Complain about a product or service

EZ Pass

Don of New York, NY November 23, 2009

I have just looked at my e-zpass statement and noticed a violation fee for 75 for tolls not paid in 2005. These are new since I had questioned a 2007 violation and not seen these. They never notified me about these violations. My credit score was lowered enough to not be able to get a mortgage.

Maryann of Brooklyn, NY November 10, 2009

I am taking the time out of my hectic schedule to bring my issue to light and prevent others from having the same hardship occur to them by filing a dispute against EZ Pass, under my rights in the Terms & Conditions.

Disputes

You hereby authorize E-ZPass to decide in the first instance every question or dispute arising from, under, in connection with or related to this Agreement, including, without limitation, the imposition of tolls, fees, or other charges incurred, applied or stated for the use or misuse of your Tag or Account. All disputes must be submitted in writing to the E-ZPass Customer Service Center within 180 days of notice that a toll, fee, or other charge has been made to your Account. You agree that the mailing or emailing to the address you state on your Application or to an address which you subsequently provide to the E-ZPass Customer Service Center constitutes notice to you of the tolls, fees and charges contained therein and of any determination by E-ZPass of your submitted dispute.

The imposition of claims against PANYNJ, NYSTA and TBTA arising from, under, in connection with or in any way related to this Agreement including, without limitation, the imposition of tolls, fees, or other charges incurred, applied or stated for the use or misuse of your Tag or Account, are governed as follows:

o PANYNJ – the provisions of New York State Unconsolidated Laws, Sections 7101 through 7136 and New Jersey Statutes Annotated, Sections 32:1-157 through 32:1-176.

o NYSTA – the provisions of Section 361-b of the New York State Public Authorities Law.

o TBTA – no action shall lie or be maintained unless such action shall be commenced within one year of notice of E-ZPass' determination regarding your dispute submitted pursuant to this Agreement.

Today I received a letter from Allied Interstate, a debt collection agency representing The Port Authority of NY/NJ requesting I pay 67.65. I have not used my EZ Pass since July and my account fell to -17.65. I had not had a chance to change the payment method or address and now I have bad credit. No where in the Terms & Conditions does it state a time limit on when you must update your personal information by.

Changes

You agree to inform E-ZPass of any changes to the information provided by you in your Application, such as:

o Address,

o Vehicle information,

o Credit card account status (i.e., closed account, maximum credit use),

o Expiration date of credit card account, or

o Payment method.

There are laws protecting consumers from unlawful acts: The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, better known as the FDCPA, is a federal law that governs the actions of parties acting as debt collectors for personal debts. Debt collection agency effect on your credit:

What Does It Mean For Your Credit?

A debt collection is one of the worst things that can appear on your credit report. A collection account shows that you have been seriously delinquent on an account. Your credit score will drop if a collection appears on your report. You may be denied for credit cards and loans in the future, especially if the collection is recent or remains unpaid or both. http://credit.about.com/od/debtcollection/a/whatcollection.htm The last letter received from EZ Pass was dated 7/20/09 and was mailed to my old address. Besides this July letter, the only notification received to my home was the letter I received today, which was addressed correctly. EZ Pass has my email address – why was no notification of my account revocation and forwarding to the collection agency sent there? Per the Terms & Conditions, I should receive periodic statements on my account.

Your Account

You will receive a periodic statement unless there are no transactions and no financial activity in your Account during the applicable period covered by such statement.

Maybe this is not an issue for EZ Pass, maybe this is an issue for the US Postal Service, for not properly forwarding mail. Or maybe this is an issue for the city/state government placing new stringent restrictions on companies to request payment. All I know is now I am left with bad credit.

I would have liked EZ Pass to give me an opportunity to re-establish and replenish my account before sending my account and inflated balance to the debt collection agency. I believe the EZ Pass system is overall a benefit to all, but to be charged fees for a service which is not even working? We pay service fees for a service.

solange of harrison, NJ November 8, 2009

EZPass Violation Process Unit (Port Authority of New York) is charging me an administrative fee of 25.00 plus 8.00 (toll) that I don't think is fair that i have to pay. Last month, I sent a check to pay EZpass to the customer service's adress provided on the page's bill statement. However, EZPass did not receive my payment, and weeks later I received the returned mail. In the meantime, on my way to work (I work in New York and reside in New Jersey), the toll sign advised me to "call the center". Several times I tried to contact a customer representative unsuccessfully. It is very hard to reach a EZpass person over the phone.

