Parking fine, but not my car. Number plate cloned.

D_P_Dance

Your plates may not have been cloned   Another registration may have been digitally enhansed.   Google faults with ANPR.

Nine times out of ten these tickets are scams, so consider complaining to your MP., it can cause the scammer extra costs, and in some cases, cancellation. 

Parliament is well aware of the MO of these private parking companies, many of whom are former clampers, and on 15th March 2019 a Bill was enacted to curb the excesses of these shysters. Codes of Practice are being drawn up, an independent appeals service will be set up later this year,

Just as the clampers were finally closed down, so hopefully will many of these companies, persistent offenders denied access to the DVLA database and unable to operate.

Hopefully life will become impossible for the worst of these scammers, but until this is done you should still complain to your MP, citing the new legislation.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2019/8/contents/of these Private Parking Companies.

Coupon-mad

Umkomaas said:

It's more than likely your VRM has been misread by the ANPR (or CCTV as NTC use these extensively). Possibly a 6 as a 0 (or vice versa) a C as a G (or vice versa) for example, rather than a number plate cloning. The identification of your vehicle make and model is not done by them, rather they are handed that information linked to the VRM they have provided to the DVLA.  We see far more of such incidences rather than cloning. 

Any of your VRM numbers/letters that could be confused with ones similar in shape?  

Your plates may not have been cloned   Another registration may have been digitally enhanced. 

 Umkomaas and DP Dance are correct. 

Your presumption that your plates have been cloned is highly unlikely:

 So my plates have been cloned 

This is a bog standard bit of negligent enhancing by the PPC, in not interpreting an unclear VRM properly.

THIS IS A RARE CASE to take to the IAS with prof that this is not your car, showing photos of differences.

And of course complain immediately to the DVLA that your data was given out in error and they need to retract it.

Lester28

Thank you for the replies and advice. When I went to the website to lodge my appeal, there were much clearer photos of the mystery car. From there it was clear this other car now has my number plates, but other than the make, model and same colour, there are a lot of differences between this car and mine. So I took photos of mine at the same angles and listed the differences. I've since won my appeal with this parking invoice company and now I have the fun and games of another car out there with my plates on, probably uninsured and not taxed. I have informed the police, DVLA and my insurance company of this.

Coupon-mad

Very good, but don't forget that PPCs bring misery to people and their aggressive debt collection and £100+ charges need stopping.

Please now make a real difference - A TASK FOR SEPTEMBER.

The Government is (this month only) consulting about a new statutory code of practice (CoP) and framework to rein in the rogue parking firms.  Read and comment on the draft CoP proposal and the enforcement framework consultation, and get everyone you know to do the same.

You will need to register to comment on the CoP and enter an occupation even if you are retired or a homemaker, but otherwise it is easy to navigate, and comment upon each section/subsection individually. You can save comments to edit later and or submit comments once you are happy with them.

https://standardsdevelopment.bsigroup.com/projects/2020-00193#/section

You do not need to register to comment on the enforcement framework which can be found here. It has a link on page 5 to make comments.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/913272/Code_Enforcement_Framework_consultation.pdf

At the very least, we say the parking charge level should be £50/£25 or higher level £70/£35, as per Council PCNs in E&W.  

And we say the added fake 'debt recovery' costs are just double counting the cost of letters, and MUST GO because that is unfair and illegal.

Please be heard.  You can bet the hundreds of PPCs will be commenting.

No apologies for repeating this vital 'call for action' to consumers, on every thread this month!