Foreign Car rental company looking for parking ticket fee, 6 months after trip?!

Compudaro

Opinions on the following please:

I was in Iceland 6 months ago on business. I rented a car there. Over the weekend I got an email from the rental company stating they have just received a parking ticket from the police for the car, which they claim I owe them, because it was during the time I had rented it. They say they have tried to charge my credit card but it wasn't authorised (thankfully!) but want another credit card number "so they don't have to chase me in my own country"!.
AFAIK, I always parked legally and I'm pretty annoyed at this tbh. It's only a case of 35 euro but I'm looking for opinions on how I might proceed? Very tempted to simply ignore the email!

listermint

I would ignore it. Put it to trash.

Compudaro

My only concern is they (obviously) have my address (home and work), and licence details. Don't know where I stand legally but I'd happily "trash" it if I can. Or should I demand a copy/scan of the ticket with full details (reg, street, etc) be posted/emailed to me before I agree to pay?

Hogzy

Compudaro wrote: »

My only concern is they (obviously) have my address (home and work), and licence details. Don't know where I stand legally but I'd happily "trash" it if I can. Or should I demand a copy/scan of the ticket with full details (reg, street, etc) be posted/emailed to me before I agree to pay?

Forget it. The rental company will have paid the local authrity. Fair enough if it was 2/3 weeks after your trip, I would say pay it over. But 6 months is a bit of a joke tbh.

listermint

Compudaro wrote: »

My only concern is they (obviously) have my address (home and work), and licence details. Don't know where I stand legally but I'd happily "trash" it if I can. Or should I demand a copy/scan of the ticket with full details (reg, street, etc) be posted/emailed to me before I agree to pay?

Well I cant see you being extradited for an unpaid parking ticket (if it is indeed yours in the first place)

Whos to say it wasnt the staff of the rental company.

Compudaro

True, but their email says have just received the ticket from the police! Maybe that's just scare tactics along with "plesae send credit card details so the police don't have to chase you in your own country". Hardly worth their while?! If I do bin it I just want to be sure, it doesn't snowball and in a few months I get a bill for a massive fine with penalties!

Hogzy

Compudaro wrote: »

True, but their email says have just received the ticket from the police! Maybe that's just scare tactics along with "plesae send credit card details so the police don't have to chase you in your own country". Hardly worth their while?! If I do bin it I just want to be sure, it doesn't snowball and in a few months I get a bill for a massive fine with penalties!

It could be a scam for all you know. Seems very unprofessional to ask for credit card details through an email. It kindly tell them to go...

soontobesmokin

Saw a very similar scam on BBC a couple of months ago, looking for money for a fine after they returned from holiday. Ignore it.

Compudaro

Thanks guys. In fairness the email is genuinely from the company I dealt with. If it turns out that I do owe it, Can the Icelandic authorities really "chase" me here for 30 odd quid?!

listermint

Compudaro wrote: »

Thanks guys. In fairness the email is genuinely from the company I dealt with. If it turns out that I do owe it, Can the Icelandic authorities really "chase" me here for 30 odd quid?!

No, They are not part of the EU (yet) But in fairness countries have trouble extraditing for murder / fraud / etc.

Its 30 quid, and by all accounts sounds fake the more i think about it. Foreign car rental fake fines are big in spain at the moment.

Bin it.

Paulw

Compudaro wrote: »

If it turns out that I do owe it, Can the Icelandic authorities really "chase" me here for 30 odd quid?!

It's not the Icelandic authorities that are chasing you, but it's the rental company.

Of course, if you ever go back to Iceland and try to rent a car, you may not be able to. They may blacklist you.

Iceland is a very small country.

But, if in doubt at all, ask them to provide proof - they should have the details of when/where the parking offence happened, and you should know roughly if it was possible or not.

kaiser sauze

I would contact your card issuer and verify if they did indeed try and debit your card.

Your should then request a block on that company with your card issuer to prevent them from any hope of doing this in the future. I did this once with a company that was illegally trying to take more money off me than I owed them.