A university student in Ipswich has received more than 50 fines for parking illegally – despite claiming he’s never owned a vehicle.
Daniel Popescu, 19, has never even passed his driving test - so was shocked to open his letter box a fortnight ago to find it stuffed with more than 50 parking fines for a Volkswagen Golf parked illegally in Bramford Road.
The Romanian teenager moved to the town six months ago to study at the University of Suffolk and has settled in the UK without the support of his family and friends close by.
Mr Popescu said: "The letter box was so full and I was really curious to see what was inside.
"I was really shocked with what I found and immediately thought it was some kind of mistake. But they had my address completely correct - including my house and flat numbers."
Mr Popescu immediately put phone calls into the authorities, with the DVLA leading an investigation into the possibility he may have been a victim of identity theft.
But although the issue is under investigation, Mr Popescu said nothing has been done to alleviate his fears - both in terms of what to do with the fines and the prospect of his identity being stolen.
He added: "I keep getting more and more letters threatening legal action if I do not pay the fines and they are becoming more aggressive.
"These people could also have access to my bank details and could take out a loan or anything like that. If someone has gone as far as buying a car in my name then they clearly have access to all of my personal data.
"I moved to Ipswich on my own to study - in this situation you don't have anyone to turn to for advice. It is scary."
Ipswich Borough Council confirmed they are working with the DVLA to find a resolution to the issue, but were unable to clarify if the fines had been issued in error or not.
A council spokesman said: "We have launched a thorough investigation into what is quite a complex case. One of the lines we will pursue is why this car has been registered to either this person, or someone of the same name and at which address.
"We do not expect any action to be taken over the penalty notices at this time and we will ensure that Mr Popescu is updated as necessary."
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