[Fair Use: For Educational and Research Purposes Only]

To Renew Car Plates, Call This `Hot' Line

Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Publication date: 2000-06-24

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation included an 800 phone number on renewal forms for new license plates. Unfortunately it was the wrong number - it links to a phone sex line.

And those who call are told to dial another number that charges international long-distance rates.

The wrong phone number was sent out to 54,000 Wisconsin motorists who are due to get a new state license plate.

DOT officials found out about the glitch this week from a person who called to renew a license plate and instead heard something very unexpected. So the state quickly sent out press releases to get the word out.

"We got a phone call, and it was like, `Oh my God, we have to fix this,' " said Martha Gertsch, director of the Bureau of Vehicle Services in the Division of Motor Vehicles. The DOT printed 54,000 new postcards and is sending them out pronto.

"People have until the end of July to renew, so we thought if we get the new postcards out there in a couple of days," few vehicle owners will end up dialing the wrong number, Gertsch said. "We certainly apologize for the inconvenience."

http://realcities.yellowbrix.com/pages/realcities/Story.nsp?story_id=11544451&site=charlotte&ID=realcities&scategory=Computers%3AY2K

-- (Dee360Degree@aol.com), June 26, 2000