Hi,

My parents have started having payments deducted from their bank account for car tax on a car that they have never owned (it was owned by an individual who used their address). They have been to the local police who were very helpful and got a report stating that they haven’t owned this car, but payments are still being taken from their account. I work for financial services in the UK and i find it hard to believe that its legal practice to take payments out of a personal bank account without the individuals permission. They have spoken to the bank to instruct them to stop any further payments but were told that they couldn’t.

Is this perfectly normal practice? what advice can anyone offer to resolve this issue.

Many thanks
Ian

In Spain if the tax authorities think you owe any tax for anything they will find your bank account via the NIE number and take the money.

Its normal practice for the Bank to refund any payments back to your account if you report them within 14 days, the bank will then investigate further.

When it comes to the Tax man in Spain the Banks have no power to stop them, your only recourse is to appeal direct to the tax office.

Maybe worth speaking to a Gestor or solicitor.

Its just a matter of time before serious fraud starts in Spain, since everybody asks for your NIE, even paying in the petrol stations, which is why I always make it up.

As far as I`m concerned my ID and NIE is confidential and I`m not giving to just anybody.

ID fraud would be very easy in Spain.

In 8 years I have never been asked for my NIE when buying diesel.

If you asked for an IVA receipt you would be.

Not necessarily.  I get “facturas” from the gas station all the time for my company.  They shove a form at me and ask me to fill it out myself since they’re too busy.  They’ve never checked the data.

Oh, and yes it’s normal to have taxes or fines you haven’t paid taken from your bank account or accounts with no notice.

rubi995 - 29 July 2008 06:49 PM

Not necessarily.  I get “facturas” from the gas station all the time for my company.  They shove a form at me and ask me to fill it out myself since they’re too busy.  They’ve never checked the data.

That would probably be the Repsol garages then.

The other irritating thing is having to queue to ask for the pump to be set to max, then having to queue again to pay, and they wounder why there`s always a queue.

I`ve tried shouting and pushing in asking for it to be set without having to queue, as all the Spaniards do, but I guess being English I have to queue.

I`ve always had to get a Factura for my company vehicle, this requires an NIE, and yes anyday I`m sure there goin to ask why every one I`ve ever given has a completly random NIE number on it.