WWYD? weir parking fine notice

[thegrumpallo]

reveived a 'parking charge notice' for £60 for parking 'our car' in a car park that's nowhere near where we live (think Leeds vs Bournemouth)... for a time when neither of us were anywhere even remotely in the area. Photos of a car with matching model, make and even reg no attached in the notice....

WTF? is this a new kind of scam?!

Is there anything in the photo you can dispute, something that proves the car isn't yours?
Do you have proof perhaps of where you car was on that day? Parking tickets, cctv from work or home etc..?

Also who has the parking fine come from? Is it council?

Cloned plate?

If it's a private car park, look up the company online. Loads of them are scammers but they can't enforce anything. We got a highly dubious charge from one place and they sent about six letters claiming we owed a mounting amount. We just ignored it and in the end they gave up.

it's a private parking company.
I don't have proof the car wasn't there. I know it's not our car though because we have a roof-rack on the top, and the one in the photos does not. + the fact that it's a few hundred miles away...

I think the plates are cloned , but what does that mean . and what do i do about it? sorry if I sound ignorant

brandyb i did look them up. everything about it feels dodgy, so obviously won't hand any cash over. but what if the plates are cloned? i guess notify DVLA??

If you think the plates have been oned I would contact the police. Show them the parking ticket and any evidence you have that it couldn't have been your car

were there photos included in your fine?

So might be worth a call to your insurance Company

I would contact the police, DVLA and your insurance company straight away, who know what other fines may come through your door, not to mention criminal activity!

Just tell them it's a cloned plate and it wasn't you in that car park on that day. It won't be the first time they've heard that, so will have a procedure.

Probably notify your local police too, so it can be logged on the system - I assume that this is the sort of thing MN favourite, 101 is for?

If there is anything that can prove you were somewhere else on that day, being at work, use of bank card etc, probably a good idea to look into this, just in case you are asked for evidence you weren't parking your car illegally in the distant city.

If you think your plates have been cloned, then tell your insurance company in case they are involved in anything iliegal.

ok thanks everyone... will contact relevant parties as suggested.

I recall reading a tip suggesting you place a sticker on the rear window of your car and front windscreen to help if you ever have your plates cloned.
Cant hurt

This happened to us (though a congestion charge notice despite us not being in London) I called the police who put out a national alert and told us to carry our car ownership documents until told otherwise and our drivers licences, but they noted our normal driving patterns - two weeks later the cloned person was caught, wasn't even the same model of car, similar style and colour.

You will need to report to police. As a PP has said, they will put a marker on the car which means you will spend forever being pulled over

The only way you will get the charge removed is by passing the parking company a crime reference no.

Something similar happened to a colleague except it was a speeding fine. From the photos of the car which he requested when asked to ID the driver he could prove it wasn't his. His plates had been cloned. He contacted the police and his insurers.

You may find that you can prove from mobile phone records you were elsewhere on the date in question to get the parking company off your back. Google has a find Android function if you have an Android phone.