Home > Research Legal Advice > Speeding / Traffic Ticket > Am I being targeted fraudulently to pay a speeding ticket from 1992? I a...
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Asked 5 months ago - Sacramento, CA
FlagI just received a letter from GC Services Limited Partnership Collection Agency demanding I send them $640.00 immediately for an unpaid speeding ticket from 21 yrs. ago. I have no paperwork now, but I DID appear in court, paid the fine & attended traffic school. This letter threatens to: garnish wages, take personal property, etc. The letter states that the DMV has been searching for me, and since all the previous attempts to locate me have failed, a civil money judgement against me was issued. I have been registering my vehicles and renewing my driver's license without any problems for nearly 30 yrs. If I never went to court, a warrant would have been issued long, long ago. I have never been contacted about this before. It is a scam!!!!! How do I proceed?
My first impression in reading the facts of your case is that the letter you received from the collection agency may in fact be a scam. I would contact the RMV to see if in fact they have any outstanding issues with your license. If this is a legitimate matter, my suggestion would be to go to the court in which you appeared and request a copy of your record and proof that you paid all fines and fees. This paperwork should exonerate you in the civil case. Good luck.
No you are not being targeted. What you are describing is widely reported activity by GC that violates the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). You have the right to demand written verification of the debt, but additionally you should contact a consumer-rights attorney for assistance in gathering your proof and suing for statutory damages.
Best wishes for a favorable outcome, and please remember to designate a best answer.
Sounds like a scam to me. You're right that if you had failed to do anything, your license would have been suspended. That it was not I'd evidence you did in fact pay your fine. I would contact your local DMV office to see if they even contract with that company. Otherwise I would say either ignore the letter or send back one with an explanation and a demand that they cease and desist in their endeavor.
You should contact a lawyer. I agree it is likely a scam but considering GC Services does collection work for many California Superior Courts, you are probably not alone in this. If you have a common name it might be a mix up or a 'scam' but you dont' want to ignore it for fear your license will be suspended.
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