Helppppp... I'm pooping myself

olipot

How dreadful that they can do this, I would probably have paid up thinking it was legal, how many more people would fall for this

Coupon-mad

olipot wrote: »

How dreadful that they can do this, I would probably have paid up thinking it was legal, how many more people would fall for this

Over 60% of victims just pay up, apparently.

People in the UK are far too quick to fall for scams IMHO and this one fools more than most because they impersonate parking tickets - the very bills that most people fear and would rush to pay to avoid an increase. And because these scumbags hang out in legit Supermarket/retail/Uni/railway/Hospital/residents' or cinema/entertainment complex car parks (not usually in some old scrap piece of land) and they put signs up and all...and they use debt collector headed notepaper and all...!

But it's easy to ignore this scam. Never pay a private parking ticket. Just play snap with the threatograms against our third from top thread.

The_Slithy_Tove

olipot wrote: »

How dreadful that they can do this, I would probably have paid up thinking it was legal, how many more people would fall for this

Unfortunately far too many. It is said that about 65% pay up without question. Very sad that so much "dirty" money goes into the pockets of scammers and borderline crooks.

Guardsman

Why does the current system make it so easy for these people to find your address simply by looking at your car reg

taffy056

Guardsman wrote: »

Why does the current system make it so easy for these people to find your address simply by looking at your car reg

Because the dvla is part of the scam, they get a nice £2.50 a time for it , they get millions per year selling your details to the parking companies, some of whom have been convicted for fraud amongst other things.

unholyangel

trets77 wrote: »

So someone in a Mecca bingo uniform claims you parked and now you owe £150.

I would like see that stand up in court.

Ignore the letters and worry no more.

They also took a picture.


Although I wonder if that would fall foul of the DPA given that they are not obtaining "personal info" for personal/home purposes and are openly collecting them for commercial use/with the intention of disclosing it to a third party. Unless they have a privacy notice clearly marked?


Perhaps RK's need to start complaining to the appropriate data controller (both of the parking company and DVLA) that they do not feel their information is being processed a) fairly or b) in a way that they would reasonably expect.

What would be the legalities if the RK isnt driving yet their details are processed anyway without any details of a privacy notice or consent?

A friend of mine frequents a coffee place - sometimes several times in one day if he's out and about working. He has had dozens of letters from a parking company stating he overstayed the 2 hour max stay. Their system must be automated that if any registration shows up more than 2 hours later, they send a threatening letter. What the computer fails to find is further images in between that show him leaving and then returning at a later time. Again (personally) I wouldnt say this is fair processing of personal data.

Coupon-mad

Guardsman wrote: »

Why does the current system make it so easy for these people to find your address simply by looking at your car reg

It's been discussed for years; 'the DVLA should be sued under the DPA' said CAG forums:

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?123302-The-DVLA-should-be-sued-under-the-Data-Protection-Act

And as well as Watchdog programmes about the millions the DVLA make from this, there have been loads of newspaper articles:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/8432227/DVLA-selling-drivers-details-to-unscrupulous-car-parking-firms.html


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2123390/7-000-drivers-names-sold-criminals-How-DVLA-21m-selling-details-4-85m-motorists.html#ixzz1qjeN0HCs

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2064885/DVLA-sells-data-2-50-pretty-dodgy-characters-says-MP.html

...but nothing is done. It's all about the money and if you follow the money you will see that there are a good few larger parking companies whose top brass have government and Royal friendships. That may or may not have something to do with it...

:mad:

Coupon-mad

unholyangel wrote: »

They also took a picture.


Although I wonder if that would fall foul of the DPA given that they are not obtaining "personal info" for personal/home purposes and are openly collecting them for commercial use/with the intention of disclosing it to a third party. Unless they have a privacy notice clearly marked?


Perhaps RK's need to start complaining to the appropriate data controller (both of the parking company and DVLA) that they do not feel their information is being processed a) fairly or b) in a way that they would reasonably expect.

What would be the legalities if the RK isnt driving yet their details are processed anyway without any details of a privacy notice or consent?

A friend of mine frequents a coffee place - sometimes several times in one day if he's out and about working. He has had dozens of letters from a parking company stating he overstayed the 2 hour max stay. Their system must be automated that if any registration shows up more than 2 hours later, they send a threatening letter. What the computer fails to find is further images in between that show him leaving and then returning at a later time. Again (personally) I wouldnt say this is fair processing of personal data.

As per the post and links above. Endless complants have gone in to the DVLA and the ICO, loads of Freedom of Info requests to the DVLA, lots and lots of pressure put on them about this issue.

Result = nothing changed. :mad: