Possible Fraud Letter

[Spinal]

I just got a letter from an "Elite Collections International Ltd", which does seem to be a real debt collection agency from what I find online (the Company No. 04989661 checks out with the address on the companies house).

Now, the thing that puzzles me is that this is a debt collection for an unpaid parking fine... in SWEDEN! (which I wasn't in when the fine seems to be issued, and the car has never been in)

The wording is suspicious too:

We have been instructed by our above named client under the authority of to inform you you about outstanding parking fine(s) specified below.

Authority of.... uhmmm, a space?

Also, when it comes to the violation address, it says

Parked on a pedestrian cr,,,

(yes, three commas, not periods). The Type of Violation field is blank.

The licence plate of the car is right, and I'm guessing that's how they got to my name/address... but there are no pictures, nor anything stating where the fine was issued.

I've assumed the fine was issued in Sweden as their client is "Park Trade Europe AB" a Swedish registered company (Vallagatan 36, SE 411 16, Gothenburg, Sweden) but don't really have anything else to base it on.

Oh, and the pre-paid envelope which I should use to send my payment was missing, so I would seem forced to pay online at www.elitecollections.net. Now, what makes me suspicious is that searching for "Elite Collections international" brings up several sites, on multiple domains (some not apparently corporate) with their site hosted....

Ideas? Ignore it? Call them?
Michele

 

[barryj]

Send them a registered letter denying all liability, if possible fax and e-mail it as well. I had a similar instance recently and in the letter I asked them for full details, proof etc etc and they wrote me a letter back retracting everything.

Chances are its genuing but they got the number plate wrong.

 

[grober]

Send them a registered letter denying all liability, if possible fax and e-mail it as well. I had a similar instance recently and in the letter I asked them for full details, proof etc etc and they wrote me a letter back retracting everything.

Chances are its genuing but they got the number plate wrong.

Or someone's "cloned" your number plate! Put it in writing clearly refuting the alleged offence.

 

[stevesey]

Sound like a private parking enforcement company that uses CCTV and ANPR (if it doesn't say where the fine is it could be local). Generally these guys seem to have the same standards as cowboy clampers and could well be trying it on.

One of our local mini-supermarkets uses these to enforce the 60 (?) minute customers only car park. A local woman got done after arriving early when store was not yet open, going for a coffee nearby (until about 15mins after the store opened), taking her time shopping and then getting stuck in a bad check-out queue. She was overtime from the point the store opened, but she did get off after local press were involved (at which point I assume the store owners stepped in).

 

[A-AvantGarde]

I just got a letter from an "Elite Collections International Ltd", which does seem to be a real debt collection agency from what I find online (the Company No. 04989661 checks out with the address on the companies house).

Now, the thing that puzzles me is that this is a debt collection for an unpaid parking fine... in SWEDEN! (which I wasn't in when the fine seems to be issued, and the car has never been in)

...

I've assumed the fine was issued in Sweden as their client is "Park Trade Europe AB" a Swedish registered company (Vallagatan 36, SE 411 16, Gothenburg, Sweden) but don't really have anything else to base it on.

Ideas? Ignore it? Call them?
Michele

I would guess that it's most likely from what you've written that the company issuing the ticket is swedish and that the ticket is actually for a parking infringment in this country.

I wouldn't be happy with the description that's been given, I'd want more evidnece of where and when this occurred.

 

[Bazzle]

Just ignore it. There are MAny MAny scams around and this just smells like another one....

The Rozzers will visit one day IF its true

Bazzle

PS; send your thankyou $$$ to my PayPal addy please.

bazzle01 @ hotmail. com

 

[glojo]

Most of these scams have a premium rate number that you phone then listen to a very long, drawn out recorded message. End result being you spend five or six minutes on the phone at a very expensive premium rate. This one seems weird.

I don't have much faith in our modern police service but have you considered contacting the police to verify the authenticity?

regards
John

 

[Spinal]

Most of these scams have a premium rate number that you phone then listen to a very long, drawn out recorded message. End result being you spend five or six minutes on the phone at a very expensive premium rate. This one seems weird.

I don't have much faith in our modern police service but have you considered contacting the police to verify the authenticity?

regards
John

I didn't think of checking the number! Will do so as soon as I get home!

If it's a premiu rate number, I'll write them a letter, and send a copy to the standards agency... I don't think this would be a matter the police would be too interested in!

Michele

 

[grober]

I didn't think of checking the number! Will do so as soon as I get home!

If it's a premiu rate number, I'll write them a letter, and send a copy to the standards agency... I don't think this would be a matter the police would be too interested in!

