Supposed traffic offence in Portugal

If you rented a car you would have given them your CC details and the would have charged any fine to your CC account

This is a scam ignore it.

Most definitely do not engage in any form of communication with them. I would completely ignore it. He is over 80, he wasn't in Majorca, the letter is from Vatican City purporting to be from Spanish police. Need I say more. It is a glaring scam probably aimed at the elderly.

Vatican City is in Rome/Italy so how come it is from the Spanish Police? Looks like a very clumsy scam from someone with poor geographical knowledge. I would ignore.

AGAA4

If they are worried they should get in touch with Action Fraud a police department. If it's a scam they will know about it but if it is identity fraud the sooner the police know the better.

Yes, refer it to Action Fraud.
Is there nothing these scammers won't think of next?! Vatican City? 😁

Ps Many people who are in their early 80s seem quite tech savvy to me 😃

People over 80 can hire cars, it depends on the company policy. Some don’t allow it, others do but charge an extra daily charge, and others hire out to over 80s with no extra charges.

AGAA4

If they are worried they should get in touch with Action Fraud a police department. If it's a scam they will know about it but if it is identity fraud the sooner the police know the better.

A quick search shows it’s been going on for years.
I’ve remembered we got a fake parking ticket in Spain.

I would refer to the police as above suggested. This is a fraud attempt to extract money and is therefore a worry. It may be a small thing to some but all these things add up.

My friend recently had a couple of quid taken from her account by an unknown source. She reported it straight away even though it was a very small sum. These smaller scams are becoming more popular and have to be reported as they add up to a bigger picture.

If you ignore them they will just keep trying elsewhere,

If they are worried they should get in touch with Action Fraud a police department. If it's a scam they will know about it but if it is identity fraud the sooner the police know the better.

They brought the letter round and it is not about a supposed traffic violation in Portugal (I had heard that wrong) but actually in Majorca. It is supposedly from Spanish police and looks extremely convincing. It has his full name on it (including middle name) and correct full address. Very puzzling is the fact that it is apparently posted from Vatican City! We think it must be identity fraud which is very worrying indeed.

who is the letter from, purportedly ?
it might be worth checking deeper, to ensure there has been no ID fraud.

crazyH

If you can’t hire a car in your 80s, then you’re obviously not allowed to drive either. So, how does hiring in their son’s name , solve the problem? Don’t t understand. GSM will throw more light, I hope.

Obviously his son drove but DB had intended to take the family as his treat, paying the car hire, hotels etc himself.

I would simply ignore it.

Please don’t waste the time of the CAB. They are really stretched.
Put the letter where it belongs, in the bin.

If you can’t hire a car in your 80s, then you’re obviously not allowed to drive either. So, how does hiring in their son’s name , solve the problem? Don’t t understand. GSM will throw more light, I hope.

I would be tempted to ignore it for various reasons
1) they can prove they were in the UK at the time and 2) - although I am prepared to be proved wrong on this- I don’t believe you can hire a car in your 80’s. At least my half brother came up against this when hoping to treat the family to a holiday in Ireland and they had to hire the car in his sons name instead.

( GSM may have better advice on the legal side of things)