1 year ago
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RICHMOND, Calif. (KGO) -- The DMV conscionable announced it is cutting galore in-person services and offering much services online only.
But present respective viewers archer 7 On Your Side they clicked connected a nexus they thought was the Department of Motor Vehicles. Instead, it was a third-party institution that unexpectedly tacks connected other fees. It was particularly upsetting for an aged East Bay antheral who disputed the fees connected his recognition paper -- and the institution threatened to prosecute him for fraud.
81-year-old Allan Jensen of Richmond conscionable wanted to renew his car registration. The elemental task was thing but.
Jensen coiled up buried successful paperwork and facing ineligible threats.
"I don't privation to spell to court. I'm not a criminal," Jensen said. "I spot the authorities of California... It's not astir the money."
His ordeal began erstwhile helium went online to registry his 2 vehicles.
"I Googled 'California Department of Motor Vehicles,'" Jensen said.
The apical hunt effect said "DMV registration renewal." Jensen assumed it was the DMV.
"Right there, that's what I clicked on," said Jensen, pointing to the nexus connected the screen.
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The website showed successful ample type, saying, "California conveyance registration renewal."
So Jensen followed the prompts. He didn't announcement a disclaimer successful good people astatine the top. This tract did not beryllium to the DMV. It was a third-party institution that charges other fees for DMV services.
And so, Jensen was amazed erstwhile helium saw the bill.
"Geez, they charged maine a full batch of other wealth for doing this, I ne'er experienced before," Jensen said.
Jensen inactive thought it was the DMV. So helium paid $956 for 2 cars.
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Later, helium received tags for 1 car, but not the other. Instead, helium got an email saying that car needed a smog cheque -- but helium knew it did not. So helium called the fig helium recovered connected the notice..
"'We're not going to nonstop you the tags until you've had this car smogged,'" Jensen said helium was told. "I said, 'well no, I don't request to smog my car'... And they weren't precise bully to me. I said, 'Are you a DMV employee?' They said no."
Jensen yet realized helium was ne'er connected the DMV website. It was "NeedTags.com," and it had conscionable charged him $150 successful other fees, including a "service fee,'' transportation interest and $31 for paying by recognition card. Not lone that, the institution insisted helium get a smog cheque helium didn't need.
"I yet got truly mad, to archer you the truth," Jensen said.
Now, his registration was astir to expire. So Jensen drove to a DMV office, paid the fees successful person, and got his tags connected the spot -- nary smog needed.
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But now, he'd paid twice to registry that car.
"I thought I'd been taken to the cleaners," Jensen said.
Jensen disputed the charges with his recognition card. That's erstwhile NeedTags came aft him.
NeedTags said Jensen was nether probe for fraud and theft. An email said: "This is your last notice. Any chargeback volition beryllium prosecuted to the afloat grade of the law. We volition study chargebacks to the due ineligible authorities."
And: "You whitethorn beryllium taxable to tribunal costs, ineligible fees and slope liens."
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It shook him to the core.
"I'm not a criminal. I've ne'er been to jail," Jensen said.
NeedTags sent 30 pages of documents to Jensen's recognition paper company, saying chargebacks are considered theft, adjacent though they're not illegal, and alternatively are among the rights afforded to recognition paper users. .
"They're trying to marque maine consciousness similar a criminal, you know, doing my DMV stuff," Jensen said.
As helium showed 7 On Your Side mounds of paperwork, Jensen broke down successful tears -- How did a elemental car registration travel to this?
"I knew I astir apt couldn't get an attorney. It would outgo maine much money," Jensen said done tears.
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7 On Your Side recovered dozens of complaints online astir NeedTags, galore saying the institution led them to judge it was the DMV, past amazed them with other fees. Some posts besides complained NeedTags threatened charges of civilian fraud and theft for disputing the fees. Others said they paid fees and ne'er got their tags oregon different paperwork.
And yet, it turns retired NeedTags is an authoritative third-party spouse of the California DMV, a delegated supplier of DMV services, operating nether auspices of the authorities of California.
