Call Kurtis: DMV Threatens To Take Viewer's Registered Boat

STOCKTON (CBS13) -- They paid cash in person at the DMV. So why did the DMV come back saying they wrote a bad check?

"They love to go on the water, it's like a family boat," says Jennifer Leung, Stockton resident.

And here are the receipts to prove Jennifer's family paid in May to register that boat with the DMV. But look at this note they got in the mail, saying the "check submitted..."  "... was not honored by the bank... "   What check?

"We said what the heck? We paid cash, how can we bounce our check?" asked Jennifer.

Jennifer went straight to the DMV office, waited three hours only to be told, go home and call customer service.

She has but says no one ever answers. And the DMV never responded to a letter she sent with copies of the receipts.

"Nobody contacted me, nobody wrote me a letter," says Jennifer.

Then she got this final demand to pay.

"What again! That's crazy!" says Jennifer.

The fees originally $141 ballooned to $198 and now, the DMV is threatening to seize her boat!

"Feel angry, feel sad, like harassed," says Jennifer.

We contacted the DMV and after looking into it, they admit they messed up. Jennifer's family bought the boat in May. Turns out that bad check was one written by the person who owned the boat before them.

Her family never should've received that note. The DMV says a "supervisor will be discussing this issue with the technician as a training tool..."

The DMV "apologized to Ms. Leung for the department's error and the length of time it took to get it corrected."
-- Steve Haskins, DMV Spokesperson

"Thank you Kurtis, thank you Channel 13 for helping me out," says Jennifer.

What about waiting at the DMV for three hours to be sent home and told to call the 800-number? The DMV says that's not appropriate and if you're not getting results at the counter, ask for a manager.

Jennifer did but that still didn't get her anywhere.

DMV Statement:

In mid-April 2010, a month prior to Mr. Yan taking ownership, the vessel's title was transferred to another individual and the fees of $168 were paid with a dishonored check from a vessel agent. A correspondence file was established for the former owner to obtain repayment of the check. The phone number on the check has been disconnected, and in checking the website a new phone number was listed, which our manager called and left a message. So far, the agent has not responded to the manager.

Mr. Yan subsequently purchased the boat and trailer and a new title was issued in late May. In short, the letters from DMV should have been mailed to the vessel agent and the prior owner for the fees due from April 2010, not Mr. Yan.

Mr. Yan did indeed pay by cash as evidenced by our accounting records… although his receipts don't show the method of payment because of the way it was cashiered --multiple vehicles, 1 method of payment. So when the DMV technician keyed information to send out letters requesting repayment, she inadvertently requested that the notices be sent to Mr. Yan. That was obviously our error.

A department supervisor had the Yan's record corrected on Friday, Nov. 12, 2010. That supervisor will also be discussing this issue with the technician as a training tool, and the Registration Operations Division's management verified the dishonored check stop has been removed from Mr. Yan's record.

Mr. Yan should not have any further problems, but if something does come up, Ms. Leung has the name and number of the manager who ultimately oversaw this case. That manager also apologized to Ms. Leung (and Mr. Yan) for the department's error and the length of time it took to get it corrected.

Hope this clears everything up for Mr. Yan and Ms. Leung.

DMV's Response to 3 Hour Wait at DMV Office:

Typically, the field office staff contacts the unit that handles these issues on behalf of the customer. At times, the unit's telephone lines may have a longer wait time due to the volume of calls being received. The technician should offer the customer an option of waiting or they can provide the phone number to the customer to make the direct contact.

As you know, wait times were longer during the furloughs, but it's difficult to say why it may have taken 3 hours that day.

It probably would have been a good idea to ask to speak to a manager under these circumstances--being told to go home and call the 800 # was not appropriate. As I have stated many times in the past, DMV strives daily to expeditiously assist all customer issues, and despite the many challenges facing the department during these difficult economic times, we do indeed strive for customer satisfaction for every transaction.

We also know we're not perfect, and again, if any customer feels they aren't receiving the service they expect in an office, the department absolutely encourages them to speak to a manager about their particular issue and we'll do our best to get it resolved as quickly and expeditiously as possible.

Once again, as I stated in my email of Nov. 17, 2010, we have offered Mr. Yan and Ms Leung our sincerest apologies for the department's error and the time it took to get their issue resolved.
-- Steve Haskins, DMV Spokesperson