Parking ticket - not mine

[Shermanator]

So I got a letter in today from a debt collection agency telling me this is my final warning and I need to pay the £160! to the car park managing company for staying too long or else court action will follow. It's addressed to me, my name etc but is for a black Renault Clio and the offense was in Govan. I drive a blue Citroen C1 and an MGB GT and have never been to Govan.

I've phoned the number on the letter, spoke to someone in "collections" who confirmed who I was, asked me an address in Renfrew which I confirmed I had nothing to do with and then said "mhm, looks to be a mis-trace, I'll make sure you don't get anymore correspondence". I thought that was the end of that however my mum put the thought into my head that someone has stolen my identity. I'm not sure why you would as I have no life, and why the first time I would be hearing about it is for a parking charge from May 2019! However now the thought is there I'm massively overthinking and worrying about it. The options of what it may be, which I can think of, are as follows:

1. Genuine mis-trace, clicked the wrong name on the database and sent it to the wrong person. However how would they have my details in the first place!? And surely they would just send the final warning letter to the same person they sent the rest to (I never received anything else)?
2. Someone I know has parked and when questioned stated I was driving at the time, gave all my details over and boom I get it. However again, why would it just be the final warning letter I get? I also can't think of anyone who would know my details to such an extent, and owns a black Clio.
3. Someone has genuinely stolen my identity and there is also loads of credit cards, car finance etc in my name which I'm unaware of. Blooming scary thought, but I think it might he unlikely as again it's the final warning letter I got, nothing else.

Any other suggestions as to what it could be? Any suggestions on what to do should i need to do anything?
Many of you may think I'm worrying and working myself up over nothing but I want to be 100% sure before I forget about it.

[ScoobyChris]

Did they just key in the reg number wrong when they got the info from DVLA? Were there any photos from the company showing the car parked or entering the car park?

Chris

[Countdown]

Shermanator said:

So I got a letter in today from a debt collection agency telling me this is my final warning and I need to pay the £160! to the car park managing company for staying too long or else court action will follow. It's addressed to me, my name etc but is for a black Renault Clio and the offense was in Govan. I drive a blue Citroen C1 and an MGB GT and have never been to Govan.

I've phoned the number on the letter, spoke to someone in "collections" who confirmed who I was, asked me an address in Renfrew which I confirmed I had nothing to do with and then said "mhm, looks to be a mis-trace, I'll make sure you don't get anymore correspondence". I thought that was the end of that however my mum put the thought into my head that someone has stolen my identity. I'm not sure why you would as I have no life, and why the first time I would be hearing about it is for a parking charge from May 2019! However now the thought is there I'm massively overthinking and worrying about it. The options of what it may be, which I can think of, are as follows:

1. Genuine mis-trace, clicked the wrong name on the database and sent it to the wrong person. However how would they have my details in the first place!? And surely they would just send the final warning letter to the same person they sent the rest to (I never received anything else)?
2. Someone I know has parked and when questioned stated I was driving at the time, gave all my details over and boom I get it. However again, why would it just be the final warning letter I get? I also can't think of anyone who would know my details to such an extent, and owns a black Clio.
3. Someone has genuinely stolen my identity and there is also loads of credit cards, car finance etc in my name which I'm unaware of. Blooming scary thought, but I think it might he unlikely as again it's the final warning letter I got, nothing else.

Any other suggestions as to what it could be? Any suggestions on what to do should i need to do anything?
Many of you may think I'm worrying and working myself up over nothing but I want to be 100% sure before I forget about it.

is it possible that there's a Black Renault Clio driving around on false number plates?

[Thermobaric]

SAR to the car park company I would say would be a good plan.

[sherman]

Private parking restrictions are unenfoceable in scotland as far as Im aware. Only tickets by council traffic wardens and police are enforceable.

Is your number plate 1 digit either way of the clio. You can check yourself easily enough online.

[Shermanator]

Oh sorry, probably should have mentioned this the numberplates are nothing alike, the clio has a normal 65 plate on it, my C1 has a private plate; one letter, 2 digits, 3 letter on it.