NeedTags proprietor Eddy Asmerian did not privation to spell connected camera. But by telephone helium told america the institution is afloat transparent astir not being the DMV, and discloses fees earlier payment. He denied that the Google advertisement is intended to gully consumers distant from the escaped DMV website, adjacent though it uses wording successful ample benignant saying "DMV Vehicle Registration Renewal." But helium said helium volition see expanding the size of the disclaimer connected the website.
As for threatening Jensen, helium said ineligible enactment is justified due to the fact that the institution had already paid his fees to the DMV -- astatine slightest immoderate of them. He said if Jensen didn't privation to get a smog check, helium should person requested a cancelation of his registration bid for that vehicle.
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However, erstwhile 7 On Your Side asked the DMV astir NeedTags complaints, the DMV took action, saying successful part: "The DMV does not condone misleading oregon assertive selling strategies that mightiness origin customers to judge they are interacting with the DMV. Furthermore, we bash not enactment immoderate assertive behaviour oregon threats made by these third-party services."
The DMV contacted NeedTags astir Jensen's case. After that, NeedTags refunded Allen $518 for that duplicate payment.
A immense relief.
"I went from truthful debased to ...I americium entity precocious now,'' Jensen told 7 On Your Side. " When I saw that it conscionable felt truthful good...I knew that you had waved your magic wand."
The DMV is urging customers to debar third-party companies that complaint other fees, adjacent if they are partners. The DMV offers services for free-- different than a recognition paper interest of conscionable nether 2%. To beryllium definite you're connected an authoritative DMV website, the web code should extremity successful "dmv.ca.gov." --- thing else. NeedTags and different companies person purchased Google ads, truthful they often look astatine the apical of hunt results. Be cautious what you click.
Here is the afloat DMV statement.
The DMV's concern partners automation (BPA) programme encompasses implicit 6,600 approved outer entities authorized to process conveyance registration transactions remotely. However, it is important to enactment that concern spouse websites are not straight overseen by the DMV. Registration services run arsenic autarkic online businesses and are liable for the improvement and absorption of their websites without nonstop DMV approval.
The DMV does not condone misleading oregon assertive selling strategies that mightiness origin customers to judge they are interacting with the DMV itself. Furthermore, we bash not enactment immoderate assertive behaviour oregon threats made by these third-party services. We consistently stress the value of transparent connection regarding fees and services to each our registration work partners.
To guarantee compliance and support consumers, the DMV actively collaborates with our BPA partners to code and close immoderate misleading connection connected their websites. It is captious that these services bash not misrepresent themselves arsenic the DMV. BPA's are required to adhere strictly to the pursuing provisions of the California conveyance code:
California conveyance codification 11406(d) and (e):
(d) each registration work shall prominently show astatine its spot of concern a motion indicating that the work is not a subdivision of the section and shall pass each lawsuit of that fact.
(e) each registration work shall supply a disclosure to each lawsuit that the services described successful conception 11400 whitethorn beryllium provided by the section without an further fee. if a registration work is providing a work described successful conception 11400 successful person, the disclosure required pursuant to this subdivision shall beryllium successful writing. if a registration work is providing a work described successful conception 11400 connected an net web site, the disclosure required pursuant to this subdivision shall beryllium successful a conspicuous spot connected the net web site.
The DMV remains committed to ensuring that each our partners uphold these standards to support the spot and assurance of the public. Should you person immoderate further questions oregon necessitate further information, delight bash not hesitate to interaction us.
The DMV encourages customers to usage its online services and different work channels to implicit transactions, including eligible driver's licence and conveyance registration renewals. Customers tin besides usage the work advisor connected the DMV website to larn their options to implicit DMV tasks. The DMV recommends each Californians doing online concern to look for DMV.ca.gov successful the web code earlier completing the transaction to guarantee they are connected the authoritative DMV website."
Take a look astatine much stories and videos by 7 On Your Side.
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