Two Leeds students jailed for £140,000 fake train delay scam
Two international students studying in Leeds have been jailed after defrauding UK train companies out of around £140,000 through fake compensation claims for delayed trains they never travelled on.
Li Liu, 26, and Wanqing Yu, 25, living in student accommodation on Clay Pit Lane, used false identities, disposable email accounts, and virtual bank accounts to orchestrate the large-scale fraud between October 2021 and February 2025.
The scam was uncovered when CrossCountry Trains noticed a pattern of 447 suspicious transactions linked to fraudulent delay claims. Other rail operators later confirmed they had also been targeted by the pair.
Investigators from British Transport Police (BTP) discovered that Liu and Yu used fake names, non-residential addresses, and single-use email accounts—many traced back to China—to submit bogus claims. The compensation money was transferred through virtual bank accounts and funneled into companies processing university tuition fees and personal accounts in Jiangxi, China.
Their scheme began to unravel when a mail redirection service mistakenly sent some repayment forms to their real Leeds address rather than the fake ones they had used. Detectives quickly moved in to arrest the duo.
Investigators found that Liu had paid for his entire university course using the stolen funds, while Yu had cleared most of her student debt through the scam.
At Leeds Crown Court, both defendants pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation and conspiracy to acquire criminal property. Liu was sentenced to two and a half years in prison, while Yu received a 17-week sentence.
Detective Sergeant Alexandra Carter of the British Transport Police said:
“Liu and Yu found a weakness in the system and relentlessly abused it for their own gain. This isn’t a victimless crime — they defrauded train companies and undermined the trust of everyday commuters who pay full fare.”
She added that the successful prosecution should serve as a warning to others attempting similar frauds.
