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

[SchadenfreudePersonified]

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)

Just realised the pages ARE all different colours - it's just the green one and the blue one look the same in this light.

Bugger!

Right then contact them. Ask how to appeal it. Send proof of car being elsewhere. And send everything by registered letter. My appeal was refused because I sent it regular post.

I'd ignore it as I don't see how they could Pursue you paying it seeing as you're in a different country. There is also no mechanism in place for giving speeding points to uk licence holders caught speeding in France.

How can we prove the car was in a different place? Wallywobbles?

tenredthings - this seems to be moot point. Apparently there is an agreement in place with some countries, France being one of them, regarding speeding and traffic violation fines.

Report to Action Fraud.

How can we prove the car was in a different place?

If the fine is from a camera, there should be a photo and it may well not look like your car at all.

Other than that, do you know what you were doing on the day of the fine?

Don't know what we were doing Soup, but do know we were in Scotland.

I'd ignore it as I don't see how they could Pursue you paying it seeing as you're in a different country.

However accept the fact that you may never be able to set foot in France for the rest of your life without hassle whether with a car or without

Did you use your cards around the time in question? Did you book a hotel or a B&B for your trip?

if you dont know what you were doing that day what about the day before and the day after - it's a long drive from Scotland to France? I guess you may have used mobile phones or the internet - any records there that might help? Who saw you while you were in Scotland?

There is cctv everywhere these days. It ought to be possible to prove that your car was in Scotland on the day in question unless it was locked in a garage.

By the same token I would expect the French to be able to produce a picture which you can prove is not your car.

Good point bloodywhitecat! We must have done - thanks!

We've tried to report to Action Fraud - online site kept crashing; phoneline were on hold for ages.

Same with CAB.

Have sent photocopies to the address suggested by a PP, and will try the Action Fraud again. DH is in a state of simmering rage after holding the line for a very long time and then getting cut off, so nothing more will get done today.

If we get any satisfaction (or guillotined) I'll let you all know. I very much appreciate the support everyone's offered. It's helped to clampdown my anxiety a few notches.

*calm down, not clampdown, though clampdown is not inappropriate, I suppose

Just dig mine out, got it in April from a date in October, we were in France then and in the area they said so accepted and paid up, it was €45. (Was only 7kph over)The forms were
Pinkish Payment Notice
Green Violation Notice
Blue Exemption Request Form
All were printed in English, if you have the Exemtion Request form I would fill that in and send it back.
If it helps the address on the Payment Card part of the Request form Was
Centre D'Encaissement Des Amendes
35073 Rennes Cedex 9
France
Not sure if that would be different for different regions.
Hope that helps, good luxk

Thank you wales - I'll suggest this to DH.

Yup the Rennes address is for them all.

Mentioned wales suggestion to DH - he doesn't want to do this because the formula is that we have to pay the fine with the appeal (when appealing on these grounds) and IF they agree we have been wrongly charged, they'll pay it back.

That sounds wrong. You appeal first pay later. But if you loose you pay the higher amount.

This is off the app for paying the fines as mentioned above amendes.gouv

For the fewest hassles and lowest worry, contest, as said by Wallywobbles.
If you can find any receipts or even a redacted copy of your credit card bill for the date in question or a day either side, indicating you were in Scotland it will boost your case.

Got same at work.

I've written and told them without photographic evidence they can bugger off.

The vehicle was at home and has never left the country.

Autumn - you have warmed the cockles of my heart!

Apart from the letter DH has sent (as earlier post) this is pretty much what we're doing.

I wish I didn't panic so much about things. I've always been a worst, and am under a lot of stress at the moment which makes me an even bigger wuss than usual.

Thank you everyone for your responses - they've been very helpful, and a great comfort (odd though that may sound). If we get any further communication I'll let you know what the response is.

Did he send it registered post. If not I can guarantee you will be rejected.

@SchadenfreudePersonified I'll keep you updated on progress but feel free to message me if you need help

He didn't Wally - just got a certificate of posting.

Why do you feel it will definitely be rejected? (As opposed to them just claiming they didn't get anything and ignoring it) Is there any way they can enforce the penalty? Quite honestly, we live pretty much from week-to-week and can't afford to pay it.

Autumnchill - thanks - I'd be interested to hear how your situation goes.