Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Legal matters

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you have any legal concerns we suggest you consult a solicitor.

Original poster

Supposedly broken the speed limit in France - is this a scam?

86 replies

SchadenfreudePersonified · 09/07/2019 14:55

DH has received a very official communication stating that we were clocked breaking the speed limit in France, and demanding a fixed penalty of €90. The vehicle details are correct.

We haven't been to France, and it most certainly wasn't us or our car. t the date we supposedly broke the speed limit we were actually in Scotland.

There is an "appeal" available apparently, but it involves giving a lot of personal details on the form - if these are scammers it is an open invitation to just steal our identities and empty our bank accounts!

Has anyone had anything similar happen? and if so, how did you deal with it?

It's got me worried out of all proportion to what it is as I am extremely stressed at the moment and can't seem to calm myself down. I'd really appreciate a bit of advice, or even a hand-hold. (Sorry for being wussy)

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
TrickyKid · 09/07/2019 14:58

Ignore it. Obviously a scam if you weren't even in France. I'd chuck it away and forget about it.

Nesssie · 09/07/2019 14:58

Well if you haven't been to France and were in Scotland at the time of the 'offence' then it obviously is a scam! Especially if they are asking for bank details.

Report to Citizens Advice who will then pass it on to Trading Standards
www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/get-more-help/if-you-need-more-help-about-a-consumer-issue/

Nesssie · 09/07/2019 14:59

As it has your vehicle details I would report it rather than chuck it.

Scorpiovenus · 09/07/2019 14:59

Different country wouldn't be able to enforce it anyways

billybagpuss · 09/07/2019 15:00

Definitely a scam I would think, but can you upload a pic (obviously black out any personal details, car reg names and dates times etc.) so we can help you to double check.

Katinthedoghouse · 09/07/2019 15:03

That used to be the case Scorpio, but no longer true unfortunately.

A speeding ticket would give their bank details so you can pay into that account directly rather than asking for yours ?

It sounds suspicious. Is there a car Registration listed on the form

DonkeyHohtay · 09/07/2019 15:04

Well obviously it's a scam if you've never been to France!

Celebelly · 09/07/2019 15:08

Well it's not necessarily as scam as someone might have cloned your number plate and then actually been speeding in France. But it probably is.

Frazzled2207 · 09/07/2019 15:13

We got a genuine one after we went to France. We paid up. But I seem to remember that we googled and they are not really enforceable outside the country anyway.

But given that it's clearly not genuine, def ignore and bin. Seems like an odd scam though given that nobody would pay it unless they were in France at the time, surely? Why not try and scam a uk fine, they'd have a higher hit rate surely ?!

Original poster
SchadenfreudePersonified · 09/07/2019 15:13

Wow!

What quick responses! Thank you.

Katinthedoghouse - yes - the vehicle registration details are right. We wondered if someone has been using false plates. This is why we wondered if it might be a genuine document, rather than just binning it

(Thank you for your helpful comment Donkeyhohtay - just because we weren't in France doesn't mean that someone with out license number wasn't).

The fine increases the longer we take to pay it, in stages up to €135.

We're taking Nesssie's advice and are ringing the CAB - thank you Nesssie. Hopefully they can help, but if anyone has any other advice it will be gratefully received.

OP posts:
user1469530553 · 09/07/2019 15:14

We received a summons for an accident in Cornwall with the correct vehicle details. We are in Scotland, never been to Cornwall. I just wrote and told them and never heard anything more about it.

Frazzled2207 · 09/07/2019 15:15

Ps if you pm me a photo of it I can tell if it looks like the one we had (which was def genuine, we did indeed drive along the roads they said and i can believe that my husband drove a bit too fast for the limit, albeit literally only 1 or 2
Kph above)

Frazzled2207 · 09/07/2019 15:17

Ps If it is real it will all be in French with "republique francaise" all over it.

Original poster
SchadenfreudePersonified · 09/07/2019 15:20

Frazzled - I know! I thought it was weird, too, but nothing is past crooks is it?

DH has just spoken to CAB (thanks again for the link Nesssie and they are going to pass the details on to Trading Standards, and have also advised that we report it to the police as there is a possibility that our license plates have been cloned.

I know this is very much a first world problem, but honestly I am so stressed at the moment* that this is the last straw and I could just sit an weep.

*Real Life - it's a BUGGER!

OP posts:
Original poster
SchadenfreudePersonified · 09/07/2019 15:25

Frazzled

I'll see if I can sort photos out and post them.

It does have the name of the road, and it has "Republique Francais" in a couple of places, but the document itself is in English.

OP posts:
PigletJohn · 09/07/2019 15:32

"it has "Republique Francais" in a couple of places,"

is that exactly how it is spelled?

CremantDeLoireSocialist · 09/07/2019 15:34

We had one of these letters after actually speeding in France (so a genuine one). I'm pretty sure it was all in French and it was obvious from the envelope, stamp etc that it was posted in France. Could that be a clue?

PigletJohn · 09/07/2019 15:34

Is it a "communication" in a letter with a post-paid official franking on the envelope, and an address somewhere in France?

It wasn't an email, was it?

Original poster
SchadenfreudePersonified · 09/07/2019 15:40

Piglet

No - I've missed the "e" off Francaise. Also there are accents - cedillas and stuff. Sorry about that - it raised my hopes for a minute, too.

Grin
OP posts:
Original poster
SchadenfreudePersonified · 09/07/2019 15:43

Is it a "communication" in a letter with a post-paid official franking on the envelope, and an address somewhere in France?

This ^ .

Not an e-mail Piglet

Cremont - no stamp as such. Just a franking. And not in French - in English.

OP posts:
babysharkah · 09/07/2019 15:48

There's a new agreement with France that they can pursue you for speeding fines.

If you've not been in France I'd be ignoring it!

NotAnotherJaffaCake · 09/07/2019 15:51

We've had (correct) speeding fines from France before and I'm fairly sure they were written in French, titled Avis de Contravention. Google images has some examples of bona fide letters.

clearsommespace · 09/07/2019 15:54

I live in France and have been caught a couple if times.
When it is genuine you can contest it or pay by card online and they never ask for bank details (just card details if you pay online.)

You should be able to contest it online without providing any more info than that on the notice and your reason for contesting.
For example I got caught in DH's car. Points were involved so he contested and just had to provide the info on the notice and my name and address.
Then it was reissued in my name.

clearsommespace · 09/07/2019 15:56

And yes, in French it's Avis de Contravention.

fairydustandpixies · 09/07/2019 16:03

Sounds like a scam. DS1 had his plates cloned and got a speeding ticket. Luckily the telematics from his black box proved he was 200 miles away at the time.

Last week I got an invoice from a county council wanting £3k for knocking over a lamppost. Turns out I've been cloned too!

Try not to worry about it.