Speeding ticket, but I wasn’t where they say I was

[IRememberWhenThisWasAllFieldsAndCakePunching]

Hi everyone, I’ve just received a notice of intended prosecution for speeding, but I’ve looked at the time, date and location and I wasn’t there. I wasn’t even on the same road, for example, the stated road was the A222 but I drove on the road B222 and was a good seven minute drive from the roundabout where it changes from B222 to A222.

on top of that, the time of the incident is listed as 11.10, but I was sitting on the drive of a client, sending an invoice at 11.09 (I can see when I sent it from the app I use.) I wouldn’t have even been on the main B222 road by 11.10.

I’m a bit concerned that either it’s a scam (it looks very official) or I’m going to have to pay for something I didn’t do. Has anyone else experienced this?

Hope you get to the bottom of it!

It’s been such a rubbish week, I’m not usually someone that speeds either. The letter has been the final straw and I could cry!

Don't use the contact details on the letter, if it's a scam then you are playing into it.

If online says they dont have phone numbers, it very much sounds like a scam. These things usually have photo evidence.

Don't use any contact details from the letter but Google and contact them directly. Im guessing it's a scam from everything you have said.

Can you look up the number of the police station that sent it? Then if you call and give them the reference number they might be able to confirm if the actual letter is genuine, or advise what to do to contest it.

To be fair I recently got a speeding ticket. I knew 100% I was at work that day and hadn't used the car, but when I spoke with DH he realised he had used my car (and been speeding) but the initial letter simply asks to confirm you were driving or say someone else was, it didn't have any info about fines or points. The second letter (that DH received) had the options of paying/doing the speed awareness course/getting points etc.

The email address that I could send my details into was the same on the letter as online, so I’m guessing the letter isn’t a scam? It looks like a bad photocopy to be fair though, the logos are all faded!

Both me and my DS have had our number plates cloned.

DS was in his first year of driving and had black box at the time, so that was easy to prove.

I got a bill for ££££s for apparently crashing into a roundabout and knocking over a street lamp 😆 That wasn't so easy to prove, but it was a couple of hundred miles away from where I live.

Probably what's happened to you, OP, as PPs have said.

Don't contact anyone using the details on the letter - ring the police station directly and ask them about it.

Op what is the domain of the email address you were given? Not the full email, just the domain I.e @google.com

Have you googled the email and phone number? What sort of number is it.

I would double check with the police force itself that it's a domain they use - it's very very easy to make up similar sounding ones for fraudulent reasons. Also trying to stretch back my memory and I believe you usually either have a photo included in the letter or a link to an online portal to check the photo- don't do anything without seeing the evidence of 'your' vehicle.

Email? I thought that these notices had to come by post.

Does sound like some kind of scam. Yes, the OP needs to click on the name to see what the actual email address is.

Google "MSE" and "Speeding". You'll get good advice on that forum.

I posted there about a parking fine I'd got from one of those private companies...Got very good advice and the (false) charge was cancelled.

Sorry I'm not british and I've received several times scam emails to make me pay a fine. Funny thing is, I don't own a car, soooo... 😂

Cloned plate or a misread. Challenge the NIP

NIPS are sent in the post

What speed were you doing? Normally they send a photo, details of fine and or points etc, unless it was an extreme speed.

When I got caught speeding I went online to admit being the driver and there was clear photographic evidence with a close up of my face. I think it may depend on the type of device used - this was with a mobile device (in a van). There was no doubt that I was the driver 😳

Call the police on their 101 number and get advice. Something here sounds a bit off to me. Tell them everything you have mentioned here and ask how to challenge this as it could be cloned number plates and/or a scam.

Normally if you get a fixed penalty notice there is photographic evidence on the letter. That you say there isn't would set alarm bells ringing for me.

If no joy with 101 then go into your local police station with the letter. They should be able to advise whether it is legitimate or not. Definitely don't pay anything until you have had proper advice in case it is a scam (quite possible).

I googled the police force and used the link there, so not the one on the letter, although it was the same. When I clicked on the bit where it said about evidence (can’t remember the exact wording) but there were no photos or anything, so I used the email listed on the website to email, asking for the photo.

it says I was doing 26 in a 20. I rarely speed, if ever, because I was caught speeding (34 in a 30) while I was pregnant with 9yo DS and did a speed awareness course and it put so much fear of the consequences in me that I don’t do it.

it’s the timing as well - I was on the drive of a house when I sent my invoice, that was sent at 11.09, even if I left at dead on that time, I wouldn’t even have made it off the little estate by 11.10, let alone to the road proper.

From what I recall you don't get the photograph until after the registered keeper has confirmed who was driving. Sounds like the letter you've received is legit. When I was "done" I tried contacting the email address on the initial letter to put forward some mitigation (to no effect, thanks Plymouth), I did get a reply from them explaining why so I would use that approach to ask what to do because you weren't there (so you can't say who was driving at that place and time).

Good luck.

edited - should have typed faster!

Is there a 20mph limit on the A222? Sorry I don't know the road.

I dont think in 2025 many scams involve actual letters in the post like this. I know mners think everything is a scam

It'll just be some kind of mix up, you know it wasn't you so they won't be able to prove it was. Should be easy to resolve

The road wasn’t the A222, I just didn’t want to give the real road in an effort not to give too many identifying details 😂 but I think it probably is a 20 to be fair!

Is there a letter in your reg that could get mistaken for another?

I second Pp. If take the letter to a police station, they can clarify if it's real or a scan and at the same time lodge a complaint that you think you're plates might be cloned.
I wouldn't engage with any correspondence details in the letter. Alternatively you could ring the police force who have issued the notice via their number listed in line.
You know you weren't there so it's either a scam, an error or cloning. Whichever you need to lodge a report about it.