HOUSTON, Texas – A veteran bought a new car and then was hit with tolls from another city he hadn’t visited.
It turns out the paper plates he got were copied.
John Voorhees, a 91-year-old Veteran, said he received an unexpected bill from the North Texas Tollway Authority shortly after buying a Mazda CX5.
“When I got it, I knew I hadn’t been to Dallas,” Voorhees told KPRC 2 Anchor Sofia Ojeda.
Voorhees said the statement showed his license plate number, which was on a Ford that was driving 250 miles north. He said the toll road authority went to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles for his address.
When he called about the bill, Voorhees said he couldn’t get any answers.
“And this past week, I got a new bill for $329, and that got my attention,” he added.
Frustrated by everything, Voorhees filed a police report and reached out to KPRC 2 through our 2 Helps You platform.
“And in 20 minutes, I got an email from North Texas Toll officials saying that obviously, it wasn’t my car and everything had been balanced out,” said Voorhees.
The DMV and North Texas Toll Authority confirmed they are looking into the driver and the fraudulent plates.
Meanwhile, Voorhees had a Katy Police officer help him put on his new plates and make sure those paper tags weren’t connected to his Mazda anymore.
“My concern is that this is happening to other people, too,” Voorhees said.
Officials said if you think something is wrong with your account, contact the toll authority to dispute any charges.
Also, if you recently moved, complete a change of address form.
And if you’ve sold your vehicle, submit a vehicle transfer notice within 30 days.
On July 1, 2025, paper plates will no longer be printed or handed out as temporary plates in the State of Texas.