Then, I emailed EZPass in order to let them know I mailed my payment. The response I got did not help me either. Many times I pass to the EZpass toll on my way to work and back home. I understand that I have to pay the toll, nevertheless, is not my responsibility to pay any fee because their inability to send a bill statement in time, or provide customers with the right payment adress.

Recently, I received a letter stating that a violation cannot be deducted from my E-Zpass account because my account was not opened through the NY E-Zpass office. Above all, they do not provided a phone number that I can call to solve this dispute. The violation number is: T030911835455-0. Toll 8.00 and fee 25.00. They say failure to submit payment within 15 days will result in the toll and administrative fee being due. Are always the customers who have to pay or have lose when incompetent services do not provide proper services? I have always paid my bills in time.

Angela of Twp of Washington, NJ November 4, 2009

NY EZ Pass is a rip off. I have been arguing with them for months about the administrative fees they are charging me for tolls that should have been paid from my NJ EZ Pass account. NY managed to straighten everything out, why can't NY. Someone needs to check out all EZ Pass Corporations, as something is really wrong. I had an active credit card on file, and I have proof that EZ Pass never tried to take the money out, so therefore, I was getting violations. Little did we know, since we go thru the EZ Pass with the cameras that are about 25 feet in the air, that we were being charged violation after violation. Even with an explanation from my credit card company, I am still being charged the administrative fees of 25.00 which are adding up to 300.00. No one can help even after weeks of calling and writing. They are bilking the people out of their hard earned dollars for what?

Jose of South Plainfield, NJ October 8, 2009

I have a commuter plan with E-Z Pass. And instead of paying 8 dollars a day for going over the Outer Cross Bridge, I pay 4 dollars a day for 20 trips within a 35 day plan. They keep going into my account to charge me the 80 replenishment fee. I knew that I was low and did not have 80 dollars at the time, so I payed the regular cash fee of 8 dollars for about 1 week. On 9/22/09 I called them up and replenished with an amount of 80 dollars, I was just charged today 10/08/09 another 80 dollars which made my bank account go into negative. I called up and honestly they were no help, they told me that I was assessed a penalty for not using all of the trips which amounted to 32 dollars. This apparently made my account low enough to be charged again. But if I get 30 - 35 days to complete 20 trips then why was I assessed a penalty?

There are not 30 days between 9/22 and 10/08/09? I called and they did not give me a proper explanation, on top of this they said that I will be assessed another 80 dollars by 10/19/09 because I will have gone passed my 20 dollar threshold. Meaning if they are going into my account 3 times a month at 80 dollars they are making 240 dollars a month from me. They told me I can take my Credit card off file, but that they will charge my already negative account. And this does not make a big difference, I will lose the trips. When does the cycle start or end? My cycle will end by 11/1/09 meaning I will be assessed another 80 dollars by 11/01 because I did not use the trips setup by 10/19 or so.. I need help, someone close E-Z pass or regulate them.. They are stealing all of my money.. I need help.

Ramona of North Brunswick, NJ September 29, 2009

On March 4,2009 I contacted Alliance One about a statement i recieved in the mail for monies due to NJ EZPass. Total due was 78.73.Toll fees:11.73,Admin Fees:25.00,Transp Fee:42.00.I was told that I had to pay the entire amount of 78.73 then once I returned the ezpass tags I would recieve my 42.00 for the tags in the mail.Payment was made to Alliance One via check by phone.After not hearing from any of the parties involved I contacted EZPass to find out if a check had been mailed to my residence.This call was made on August 13,2009 to a representive by the name of Gloria.After researching my account I was told that the reason I had not recieved anything was that Alliance One had reported only recieving from me 36.73. No one can tell me where my 42.00 is.I was told by the employess of both EZPass and Alliance One that once my bill was satisfied and I returned my EZPass tags I would be entitled to the 42.00 I originally paid for the tags.The tags were returned the day after I payed Alliance One. A Message was left by myself to a supervisor named Flora of Alliance One with no return call to date. A supervisor at EZPass named Ms. D was faxed a copy of the alliance one bill,the reciept for the ezpass tags,a photocopy of the check that paid alliance one and a detailed letter all on 8/27/09 and I've still recieved no response and no refund.

James of Phila, PA September 25, 2009

I have use the tickets and had a senior discount when it was changed and you had to get the transponder I applied for that and also for the senior discount that was in May 09 they said they never received it I sent it out again in August 09 I just spoke with someone today 09/25/09 and was told they never receive that one either. I have been charge 4.00 for each crossing which I feel is a rip off. I have a certificate of mailing to the address that was given to me how is it possible to not receive 2 applications.

