2 days Ago By Jacob Jaffa
A DRIVER was left baffled when he was billed $1,000 for tolls roads he never used, before spotting a key license plate detail. The motorist thought it was just an administrative error but actually uncovered evidence of a terrifying crime . Greg Underhill, from Clayton, NC , couldn't understand it when he was sent the hefty fine by toll collectors in New York , Maryland and New Jersey .
The penalty claimed that his trailer had passed through the toll gates without paying and that he had to settle the account. It was accompanied by photographs showing the license plate of the offending vehicle, which matched the registration of his trailer. The only problem is that Mr Underhill claims he has never even entered those states, let alone used toll roads there, and that his trailer had remained on his property at the time the alleged offences were committed.
READ MORE MOTORS NEWS According to ABC 11 , he didn't get far trying to lodge a complaint with the toll companies, while the local DMV said they had never seen a case like it. He even filed a fraud report with the Sheriff's Office and surrendered his trailer's tag to prevent any further costs. Despite all that, the fines were still passed on to collection agencies and he was hit with late fees pushing them up to $1,000.
It was only when he got in touch with the new outlet that its own investigative Troubleshooter, Diane Wilson, realized what had gone on. Most read in Motors According to her, the plate in the evidence photos provided by the toll companies "showed signs of manipulation". Most significantly, it appeared that the driver had rounded off the number nine on the plate so that it looked like an eight.
This sort of subtle change creates what's known as a " ghost plate ", allowing the driver to rack up fines with impunity, often palming them off on a complete stranger. For the unsuspecting victim, this can mean fine letters, calls from debt collectors and a hit to the credit rating. In some states, failure to pay up can even result in a driving ban.
And if the scammer commits a more serious crime while on the road, the unfortunate target could find themselves receiving a court summons without even getting behind the wheel. Fortunately, in this case, Mr Underhill was able to get the fines cancelled after ABC 11 contacted each of the agencies with what they had found. Many of them confirmed that the charges would be transferred to the account of the driver using the altered plate.
One even said that they had referred the matter to the local police. If you believe you plate has been cloned, you should contact the DMV and police immediately to look into it. Read More on The US Sun You can also protect yourself from scammers by taking steps to keep your registration information confidential.
These include not posting photos or videos involving your vehicle online and regularly checking for, and disputing, unexpected charges in your bank statements..
