my Oystercard all the time.

 

I feel bad that what i did has taken away my mothers meens of transport.

I wish to stretch my apologies to members of staff concerned and to TFL - I am very sorry for the inconvenience this has caused. I have never been in trouble with the law before and I would wish for it to stay that way.

I Now understand that fare evasion is a very serious matter and not something I would ever risk doing again. I would be grateful if you would take all this into consideration when deciding how to procede with my case and hopefully it might be settled out of court. further more I am happy to pay inmeadiatly any penaltys incurred by my actions. Thank you

 

Kind regards,

 

 

i dont think using terms like outstanding fares is  a good idea beacuse it may indicate to them that i used the card regularly. when i did not.   but im no expert..what do you think?

[unknown101]

changed it a bit.

 

to Whom It May Concern,

Thank you for your letter on

I sincerely apologise for my actions and am now extremely regretful for what I did.

I know it was wrong but I was unaware at the time of how serious it was. I thought I would just be issued a warnning, I did not realise it would result in the pass being confiscated and me being faced with procecution and a criminal record. had I known this, I would never of done it.

I am extremely sorry for using my mother’s Freedom Pass. I am unemployed and not in a good financial state, which has forced me to cut back on expenses wherver I can.

I feel bad also that what i did has taken way my mothers only meens of transport around london.

I was completly honest with the officer who questiond me at liverpoolstreet and since then i have been using my Oystercard on London transport all the time.

I wish to apologies again to TFL. I have never been in trouble with the law before and I intend to keep it that way.

I Now understand that fare evasion is a very serious matter and not something I will ever risk doing again. I have learnt my leason.

I would be grateful if you would take all this into consideration when deciding how to procede with my case and hopefully it might be settled out of court. It goes without saying that I will pay inmeadiatly any penalties incurred by my actions.

Thank you

 

Kind regards,