Penalties take a toll
Huge fines for E-ZPass scofflaw
Dear John: I was recently contacted by the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority’s E-ZPass division because of tolls that I owe.
I’m not disputing the $4,000 in tolls I owe. I’m complaining about the $62,000 it says I owe in penalties and fees. That’s ridiculous.
It said I can settle up at a discounted rate of $15,000, payable by debit or credit card. And it doesn’t have a payment plan.
I told the representative that even the Internal Revenue Service gives people payment options. She said either I pay, or the Department of Motor Vehicles is gonna suspend my registration.
I’m a civil servant. My car is barely worth $1,000. I need my car to go to work. Please help me. J.V.
Dear J.V.: You have been a bad boy. And, sorry, but those of us who pay the tolls probably can’t muster much sympathy for someone who doesn’t.
I don’t know if you set the record as the biggest scofflaw in the city, but you have to come close. Congratulations!
You explained to me in another e-mail that your E-ZPass lapsed and “then the lanes went cashless and I kept on saying I will fix it next week. That turned into 18 months. Stupidity!”
From October 2017 to April 2019, you had 578 toll violations, which amounted to $4,700 in tolls and $55,000 in fees. And you haven’t paid one toll during this time.
E-ZPass is using the DMV as an enforcement mechanism. So you have apparently been driving without a registration since April, which is long before you contacted me.
E-ZPass said you kept evading tolls even after your registration was suspended. And I assume that you have been driving without insurance — or soon will be — because you can’t get coverage without a registration.
E-ZPass wants you to pay the tolls you owe in full by going to the DMV. Once you pay up, you’ll start getting discounts from E-ZPass and get your registration back.
Don’t have $4,000? At the very least you should start paying tolls regularly so you show E-ZPass some good faith. Then maybe they will cut you a break.
And for all you other scofflaws out there, let this serve as a blueprint for what you don’t want to do. Let me know what happens.
Dear John: My 87-year-old husband received this scam in the mail recently. I thought you might like to give your readers a heads up. C.W.
Dear C.W.: I can’t print the letter here but it is very interesting.
This is the same scam that’s been going on for years. Someone left money without a will and some nice person would like to give you a share.
The difference is that this crook decided to send an old-style letter to C.W.’s house.
This “lawyer” claims to be representing the estate of someone in Spain who died and left a big estate.
“He passed away a few years ago due to heart attack, since then I have made some enquiries (sic) to locate any of his extended relatives but to no avail,” the letter says.
The dead person and C.W.’s husband have the same last name — making the scam even more believable. So, to get the $11.5 million the dead guy left, C.W. would have to give the lawyer a bank account number to allow the money to be transferred.
Thanks for sharing this. I’m going to contact the lawyer via email to see if he responds.
How can I help?
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