There's a car out there with my plates

I received an EZpass violation notice a few weeks ago. The plate in the picture looks like mine, but the tail lights are clearly different. I submitted an appeal letter with their picture of the offending car next to a picture of mine. I haven't heard anything back, but now I'm wondering if there's someone driving around with a faked plate and I should take further action -- get new plates or notify the police or something.

I would certainly change license plate. Is the charge for one "offense?"

The first picture is very hard to read, but it looks like the 9 is hinky.  Possibly someone used light colored tape to make an 8 a 9.  The bottom of your 9 curves up, the 9 in the top picture appears to be straighter.  Again, I may be wrong because the top picture is pretty bad

I know a few years back some people were caught using black electrical tape to turn 0's into 8's, 6's into 8's, etc. 

ETA:  It might not be the 9, the Y's look different after I enlarged the picture.  The Y on your plate branches at around the same height as halfway up the small NJ, whereas the Y in the suspect plate seems to branch higher up.

Either way, it looks like a doctored plate, and not a duplicate plate. 

Crazy.  The scam doesn't seem worth it just for tolls.  How much of a bill can you run up before the owner finds out?  if you're going to use it for a getaway car in a bank robbery, it might me sense.

bub said:

Crazy.  The scam doesn't seem worth it just for tolls.  How much of a bill can you run up before the owner finds out?  if you're going to use it for a getaway car in a bank robbery, it might me sense.

Possible that the car is not registered or insured, and they altered it to avoid automatic plate readers.  Of course, they're taking a chance that the altered plate might or might  not be a legit number.  If red light cameras were still in use in NJ that would be another reason, or perhaps they regularly drive in a neighboring state that uses red light cameras.

I had an issue with EZ Pass that took eight months to resolve. A research where I was charged when I shouldn't have been. They're not speed demons. I had EZ Pass but when I returned the tags both tags tolled when the mail truck went through tolls.

I assume you don't have EZ Pass so the violation is the vehicle using an EZ Pass lane illegally. If you had EZ Pass you would have been charged and possibly not have noticed. EZ Pass statements should always checked.

I'd call your local police and Motor Vehicles for advice. But I'd get new plates on the chance someone altered their plate to your number, as spontaneous so astutely pointed out.

You don't want to put up with future violations.

ps - when dealing with administrative governmental violations its you're considered Guilty until you can prove your Innocence.

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Top plate is actually V38 DYN with the 3 changed to a 9.

sbenois, how can you tell?

You can actually talk to a real person at EZ-pass if you are willing to stay on hold for up to an hour. 

If it is an altered plate, what is the alterer gonna do when he is pulled over for an offense and the plate doesn't match the vehicle description.

(alterer) another word I just made up but you guys can use it.