Deborah of Hackettstown, NJ September 4, 2009

I have NJ EZ-Pass, I replenish my account as often as needed, If you have a nj tag and it says you have a low balance when you go thru a toll you would (should) go online to investigate and add funds, you can see those tolls you went thru and they will be paid when funds are sufficient.

NOW lets say you have a low balance and you use a ny toll bridge and you know you have a low balance and you replenish. You would think the ny toll is also taken care of, until you get a notice in the mail WITH a fee and the toll charge that Ny expects you to pay! turns out if you call ny they explain that NY does'nt have access to your nj account to capture payment like nj does hmm BUT nj also lets you replenish your acount(takes your ) with ny violations floating around out there, which they have no clue of, which you thought would be (should be) taken care of cause you replenished your account! seems like a racket to me.

so i suggested I get a ny tag too. the woman on the line said you can't have two ez pass accounts, hmm, if you use a ny toll and funds are low in nj ezpass and you add funds to your account your still screwed. A fine and toll is on its way and BUT you STILL cant have two accounts, so I guess ez pass is not worth it basically the aggrevation is more expensive, I think if you are a CUSTOMER of Nj ezpass they should have a system that has your back and inform you that ny has violations on your account or nj should divvy up the replenisment money and have access to it all and take care of the consumer and share the funds so all is right .

needless to say, I will be cancelling my NJ account and using non-toll roads. I think something is wrong with the operation of this system, cant have two tags, ny cant capture money from your ez pass account if you use a different state, you get a violation and there is no explaining the fee PLUS the toll MUST BE PAID. not fair at all. 788.00 in toll violations

JAMES of WILLISTON PARK, NY August 28, 2009

I inadvertently cancelled a credit card that I was using to charge my E-ZPASS fees this past March or April. The credit card did not have any recent activity as I had not traveled outside of Long Island for several months. I did in fact travel to a NY Yankee game on 5/17/09 and used the Throgs Neck bridge (2 ways ) with 4.15 being charged to my account. This was deducted from my account which brought my account ballace to + 9.5. Unknown to me E-ZPASS attempted to replenish the 25.00 from the credit card that I had mistakenly cancelled. Acording to my June statement I was charged 40.00 which Manuella explained to me was 10.00 fee for each E-Zpass I have under my account because my balance was under 10.00.

Once again - something is wrong here - they have the right to charge 10.00 per Ez-pass because they only have 10.00 of my money on account. I cover my children's E-ZPASS under my account. Also due to family matters this past May, June and July I had not reveiwed my E-ZPASS online statements. I explained these circumstances to Manuella however her only response was that I could return the other E-Zpasses for a credit of 69.00. At the end of July I made a trip to Staten Island, crossing the Verizanno Bridge however at that time I was stopped on the bridge and my E-Zpass was removed by a MTA Bridge Authority Employee. I paid the 11.00 to go over the bridge. I had not been able to address this issue until recently due to work and family commitments. I reviewed my August statement yesterday after receiving an Account Revocation Notice from E-ZPASS (MTA - Bridges and Tunnels). My August statement has three transactions I don't understand and I was not able to get a explaination from Manuella.

The charges are 'Tag Dep Trf to PPtl' = 10.00, Prepaid Adj Cr = 10.00, Retained Tag Fee = 25.00 which yields an account balance of 45.46. The Revocation Notice has the following Fees: Previous open balance = -45.46 Account Revocation Fee= -25.00 Lost Tag Fee = -69.00 Tag Deposit Forfeited = 30.00 Final Amount due subject to collection = -109.46.

I expalined to Manuella that this was a result of an oversight on my part. I explained to her in detail the circumstances and also the fact that this was basically an oversight and not an intentional or criminal act on my behalf however I think I am being treated as a criminal. It appears that the 69.00 can be credited to my account according to Manuella if I send back the other E-ZPASSes. This whole process is wrong and in my opinion is immoral and another case of Joe Public being screwed by the MTA. Manuella negleted to tell me how or where to send the E-zPASSES and I forgot to ask because I was so upset on the ougtcome of attempting to resolve this issue.

Amanda of Freeport, NY August 22, 2009

I recieved my EZPass bill and noted that I was charged for services that I did not used. Informed customer Service and was informed that they could not do any thing about it. On June 6, 09 they re'cd a check from me for 100. On 6/27/09 I am charged foru times and I never used the EZPass. On July 4, 09 I was charged twice and I never used the EZPass. What can I do? Who can I really turn too.

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