Possible scam PCN/bailiff letter.

ghj7.68

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Dear all,

I am hoping someone can advise on whether a letter my son received claiming to be from a bailiff is legitimate. I have attached an image of the letter, I have no idea how they got my son’s details and our address.

The letter relates to an apparent failure to pay a PCN fee. However, my son has not received a PCN or indeed any reminders or final demand notices, I know that for certain because he lives with my wife and me. Hence, I became suspicious and started to notice what I think are tell-tale issues with the letter, which suggest it is fake.

Firstly, the letter says that a “warrant of control” has been issued by the high court when these orders are actually issued by a county court. Furthermore, the letter we received does not provide a reference number for the warrant or state which court issued it, surely if there was a warrant this information would add legitimacy to the letter. Also I doubt the High Court deals with £600 penalty notices.

The letter also mentions the bailiff’s client, who is apparently ‘ANPR Parking Service Ltd’. Online I did find reference to ‘ANPR Parking Services Ltd’ but note that this company name uses ‘services’ as opposed to ‘service’. I found no direct reference to the exact client indicated in the letter.

The letter is signed by Mark Anthony Ryan, whom it claims is an authorised bailiff. I can find no reference to a bailiff of that name.

Next, I looked at the company address, which is 70 St Mary Axe in London. This prestigious office building was built in 2019, nicknamed the ‘Can of Ham’ and is located in the heart of the city. In the list of occupants, I can find no reference to the company who issued the letter we received.

Then I checked out the website URL shown on the letter. A search of the WHOIS database showed that all of the owner details and company details are redacted, so clearly whoever owns the domain name does not want to be found!

The telephone number does ring through.

Finally, I tracked the server on which the website is hosted, it is located in Sofia in Bulgaria and is known to have been used by other scammers. It has existed for less than six months, contains malware and has a very low trust score, making it unsafe to use.

Hence, I am of the opinion that this letter is a scam. Can anyone add anything to the above, in order to confirm that this is a scam please?

What should I do about this situation?

I look forward to hearing from you all.

Regards,

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ghj7.68

I also noted that the return address for the letter, shown on the envelope, is not in London. It is a PO box in Barnstaple, Devon.

KeithP

Read this thread...

forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6442049/scam

There are other similar threads.

Coupon-mad

Ah, those scammers are doing another batch!

YES IT IS A SCAM.

Report it to Action Fraud.

ghj7.68

Coupon-mad said:

Ah, those scammers are doing another batch!

YES IT IS A SCAM.

Report it to Action Fraud.

I certainly will, thank you.

ghj7.68

Update: I have been contacted on Facebook by someone else who also received one of these notices today. Looks like the scammers are mounting a campaign.

Coupon-mad

Like last year.  It keeps happening in batches.

We've had several threads for a year about this scam, and some posters even spoke to a woman and also found some of the names behind it.

All reported to Action Fraud.

And we sussed how they got your details. Please read the other threads

OliDoy123

I have just received this letter, is this a scam company? Thanks for any replies.
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Umkomaas

OliDoy123 said:

I have just received this letter, is this a scam company? Thanks for any replies.

Yep, absolute SCAM. 

Coupon-mad

OliDoy123 said:

I have just received this letter, is this a scam company? Thanks for any replies.
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You know it's a scam and who to report it to (Action Fraud) because this thread explains.

Emma5454

Hi,

The same letter was sent to my address for my son who no longer lives with me. He then started to receive emails from the company the latest sent on Saturday 8th July saying if he did not pay the £600 fine that bailiffs would turn up at my house today at 1430 ( although it actually said 10th June rather than 10th July in the email) with a metropolitan police officer and locksmiths. In the email it says to pay an account manager who can call off the action but only if the payment is made today. I looked up the sort code and it comes up with a dodgy company nothing to do with Bailiffs! They're due in 5minutes I will let you all know what happens!