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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

This takes the biscuit!

37 replies

DrVonPatak · 02/05/2019 10:24

More a WWYD?

Just opened my post today to find a letter from the council fining me £100 for apparently being caught not picking up after my dog. If not paid immediately, it could go up to £1000.

Here's the catch... I don't have a dog. I have a cat that refuses to step outside due to trauma prior to being rehomed by us. My vet can vouch for this. None of my visitors ever showed up with a dog, so that can't be it. Normally this is quite a tidy area, can't remember seeing any fouling recently.

Not sure what to do?

OP posts:
Moondancer73 · 02/05/2019 10:26

Ring the council and tell them that you don't have a dog?!

TheGrey1houndSpeaks · 02/05/2019 10:27

Contact the council. That might be a good place to start? Confused

HBStowe · 02/05/2019 10:27

Just tell the council you don’t have a dog.

MustardScreams · 02/05/2019 10:28

Call the council and tell them you don’t have a dog. It’s rather simple!

MustardScreams · 02/05/2019 10:28

Call the council and tell them you don’t have a dog. It’s rather simple!

CatG85 · 02/05/2019 10:29

I'd go to the council instead of MN.... :-)

Yeah if you can prove you don't have a dog and ask where they got this info from I'm sure they'll just drop the fine. Good luck.

Happynow001 · 02/05/2019 10:30

Ring the council and tell them that you don't have a dog?!
Follow it up in writing, attaching a copy of the letter they sent you. Keep a copy of all correspondence in case they're not be willing to admit they are wrong. How did they get this "information" anyway?

YesimstillwatchingNetflix · 02/05/2019 10:32

A real head scratcher this one. 🤔

Honestly some of these posts make me wonder how some people get through every day life.

MadSweeney · 02/05/2019 10:35

Sounds like someone has given your name OP.

I know when issuing litter fines the council ask for name and address, assuming dog fouling is the same.

Original poster
DrVonPatak · 02/05/2019 10:42

Just got off the phone.

It's a scam, the council has no record of issuing me with a fine.

They asked for a copy of the letter. It really looked like a real thing, never gave it a thought that it could be a fake. Just goes to show how you have to stay on the ball.

A nice lesson though... now I'm happy I have shared it, just in case anyone gets something similar.

OP posts:
TheGrey1houndSpeaks · 02/05/2019 10:43

No, it just shows that calling the council was the bloody obvious thing to do, op...

Witchend · 02/05/2019 10:44

I was going to say it must be a scam. They can't issue you a fine on say so, they have to catch you either on CCTV or personally.

Otherwise I could phone up any council and get fines to all the people who have irritated me by giving their names and claiming that.

Original poster
DrVonPatak · 02/05/2019 10:50

Ok, so the obvious thing WAS to call the council, but can you really blame me for getting flustered about an official letter demanding I pay up £100 I really can't afford ATM? I'm sure most people would have ended up panicking to some extent.
But, yeah, not really proud of it 😳

OP posts:
EstuaryBird · 02/05/2019 10:52

Thanks OP - really useful to flag this as a scam, it’s not one that I’ve heard of before and I’ll share it with local dog groups x

misscockerspaniel · 02/05/2019 10:55

Phoning the council was obviously the thing to do but sharing it on here was also a good idea , don't beat yourself up Smile. Just shows that scammers stop at nothing and we have to keep our wits about us.

Halloumimuffin · 02/05/2019 10:58

People are so rude - there was no harm done in you sharing it on here and you got your answer. Noone ever panicked in the moment?

Hoppinggreen · 02/05/2019 11:02

It’s fine to share it on here OP
If people only posted things that the MN hive mind could instantly fix for them it would be pretty dull

GodDammitAmy · 02/05/2019 11:07

Well I'm glad you posted OP because I do have dogs and if I'd received this letter I probably would have panicked and paid (even though I always clear up after mine). I did wonder how they would have got an address though.

Glitterblue · 02/05/2019 11:15

I don't know why everyone is being rude, there's nothing wrong with asking here, OP. Glad you got it sorted out and thanks for sharing the info.

Cheby · 02/05/2019 11:16

I assumed it was someone else who’d been caught and gave them your name when asked. Interesting to know it’s a scam.

Original poster
DrVonPatak · 02/05/2019 11:18

I'm not sure about the address, because I shred, compost and recycle religiously. The only option is if my CV got into wrong hands 🤔

OP posts:
S1naidSucks · 02/05/2019 11:18

Thanks for sharing that, OP. I’m a dog sitter and it wouldn’t have crossed my mind that it would be a scam, if that came through my door. I always pick up, but I know people in the same line of work who have had malicious reports too. So I would just have assumed this was one.

CatkinToadflax · 02/05/2019 11:23

Thank you for sharing OP. We do have a dog and we always clean up after her - but if I'd got that letter I'd probably immediately start shouting at DH due to assuming that he'd forgotten to!

floraloctopus · 02/05/2019 11:25

The thread title should surely be 'this takes the dog biscuit' ?

Glsd you got it sorted OP.

Connieston · 02/05/2019 11:34

Its not a scam I'd heard about and I'd be similarly worried if I got a fine for something I'd not done so thanks for posting.