Can I claw back payment made to Civil Enforcement?

shyl

I foolishly panicked and made a payment of £75 to Civil Enforcement by credit card. I phoned the credit card company and was advised to contact Consumer Direct. They said I should write to C E to dispute the amount paid etc.
Is there a template letter? Sorry if it is there and I havent seen it. What approx are my chances of claiming back the money? I have been a silly person and am not usually easily scammed!!! Thank you for any advice.
Kind regards
Shirley

peter_the_piper

Absolutely zero. Unless the C/C can help I'm afraid that the money is gone.

shyl

Many thanks for your reply. The credit card company need a reason to issue a Charge Back Claim.

ManxRed

The reason would need to involve fraud or misrepresentation. As you willingly paid up, I don't think you'll succeed.

I think you've probably just learned a valuable and expensive lesson.

Coupon-mad

shyl wrote: »

Many thanks for your reply. The credit card company need a reason to issue a Charge Back Claim.

Sorry to be harsh but the money has gone to a scammer over a fake PCN you should have IGNORED - it only took a Google search to find this out! There is no reason the Bank can allow for this chargeback because although this whole con relies on a fake PCN looking a bit like a real one, it's not illegal to invoice someone. They invoiced you and you rolled over and paid it.

IMHO you cannot succeed in a charge back over this, the only thing you could do is either:

1. Write a stiff letter of complaint to the retail Store Manager and a copy to the CEO at Head Office, and a copy to the PR Office at the same address, of the store where you were parking (particularly if this was shopping at a busy time like Christmas). Do not word it as an appeal/excuses, instead word it as a COMPLAINT about the scary harassment by the agents, and now you are very angry as you realise you've been duped, these are not real fines at all. Point out that Civil Enforcement breach the BPA Code of Practice in that their fake PCNs are £150 (BPA says £100 max) and in the use of 'Enforcement Notice' on their paperwork which misleads people (it has been flagged by the BPA in a meeting a year ago as a term that should not be used by PPCs) and and it suggests they have a level of authority they simply do not have.

Not only that, the repercussions on the Store's Trade and reputation is disastrous, and the personal effect of this harassment on customers is undefensible by any Store hoping to get repeat custom. Word your letter VERY strongly and ask why xxxxx Store has let in agents which break industry rules and harass customers like this? And say, by the way unless they cancel it and refund you your £75 you will NEVER shop there again and will contact the local press AND Trading Standards forthwith.

OR

2. Sue them for the money back but it's rare (I only know of 2 cases, the Susan Pratt case and the Tasneem Patel case, both succeeded).




I WOULD DEFINITELY CHOOSE OPTION 1. And, wise up and think twice in future before paying a firm money just because they impersonated a parking ticket!

:eek:

bargepole

shyl wrote: »

... What approx are my chances of claiming back the money? ...

Approximately somewhere between slim and none. And Slim has already left the building.

Please note: If you get any emails from Nigerian Government officials, or Chinese Inheritance Lawyers, don't send them any money - it's just as much of a scam.