Ticket inspector did not take my details

[seveneggs]

Hi,

A few weeks ago i took a train from Kentish town to Harpenden. There were no barriers at KT and I was in a rush so I thought I'd buy the ticket on the train.

Inspector comes, I still hadn't bought a ticket and thought I would just get one from the last stop we had just passed until Harpenden. Not very bright. He scanned the barcode and said I had just bought it. I said I had tapped on at KT and forgot I can't tap off after St Albans so bought the ticket. He told me I could in fact tap off at Harpenden, but that I wouldn't be able to refund my ticket now that he's scanned it. He told me I could enquire about it but it was unlikely.

I've been reading these forums and now worried that I will get prosecuted for my short ticket. Is this likely even though he didn't take any of my details down?

My barcode ticket was linked to my trainline app where I have an account, and so would my details be accessible from there if he did want to prosecute?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Yes, the ticket scan will give them your details. Something may happen, nothing may. Best to await the arrival of any letter they may send, and if they do post it here (with any personal details and reference numbers plus the precise date/time of the alleged offence obscured) for further assistance.

 

[John R]

They may well look at your Trainline account for any similar "short" transactions to and from Harpenden. So if you are often in too much of a rush to tap on then they may widen any investigation from just the one incident. But as said above, until (and if) they contact you, there is nothing you can do.

Just be aware though, you would still have committed an offence by being on the train without having a ticket or having tapped on, even without the short faring aspect of it, so make sure you do so in future, as I suspect even if you are not contacted, there may be some sort of flag on your account that there was a ticketing irregularity noticed.

 

[JordR]

In that case it sounds like there's a possibility you're not going to be investigated further, particularly if no attempt was made to confirm whether or not you had indeed tapped in prior to 'transferring' to an e-ticket. But as others have said scanning the code on the ticket is enough to identify you.