[Pinkie15]

Shermanator said:

So I got a letter in today from a debt collection agency telling me this is my final warning and I need to pay the £160! to the car park managing company for staying too long or else court action will follow. It's addressed to me, my name etc but is for a black Renault Clio and the offense was in Govan. I drive a blue Citroen C1 and an MGB GT and have never been to Govan.

I've phoned the number on the letter, spoke to someone in "collections" who confirmed who I was, asked me an address in Renfrew which I confirmed I had nothing to do with and then said "mhm, looks to be a mis-trace, I'll make sure you don't get anymore correspondence". I thought that was the end of that however my mum put the thought into my head that someone has stolen my identity. I'm not sure why you would as I have no life, and why the first time I would be hearing about it is for a parking charge from May 2019! However now the thought is there I'm massively overthinking and worrying about it. The options of what it may be, which I can think of, are as follows:

1. Genuine mis-trace, clicked the wrong name on the database and sent it to the wrong person. However how would they have my details in the first place!? And surely they would just send the final warning letter to the same person they sent the rest to (I never received anything else)?
2. Someone I know has parked and when questioned stated I was driving at the time, gave all my details over and boom I get it. However again, why would it just be the final warning letter I get? I also can't think of anyone who would know my details to such an extent, and owns a black Clio.
3. Someone has genuinely stolen my identity and there is also loads of credit cards, car finance etc in my name which I'm unaware of. Blooming scary thought, but I think it might he unlikely as again it's the final warning letter I got, nothing else.

Any other suggestions as to what it could be? Any suggestions on what to do should i need to do anything?
Many of you may think I'm worrying and working myself up over nothing but I want to be 100% sure before I forget about it.

If you’re really concerned about #3 then get hold of your credit file from the credit reference agencies; Experian, Equifax and a third I can’t remember.

It should be free

[bigandclever]

Shermanator said:

So I
Any other suggestions as to what it could be?

There are 109 Scott Shermans in the UK just on LinkedIn. It’ll be a boring old mistrace.

[jondude]

The debt collection agency is legit, right? Not a bunch of scammers sending out hundreds of fake tickets in the hope a few % will just pay up?

[Mrr T]

sherman said:

Private parking restrictions are unenfoceable in scotland as far as Im aware. Only tickets by council traffic wardens and police are enforceable.

Is your number plate 1 digit either way of the clio. You can check yourself easily enough online.

You are out of date keeper liability was introduced to Scotland 1 May 2019. You lucky Scots now you can join the party.

[sherman]

Mrr T said:

You are out of date keeper liability was introduced to Scotland 1 May 2019. You lucky Scots now you can join the party.

[The Mad Monk]

bigandclever said:

There are 109 Scott Shermans in the UK just on LinkedIn. It’ll be a boring old mistrace.

That's strange.

There are only 18 on 192.com.

[Jimmy No Hands]

I had this recently, except it was a cloned plate. Did it within 12 hours of me putting the advert online for sale (last time I leave a reg on a pic)

Sent council pictures of my actual car and they dropped it. Although this doesn't sound like the same thing, but it is a scary world!

[spikyone]

Pinkie15 said:

If you’re really concerned about #3 then get hold of your credit file from the credit reference agencies; Experian, Equifax and a third I can’t remember.

It should be free

There are several free sites that give you a full report (based on the three main CRAs):

Clearscore (Equifax's data)
Money Saving Expert's Credit Club (Experian's data)
Credit Karma or Totally Money (Transunion's data - I prefer Credit Karma, of those)

If you go to Equifax/Experian directly you'll only get a very basic report for free.

[matchmaker]

Mrr T said:

sherman said:

Private parking restrictions are unenfoceable in scotland as far as Im aware. Only tickets by council traffic wardens and police are enforceable.

Is your number plate 1 digit either way of the clio. You can check yourself easily enough online.

You are out of date keeper liability was introduced to Scotland 1 May 2019. You lucky Scots now you can join the party.

The Act didn't receive Royal Assent until 15th November 2019.

[TonyF1]

Shermanator said:

Oh sorry, probably should have mentioned this the numberplates are nothing alike, the clio has a normal 65 plate on it, my C1 has a private plate; one letter, 2 digits, 3 letter on it.

Is your car a 65 plate? All new cars are allocated a standard registration which the car reverts to should the private plates be withdrawn from the car. Unlikely but the other car could be on your allocated standard plate.