Hi Lana2005,

It is strange that a company is writing directly to you. Only Rental Company has right to demand it from you. Again it is fishy.
They cannot report it to credit rating agency as this is not a credit you secured.

I called the number given on the notice. I never received any invoice for the last one yr or any reminders. I told them I donot mind paying the toll which is 85 cents but I will not pay admin fees. They asked me to send money i.e. 85 cents and dispute the admin charges. It seems to be a legit company. But I am totally surprised and find it stupid on the part of the company to send me a photograph of my rental car and the communication etc for 85 cents. It would be less expensive for them to just forget the toll.

Lana,

I wouldn't send any money because even if u send just 85 cents, it gives them a lot of info about you. To eveyone who gets a call and they ask u for ur acct number etc, DON'T give it. Just ask for the name of the company and call back. I never give anyoone this info as this is how identity thefts occur. Lana, I suggest u call the car rental company coz the NJ Toll commission will bill the Car Rental and not you.

Everyone, please be careful... ID theft is easy to happen so please be ware .. don't give any info unless u r absolutely sure...

Action line:

1. Pull out your credit report and review it. if any thing negative , check it or contact the credit agency to have it removed.

2. Mean time, speak with the company under reference who claims you owe any money and ask for complete details such as Invoice etc.

3. Call the collection agency and ask them to send the back up to support their claim.

4. If it looks life a scam/fraud, report all the details to credit agencies in adavnce regarding the company claimimg money from you and rhe collection agency.

5. Most of the times, collection agencies do not revert back as they do not have any supporting documents.

Hopefully this may help you guys.

D.P.Jain

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Live and Let Live. Together we can make a difference.

DP JAIN, CPA, CGA, CPA (US), CA(I), LL.B.(I)
416-305-0080
(Loans, Mortgage, Tax, Accounting, Investments)

Hi Lana2005,

Danger! Guptamik is right.
Once you send 85 cents, you will have to pay $25 also, with interest.
Plus danger of ID theft.
Only rental company has a claim on you, if this thing is above board. No one pursues 85 cents as mailing costs are high.

This stinks. If I were you I would not pay.

Update:

Today, I am able to solve my problem with collection agency & courier company. I had to call both of them atleast 10-15 times in last few weeks and fight with them (Spent few bucks also on calls to collection agency).

None of them was very cooperative, but not rude too. No proof was provided to me for the invoice and ultimately the courier company cancelled the invoice and had informed the same to collection agency. Collection agency told me that now they are closing the file. I have not been provided any official document by the collection agency and as a proof I just have an email copy sent by courier company to collection company.

In my last call to courier company, I was very angry to the lady, as she told me flatly that since invoice was pending for more than one year, it had been sent to collections. I requested her to see her notes, but she was just not listening and then I had a fight over phone and I asked her that I want to speak to her Manager to complain about her (she was not even ready to give her name to me earlier), then both of us cool down a little (I guess she had read the notes while talking to me). Ultimately, she was the most helpful and sent the email immediately to courier company with a copy to me. She called me back also, as email to me had bounced back and mailed me again.

I was earlier thinking of complaining to courier company about this lady, but now thinking otherwise, as she was the only person who had really taken action. Other representatives just talk to me and done nothing.