collections for old, unknown parking ticket?

[jessrabb]

I just received a notice from LDC Collection Systems that says I owe $80 from a parking ticket from Oct. 2005. This is the first time I've ever heard of any such ticket. I lived in Toledo, OH at the time. I've never lived in Michigan and never even went to Detroit. So I know for a fact that I never received a ticket there, but they have my old OH license plate number. For one, what should I do about this? For two, why would I just get notice now? For three, can they report this to the credit bureaus?

[jessrabb]

Thanks for all your help everyone.

[patstew]

You posted this over the weekend. Have patience, grasshopper.

Did you sell the car with the old OH plate? Did you let the plate go with the car? Some states don't allow that, as plates are issued to people not vehicles. Others are the other way around.

If you can figure out the issuing authority for the ticket, call them and ask for the ticket info. Several things could have happened: some yahoo took it off your car, you loaned it to someone who didn't tell you about the ticket, teenage kids took it joyriding, it blew off, whatever... but if the description and plate match your old vehicle, you may be SOL.

[jessrabb]

Yes the plate number and description match. I called them and offered to pay the original amount, $30, since I had never received notice before and they said that was unacceptable. I don't understand why they are so unreasonable. What will happen if I just don't pay it?

[patstew]

Lots of nasty things could happen. If you look around this site, you'll see some of the stories.

Since the plate and description match, clearly the vehicle was there and was somehow illegally parked. Best you suck it up and deal.

Just FYI, and not saying you did this, people tell me all the time that they never got their tickets. One person tried to tell me they didn't get THIRTEEN of them. That dog don't hunt.