Euro Car Parks / Debt Recovery Plus SMS

nestor_little

Hi,

Before everyone shouts, I have read post 4 of the newbies thread but this is a little different from that and any of the threads I've found although feel free to point me in the direction of a thread I've missed. So, first of all, I received an SMS message that I nearly marked as spam, I've redacted the details but it's fairly standard and I've found other examples that match.

Your parking charge ref. 8888XXXXXXX for LGXXYYY issued by EURO CAR PARKS LTD Parking is overdue. It is your legal responsibility to settle this charge. Pay now to avoid potential late fees and clear your record today: paydrp.co.uk or call 0208 2346 775 to speak to an advisor quoting reference number 150XXXXX. We thank you in advance for your co-operation in this matter.

I checked Euro Car Parks and the 8888 number works and redirects to DRP where the 150 number goes to a request for £170. So far so usual.

The difference here is the registration specified is not, nor has it ever been, mine. Also it no longer exists on the DVLA website but, by chance Googling the reg shows a picture of it having once been on an AA roadside assistance van!

Therefore, I know the debt is not mine regardless of the validity of it. But clearly they either have the wrong mobile number or someone has given a "fake" number that happens to be mine. I have not received any mail correspondence (no changes of address for several years) regarding this.

My question is, what should I do about it? I suspect if I were to phone them we'd do a tango where I don't tell them who I am (as I don't want to be incorrectly further associated with the debt) but also they wouldn't be able to tell me who it did belong to so I cannot know for certain if someone has potentially used my ID, for example from an old address.

Should I email, with a disposable email address and minimal details requesting the removal of my number? Or do I give additional details in good faith and say it's not my vehicle please remove me from your system... thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

Gr1pr

Personally,  if I dont believe that I have a pcn invoice from ECP,  I would email a SAR to the DPO at ECP and to DRP as well,  to get it decided in writing.   I wouldn't mention any VRM details or phone numbers 

Although it smacks of being a scam text

nestor_little

Thanks, there's no chance the PCN is "mine" in this situation, the reg of the vehicle isn't one I've ever had nor is it even similar to a VRM I've used and, as a I say, a Google of the reg shows a picture of an AA recovery van - I have never worked for the AA nor am I the AA (obviously! Plus I assume the AA would pick up the PCN anyway).

I believe that the text is not a scam as going direct to ECP and entering the PCN reference does resolve to the details provided on the text and then auto-redirects to DRP so unless ECP are somehow in on it I think that the PCN is legit for someone, just not me.

My concern is, do they only have my mobile number (e.g. someone gave it to them deliberately or by accident, or a data entry issue) in which case, fine, I can ignore it, no skin off my nose. Alternatively do they have "all" of my details somehow - although clearly not a current postal address in this instance, and this is somehow part of a wider issue. I think the former is most likely as you'd think someone would be racking up PCNs if it was more deliberate.

I guess the SAR makes sense, but the concern is that I have to provide more information about myself which they may link to the PCN somehow.

Gr1pr

We can only give you our opinion and advice 

The law allows you to demand all the data they hold about the subject,  you, a person 

You wont know what data any organisation holds about you until you do a SAR  ( nothing to do with any vehicle or pcn  ) , so if you have any data concerns at all, you should dive in early,  not try to untangle a mess later on 

That is my opinion 

As for mobile numbers etc, its surprisingly easy and cheap to get various details about a person,  it's done every day,  especially by debt collectors , so IMHO it's a side issue, unimportant 

nestor_little

Thanks for the response, think I understand what you mean now - i.e. I should be asking "what data do you hold on me"  rather than referring to a specific PCN and, presumably, that will either come back with nothing or it will show the PCN I'm concerned about, at which point I can challenge it.

I also agree I want to get ahead of any potential issues rather than unpick a CCJ etc at a later date.

Thanks again.

Coupon-mad

nestor_little said:

Hi,

 I received an SMS message that I nearly marked as spam, I've redacted the details but it's fairly standard and I've found other examples that match.

Your parking charge ref. 8888XXXXXXX for LGXXYYY issued by EURO CAR PARKS LTD Parking is overdue. It is your legal responsibility to settle this charge. Pay now to avoid potential late fees and clear your record today: paydrp.co.uk or call 0208 2346 775 to speak to an advisor quoting reference number 150XXXXX. We thank you in advance for your co-operation in this matter.

I checked Euro Car Parks and the 8888 number works and redirects to DRP where the 150 number goes to a request for £170. So far so usual.

The difference here is the registration specified is not, nor has it ever been, mine. Also it no longer exists on the DVLA website but, by chance Googling the reg shows a picture of it having once been on an AA roadside assistance van!

Therefore, I know the debt is not mine regardless of the validity of it. But clearly they either have the wrong mobile number or someone has given a "fake" number that happens to be mine. I have not received any mail correspondence (no changes of address for several years) regarding this.

My question is, what should I do about it? I suspect if I were to phone them we'd do a tango where I don't tell them who I am (as I don't want to be incorrectly further associated with the debt) but also they wouldn't be able to tell me who it did belong to so I cannot know for certain if someone has potentially used my ID, for example from an old address.

Should I email, with a disposable email address and minimal details requesting the removal of my number? Or do I give additional details in good faith and say it's not my vehicle please remove me from your system... thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

It's not a scam text but it is a misleading pile of crap, threatening 'late fees' that have no basis in law and have already been added:

"It is your legal responsibility to settle this charge. Pay now to avoid potential late fees and clear your record."

Clear your record? Makes it sound like it is affecting credit rating which is total codswallop!

And 'your legal responsibility' to pay... even though they are texting a stranger!

Thanks for showing us that.

My advice? Phone Debt Recovery Plus putting the call on loudspeaker and record the call on another phone (not your name, not the start when you go through security).

Then please link the recording here so I can share it with the MHCLG to show them what DR Plus do to innocent people.

I'm also interested in this:

"I checked Euro Car Parks and the 8888 number works and redirects to DRP"

...which in my view proves what we thought: that ECP are not fulfilling their 'legal responsibility' as the data controller and have no involvement once cases are farmed out.

Which breaches DVLA KADOE rules.

patient_dream

DRP are well known for their complete rubbish, they are children on steroids