Michele

Be wary of checking the first phone number since with "phone forwarding" you may well finally end up connected to another premium rate number you didn't dial in the first place. BT are currently being pressured by OFCOM to introduce a manditory recorded warning before forwarding you to the next connection but I don't know if this is in place or not? Isn't technology wonderful ----in the wrong hands.

 

[verytalldave]

Was the letter you received delivered by recorded/signed for post?
If not, and it was just a normal letter delivered by "normal" post, then bin it.
If not, then follow the advice already offered.

 

[glojo]

I didn't think of checking the number! Will do so as soon as I get home!

If it's a premiu rate number, I'll write them a letter, and send a copy to the standards agency... I don't think this would be a matter the police would be too interested in!

Michele

Hi Michele,
The reason I mentioned the police was because down here there was a flood of very similar letters. Someone had used the local voters register and sent out approximately 3000 letters all threatening to send in debt collectors but they had a premium rate number for any queries.

The police made both a local radio appeal, and posted a large article in the local newspaper requesting those that had received a letter send it to the officer in charge of the criminal investigation that had been mounted. Yes they were interested and yes the offenders were caught but this was five or six years ago (they will no doubt be back out onto our streets)

I take on-board your point about our modern day police not being interested and no doubt your right, but the police are WRONG! If there is a premium rate number and you don't owe any monies then I would suggest the author of this 'flyer' is attempting to obtain money by deception! This always used to be a criminal offence but today, crime is down, police numbers are up and our wonderful police have huge amounts of spare time to deal with the very rare crime that might take place

Sorry for the slight rant but if there is a premium rate number then I would suspect a similar offence is taking place to the one I have described.

Regards
John

 

[crockers]

clicked on the link to their payment site

They have a london phone number 0208..... why not give them a ring and ask what the **** is going on...

Oh just a thought ... were you actually in Sweden at all ??

 

[Satch]

Go through the "read this first" bits:

http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showforum=30

Suggest that you might want to post your tale up. Increasingly common

In essence write back by recorded delivery and deny their claim. They then have to go back to the people who engaged them: remind them of that.

Increasingly scary but meaningless letters will still follow though, threatening all sorts of extra fees etc. Again, reply denying their false claims, ask for details of and evidence from the people who engaged them to recover the "fine".

Nothing can or will happen unless they get a judgement against you and that will only happen if you do not enter a defence to any Court papers served, so if it comes to it send a "see you in court" letter.

In most cases, being operations that try to scare people out of money via shoddy procedures and false information, they go away and try to mug someone else.

 

[crockers]

What p!sses me off with all this is - yes write back - yes do it recorded delivery - yes call them -- but who is paying for all the letters calls etc ..YOU and why the hell should you if you have done nothing wrong...

 

[Satch]

What p!sses me off with all this is - yes write back - yes do it recorded delivery - yes call them -- but who is paying for all the letters calls etc ..YOU and why the hell should you if you have done nothing wrong...

Because you need to take care of and defend your own interests. People like these rely on people who do not.

Like most things in life, fairness and justice has nothing to do with it.

The real blame lies with our anti-car Government, who refused to outlaw this sort of thing and opted for something that is still effectively a charter for parking control con artists

 

[barryj]

Just ignore it. There are MAny MAny scams around and this just smells like another one....

The Rozzers will visit one day IF its true

Bazzle

PS; send your thankyou $$$ to my PayPal addy please.

bazzle01 @ hotmail. com

I would not ignore it as these things can lead to credit issues, as I said write them a letter setting out the facts and deniying all liability. Don't lose any sleep over it though, its just better to be safe than sorry.

 

[Rob77]

I'd do as Bazzle suggests and ignore it, unless received recorded or otherwise signed for.

The world is full of creeps sending us all nonsensical bills, etc. I wouldn't waste my time on them - straight in the bin.

 

[BTB 500]

There was a well-known scam years ago where someone sent fake invoices to a large number of companies for inclusion of their telex numbers in a non-existent directory. Because it was plausible and the amount wasn't huge (£50?), a very high proportion just paid it.

This could be something similar ... very low cost to do, so if only 10% pay up without challenging they are making money.

 

[Stratman]

When/if you reply to them, charge them an "administration fee" of £25 or so, and make it clear that any further letter from them that requires a response will also be charged.

 

[Spinal]

Almost forgot about this!

Will draft a letter tomorrow, today I'm refusing to get out of bed

The number is an 0208- number, so nothing overly dodgy up-front...