Solve It 7: Fine Fight – Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News

A Massachusetts family was seeing red! They received a letter saying their car was caught on camera running a red light in Illinois–but they had never been to the state, and neither had their car. They emailed Solve It 7, and we gave their case the green light.  Brandon Gunnoe has the story.

Kendra drives around New England in her sporty station wagon.

“My car really stays within New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Maine,” Kendra said. 

That’s why she and her husband were so surprised in August…

“My husband went to the mail and opened a letter from Illinois, and it was a red-light violation with a $100 fine. My car’s never seen Illinois, nor have I,” Kendra said.  

“And I’m like, this doesn’t sound right. This sounds like a scam, basically,” Marty said.  

So Marty tossed it in the garbage.

But a month later another letter arrived.

“What is this? Maybe this is actually then true or something,” Marty said. 

The letter was from a community outside Chicago.

It said Kendra’s car was caught on camera “disregarding a traffic control signal” and she was being fined $100.

Marty called the number on the letter.

“You go to a call center, basically. I said, ‘The car’s never been in Illinois, or the driver. So, I’m not too sure where this is coming from.’ ‘Oh, you have to go and look at your picture on the site, you can see the video of your car,’” Marty said.  

Marty logged onto the website and saw a car that wasn’t Kendra’s rolling through a red light.

That car had the same plate number as Kendra’s, but the letters and numbers are black.

Kendra’s are red.

“I called them back and basically said, ‘That was not my car.’ And then that’s when they said, ‘You got to write a letter, saying ‘contest it’” Marty said.  

The couple says they did send a letter.

“Never heard any response back from the letter,” Marty said.  

A month later, a third letter arrived–this time demanding $200.

“All they kept telling us was, ‘Well, you have to send a letter.’ I said, ‘I sent a letter,’ and she said, ‘Well, I guess they didn’t get it, you’ll have to send another letter.’  I said, ‘Well, can I talk to a manager here? Is there someone that can help me resolve this over the phone?’ ‘No, we don’t do that here,’” Kendra said.  

Feeling revved up Marty emailed Solve It 7. 

“We were so shocked that you ended up getting back to him within 15 minutes,” Kendra said.  

We contacted the police department in the community that sent the violation and emailed them pictures of Kendra’s car and license plate.

The deputy police chief said they never got the appeal letter, but they’re dismissing the violation.

“It was a great experience working with you guys and having this resolved,” Kendra said. 

“It was definitely a relief to have that behind me, and I could throw it in the trash now,” Marty said. “Thank you very much I really appreciate it.”

Do you have a problem and feel like you hit a red light? 

Give us a call at 617-367-7777. 

The fastest way to reach us is by email: SolveIt7@whdh.com