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Ask HN: Is this fine from Italy legit?

5 points by verelo ↗ HN
I was sent a fine that states I did something wrong while in Italy last year. I was first sent a letter by Avis, and then I recieved the fine in the mail (it was even registered mail, I had to sign for it) The date and all information about the fine aligns with my trip, and while I was a little suspect, I wanted to pay it as I would hate for the Italians to not like me :-)

When i went to pay it redirects me to https://emo.nivi.it which appears not to be a real website. Can anyone in Italy tell me if this is a known scam or if this is just another incompetent government website?

Here is an image of what I was sent: http://imgur.com/GWH6a4s,o7iYF52#0

Update:

I believe it to be real. I've paid it :-)

6 comments

[ 3.8 ms ] story [ 36.8 ms ] thread
patio11
If they're scammers then they're working really hard for their money in a) getting accurate info about your trip from Avis, b) impersonating Avis, and then c) impersonating the Italian authorities. I'd presume legitimacy. If you're not sure, call either a) the authorities listed on the letter at a publicly verifiable number (one not listed in the letter) or b) Avis' Italian CS line, and ask if the letter you received in the mail is the usual procedure.
verelo
I think you're right. It turns out www.emo.nivi.it works, but im having issues with the payment processor. I would expect scammers to have a much better credit card processing method :P
opless
You could always call the Italian embassy and ask them!
hcho
Italian road signage has a reputation of being a tourist trap. They would have access restriction signs at the middle of a one way road, reserved lane signs hidden behind trees and all that sort of stuff.

You have no way of not paying it. They will charge Avis the fine. Avis will in turn charge it on your credit card with a processing fee. It's all in the fine print of your car rental agreement.

joezydeco
I've rented cars overseas and gotten a similar letter in the mail. Usually when I've been caught by a speed camera in Germany (don't need to explain much more there).

Yes, it was a real ticket issued to you and the government passed it on to the rental car agency after tracing down the license plate. (Or, in your case, Avis passed your contact info to the government)

In every incident I've received a physical letter from the rental agency telling me that I got busted and I should expect a ticket to be forwarded on to me once they get it. I've never seen an actual ticket in my mailbox or a supplemental charge on my card (like others have said). Apparently Italy is more on the stick about this and goes right to direct collection.

My colleagues overseas have said to just rip it up, there's no way they can collect from you short of an Interpol warrant. It won't appear as a collection on your credit report. I've returned and rented from the exact same companies and nobody ever said a thing about the previous tickets.

tldr: Yes it was most likely real (especially because of the pre-warning from Avis).

gabrielblack
Incompetent website administration.

I have shame of this but it isn't rare in the italian public administration services. I'm italian and NIVI is actually a private company that has a division that provides services to the town councils (E.M.O. --> European Municipality Outsourcing): one of this services is the notification of the fines to foreign people.

These are pages of some cities that are using that service: (Florence, english page)

http://www.comune.fi.it/export/sites/retecivica/comune_firen... /servizi_on_line/fine_payment_abroad.htm

(Rome, pdf, italian doc. )

https://www.google.it/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd...

(Storo, italian page)

http://www.comune.storo.tn.it/delibere2007/d07_020.htm

etc.

I hope this info will be useful.

G.