Refund of trainline tickets

[nousername123]

Hey there, I'm wondering what the deal is with tickets purchased through trainline.

They seem to allow a refund on any ticket (minus a £10 admin fee). From my local station to another there are no barriers either side, so am I to assume that if the ticket isn't activated, or validated by an inspector, then it can always be refunded?

A friend of mine apparently does this for his main commute, as in, 2 refunds a week. I would assume this would be a red flag on the system but at the same time, how could they prove that if the ticket isn't being validated?

Thanks all!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Welcome to the forum. Requesting refunds after you've travelled, and so used the ticket, whether or not it's been checked or scanned or gone through a barrier, is fraudulent. Do it often enough, and Trainline will notice, and you (or your friend as the case may be) is likely to then end up in quite a bit of bother. Be warned!

 

[LowLevel]

The TOCs and retailers are getting better at catching people doing it all the time simply by using their own algorithms. It doesn't take much to get picked up by a sweep for refunding tickets fraudulently.

It pays to remember that it is a criminal offence to refund a rail ticket that has been used. Have a look through these forums for examples of people whining about being caught at it.

 

[Watershed]

If you're issued with an e-ticket, this doesn't require activation. Therefore, in the absence of barriers or a scan on-board, there is no way for a TOC or retailer to definitively know whether or not you have used a ticket. The same applies to a paper ticket but they often have to be physically returned for a refund to be processed, which is obviously a pain.

Nevertheless, I strongly recommend that your friend stops doing this immediately. There is every chance that they could be accused of committing offences such as fraud - we currently have another thread where someone has been threatened with the British Transport Police's involvement after they claimed an unusually high percentage/number of refunds through Trainline.

Trainline are no different than any other retailer in terms of offering refunds on unused tickets - it's part of the conditions of walk-up fares. They do, however, make it easier than some other retailers to apply for a refund.

 

[skyhigh]

From my local station to another there are no barriers either side, so am I to assume that if the ticket isn't activated, or validated by an inspector, then it can always be refunded?

No. If you've used a ticket requesting a refund on it is fraud and if caught can get you in a load of trouble.

A friend of mine apparently does this for his main commute, as in, 2 refunds a week. I would assume this would be a red flag on the system but at the same time, how could they prove that if the ticket isn't being validated?

This sounds remarkably similar to a thread which was recently deleted from here. The risk you run is that if they were to somehow catch you in the act on one occasion then they could easily prosecute you for that offence unless you agree to pay back the tickets they suspect have been fraudulently refunded.

Other threads on here show how they can threaten prosecution without actually having stopped you in person. Buying digital tickets leaves a trail even if they're not scanned in person.

Doing this is a Bad Idea and should not be attempted.

 

[nousername123]

Good to know, thanks everyone for the information, very informative. I can imagine since covid a lot more people are only working a 1-2 days in the office and with the prices we charge in this country for a train ticket, it makes sense that people will claim a refund.

I won't go on a rant about train tickets, I'm sure there is plenty of that already!

Thanks again all

 

[yorkie]

Hey there, I'm wondering what the deal is with tickets purchased through trainline.

They seem to allow a refund on any ticket (minus a £10 admin fee).

This is only for tickets that are unused

From my local station to another there are no barriers either side, so am I to assume that if the ticket isn't activated, or validated by an inspector, then it can always be refunded?

Someone could commit fraud in this manner, yes.

A friend of mine apparently does this for his main commute, as in, 2 refunds a week. I would assume this would be a red flag on the system but at the same time, how could they prove that if the ticket isn't being validated?

Thanks all!

Yea it will set a red flag and the outcome will likely be an investigation which could lead to a criminal record and a fine, or alternatively potentially a hefty out of court settlement.

It may already be too late for your friend, but if they continue doing this, it is a certainty they will be caught - if they haven't been already - and the consequenses will only get more severe.

See other threads on the topic.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Jul 2023 ==

I won't go on a rant about train tickets, I'm sure there is plenty of that already

Rants wouldn't be productive but if you genuinely want help regarding getting good value fares, and are totally prepared to play by the rules, feel free to create a new thread accordingly.