TLDR: I got a bs parking ticket from Shamrock Parking in the Greenwood Snapdoodle/Bartell’s lot, even though I paid shortly after parking. Shamrock rejected my dispute multiple times, then sent the ticket to collections. I sent a certified letter formally disputing the debt. A week or two later, they dropped the case completely. Letter posted below.
Wanted to share my experience disputing a Shamrock Parking ticket in Seattle. Hopefully this helps someone else avoid paying one of their criminal fines.
A few months ago, I got a ticket from Shamrock Parking after parking in the infamous Greenwood Snapdoodle/Bartell’s lot. My wife and I were running late for a dinner reservation, so I snapped a photo of the sign and paid once we got settled in the restaurant. It was well into the flat evening rate, so as long as I paid, no harm, no foul.
We came back to find a parking ticket that had been issued almost immediately after we parked. The timestamp on the receipt showed I paid only minutes after the ticket was issued. I imagine that if you clicked on this post, you’ve probably had a similar experience or read other stories of people getting ticketed while still in the car, actively paying, etc. In short, their business practices are shady at best.
Frustrated but understanding that there was no payment on record at the time, I disputed it directly with Shamrock and provided proof that I had paid, including photos of the receipt. They boldly declined my dispute, ignoring the evidence I sent. I tried to be reasonable, but it was clear they weren’t going to budge. I tried again. Still rejected. I even went through the BBB in hopes of a resolution. No mercy.
So I decided to ignore it. I wasn’t going to be bullied into paying a baseless fine.
Fast forward a few months. I started getting multiple calls a day from an unknown number, each with a vague voicemail. I Googled around and found out it was Evergreen Professional, a local debt collections agency. I assumed the ticket had made its way to them. I called back to confirm, and sure enough, it was related. I didn’t say much on the call, just asked who they were and what it was about. Within a few minutes, the woman on the phone started accusing me of knowingly ignoring the fine and claimed I was aware I owed the money.
Luckily, I had already seen advice from another Redditor: never handle this on the phone, always request everything in writing. Collections agents will try to catch you off guard and get you to admit liability.
Can confirm: do not say anything.
That tip was crucial. When it comes to collections, the burden of proof is on them to show you actually owe the debt. I told her I wanted all communications in writing going forward, and requested proof of the debt. At this point, I was starting to get nervous that I wouldn’t be able to shake this, and my wife was rolling her eyes at the lengths I was going to avoid a parking ticket, but I wasn’t about to hand over my lunch money without a fight.
Right after the call, I decided to write them a letter. To make sure it was solid, I used ChatGPT to help draft something that sounded professional and legally accurate. I had seen posts here on Reddit saying you can request debt validation in writing, and that collections agencies are required to prove the debt before continuing collection efforts.
I wasn’t sure how to word all that, so I typed out a prompt explaining the situation: that I had a parking ticket I didn’t agree with, that it had gone to collections, and that I wanted to formally dispute and request validation. The draft included all the key points: that I disputed the debt, wanted all communication in writing, and was requesting full validation under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
I tweaked a few lines to fit my exact situation, printed it, and mailed it to Evergreen via certified mail so I had proof they received it. (I’ll post the full letter below if it’s helpful.)
About a week or two later, I got a letter back from Evergreen stating they had closed the account and would no longer pursue the debt. I’ve never done ecstasy, but damn… reading that was a high. VINDICATED.
If you’re dealing with Shamrock or Evergreen, don’t panic and don’t rush to pay. You have rights, and pushing back can actually work.
Feel free to ask questions or DM if you’re going through something similar.
submitted by /u/kaptainkerp
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