Single mum Astra Farmer, 34, admits she occasionally parked in private spaces outside her flat in 2014 and 2015 when she couldn't find a spot after exhausting night shifts.
Astra later moved but four years later she started getting calls and letters from a law firm.
In three months she had received 300 letters – and was getting up to 30 calls an hour, she claims – from solicitors "harassing" her for cash.
The hospital nurse is happy to pay the £2,300 fine – but BW Legal has added on a £4,500 legal bill and she is considering declaring herself bankrupt to cope.
Astra from Exmouth, Devon said: "I'd just be shattered and wanting to get home to my son. I was just sick of driving round.
"I've always thought that private parking companies can't do anything like this and I've been told to just ignore them before.
"I'm going to appeal each fine based on the harassment. I'm prepared to fight it.
"But I am prepared to pay the fines because I shouldn't have parked there and that's my fault."
The car park, in Crudges Lane, Exmouth, did feature signs warning motorists that "permit holders only" were authorised to park, she said.
She ignored 23 £60 parking fines from Premier Parking Solutions over a two year period between 2014 and 2016, and they increased to £100 each.
She was ordered to pay up or she would be issued with 23 County Court Judgements (CCJs).
CCJs would limit her ability to take out loans, apply for a mortgage and take out direct debits for failing to repay money owed.
A Premier Parking Solutions spokesperson said: "The motorist has naively ignored all of the PCN's and subsequent correspondence sent to them which would have amounted to hundreds of documents.
"Motorists must understand that flagrantly disregarding these conditions of parking which are in place to ensure that those who are entitled to park can do so and they are not affected by fly parking."
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