Fastrak Sent My Case To A Collection Agency For A Violation I Didn’t Do

I sold my vehicle several years ago through Facebook Marketplace in person. At that time, I did not know that I was required to notify the DMV of the sale.

Several months after the sale, I received a FasTrak violation notice. I immediately contacted FasTrak and explained that I no longer owned the vehicle. However, they informed me that their records still showed me as the registered owner.

I then visited the DMV to clarify the situation and learned that I should have completed and submitted a Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability (Bill of Sale) at the time of sale. To fill out the form, I called the buyer again to obtain his information, but when I reached the number, the person who answered—speaking limited English—told me he was not the buyer. As a result, I was unable to obtain the buyer’s address.

Fortunately, I still had the Certificate of Title showing the sale information, although it did not include the buyer’s address. I went to the DMV, completed a written statement, and submitted all the information I had. The DMV processed my Release of Liability and provided a date-stamped copy confirming the date I sold the vehicle.

I sent this official release document to FasTrak, but they informed me they could not accept it because it did not include the buyer’s address. I returned to the DMV to request assistance, but they explained that they could not provide the buyer’s address due to privacy laws. I asked if they could send verification directly to FasTrak, but they said that they were not authorized to do so. The DMV also confirmed that FasTrak has access to DMV ownership records and can verify who legally owned the vehicle at the time of the violation.

Despite this, the violation remained unresolved for over a year. Recently, I received a notice from a third-party collection company, Professional Account Management (PAM), stating that my state tax refund may be intercepted due to this unpaid violation.

I brought the notice to the DMV again, but they informed me there was nothing further they could do and advised me to pursue the matter directly with FasTrak or through legal channels.

Has anyone else experienced something like this and managed to resolve it? I’d really appreciate any advice or guidance.

location: BayArea