How do I know if this is a PPC/scam!!

suzzi2704

Hi guys,

Last night I got myself a lovely parking ticket (£40 if paid withing 10 days, £80 if paid after) and i am not sure if it is the real deal or one I can ignore!! It is NOT from the council, it is from a private car park operated by 'Car parking Management - Cumbria' with an address for Rossendales Collect Ltd also. The time on the ticket is 19.55 so they put it on literally minutes after I parked. I don't know much about parking tickets but I thought only the council could issue them for them to be legit?

I called my friend who has ignored a few parking tickets in his time, and he said to just ignore it and it should go away after a few threatening letters - I am happy to do this provided I definitely know its one of these scam ones and I don't need to pay it. Otherwise I am happy to just pay it as I parked somewhere I should'nt!!

I should also add its not my car, its my parents and I will be going away soon meaning all the threatening letters will come to my folks house!! I haven't told said parents yet!!

Any advice appreciated.

Suzzi

trisontana

Rossendales Collect Ltd are in bed with quite a few Private Parking Companies, so just ignore.

peter_the_piper

You've really answered your own question. Tell them about it and insist that they ignore. All private car parks, run by private companies are all the same. Enjoy the trip.

trisontana

Rossendales also seem to be in line for a "Golden Bull" award from the Plain English Campaign, if this example from their website is anything to go by:-

We offer best in class, cost-effective consumer debt collection services for private sector companies and organisations throughout the UK. We provide a bespoke debt recovery treatment strategy tailored to your own individual requirements, supported by statistical analysis and ad hoc reporting to suit your needs.

???

peter_the_piper

I'm worried, some of that actually made sense. Where's the darkened room.

Coupon-mad

Suzzi, worry not about this ticket, it is a bogus one from a PPC.

Your only real concern needs to be to ensure that your parents FULLY understand that they will be receiving letters this year that look as if they are going to be taken to Court, and that they can and must ignore them! They will be addressed to the registered keeper.

The letters may appear to be legit and come on Debt Collector's and Solicitor's headed notepaper, and they will probably say 'notice of intended litigation' or even threaten a 'home visit' or some such twaddle. None of which will actually happen, it's part of their scare tactics.

Show them these article links from pepipoo and explain the scam to them until you are certain they won't just pay it. If they do they are not helping you, they are lining the pockets of scammers and are helping the whole PPC industry:

http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showtopic=46975

http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?autocom=ibwiki&cmd=article&id=56

As your Dad/Mum is the registered keeper of the car - and were not driving it that day - legally the whole thing doesn't even concern them anyway. But they need to understand this (and also know there is no onus on them at all to say who WAS driving).

HTH

davidlizard

There have been a few cases where people on this board have experienced a visit at home from some of these cowboys.

If they do turn up, tell them to leave immediately (you may be as polite or otherwise as you want). If they refuse, or are otherwise aggressive, then call the police.

The probability of them turning up on your doorstep is low, but do be prepared just in case.