UK CPM - never heard of place and no number plate visible in the photo

Nashie83

Hi There, My parents have had a letter from UK PCM (uk car park management) with a photo of a car like theirs (colour doesn't look quite right) and the number plate is just plain white - they claim it was parked in a place called 'cricketers parade' late at night. There is nowhere near here called that, and the only one I can find is in Worthing, where this company happen to be based... the car has never been anywhere near there since they have owned it. It seems from research that these guys are pretty shady and the tickets/fines are mostly unenforceable, but has anyone heard of outright scams like this before? It seems like they have sent a generic picture to anyone owning a car like that and trying to charge them £100... My parents are a bit freaked out but I think we should ignore it. Anyone think differently?
Thanks in advance.

hoohoo

Appeal on the basis this is not your car and have never been there. Ask for all photographs they have as your vehicle is likely to have been cloned.

Try and make sure your car has something distinguishing near the numberplates so you can prove it is not you if you get speeding fines, etc.

Consider informing the dvla your plates have been cloned.

Nashie83

I might be misunderstanding, but what is the evidence the plates have been cloned? The picture they sent does not show a number plate... I think they are sending the same photo to lots of people registered with the same make and model and just seeing who bites...

prowla

You could contact the police.

martmonk

Nashie83 wrote: »

I might be misunderstanding, but what is the evidence the plates have been cloned? The picture they sent does not show a number plate... I think they are sending the same photo to lots of people registered with the same make and model and just seeing who bites...

In order to obtain the registered keepers details they would have needed the reg number. That's what suggests cloning.

hoohoo

In that case also complain to the BPA and ask them to investigate.
aos@BRITISHPARKING.CO.UK

The_Slithy_Tove

Before we all start shouting "cloned car", the more likely scenario of a number plate misread must first be considered. Contact the UKPCM by post or email (never by phone), challenging the notice, stating the car was never there, and that they should check the images for an incorrect number plate read.

Nashie83

Thanks everyone - all replies appreciated.
How would they have a picture of the same make and model (and roughly the same colour) with only a slight number plate misread? Isn't that a bit of a stroke of luck that both cars turn out to be incredibly similar?
Does no one else share my theory that this is just speculative scamming?

bazster

Nashie83 wrote: »

Thanks everyone - all replies appreciated.
How would they have a picture of the same make and model (and roughly the same colour) with only a slight number plate misread? Isn't that a bit of a stroke of luck that both cars turn out to be incredibly similar?
Does no one else share my theory that this is just speculative scamming?

No. How would they have got your parents' name and address? There is no publicly-accessible database of vehicles by which they can look up registered keeper details by car make, model and colour. The only way they can get RK details from DVLA is by specifying the registration number.

runningben16

If it's a new-ish car and local to the area where the parking 'offence' occurred, it's actually quite likely to be a misread. For examply, my car reg ends NWY, and I still live close to the dealer I got it from brand new. I know that NWX and NWZ are identical models (because I saw them on the forecourt when I collected mine), and NWZ is the same colour.
Mass-produced cars are usually registered in batches, so in fact it's quite likely that an identical car will have a similar plate.

fisherjim

Nashie83 wrote: »

I might be misunderstanding, but what is the evidence the plates have been cloned? The picture they sent does not show a number plate... I think they are sending the same photo to lots of people registered with the same make and model and just seeing who bites...

As shady as most PPC's are I really think you are barking up the wrong tree with that theory!