[nc + Nj] How To Respond To A Demand Letter For Payment Of A Debt That Is Not Mine?

Location: North Carolina + New Jersey

I received a letter in the mail from a law firm claiming to represent New Jersey tolling authorities demanding payment for over $11,000 for unpaid toll violations. The problem I have is that I know I do not owe this debt because I live in North Carolina and I have not been to New Jersey since 2007. I do not own any vehicles registered in New Jersey or have any connections to the state.

My immediate reaction was this was some type of scam to scare people into payment. However, my initial research seems to indicate that this is a legitimate law firm, albeit a somewhat shady one. My thought is that I must share a name with someone that had these toll violations and they just found my address in NC and fired off a letter demanding payment.

There are more errors on the letter. The letter lists a NJ license plate number on the front and then lists a different license plate number on the back in the summary of charges. The sum of alleged violations ($611.05) does not add up to the stated total of $11,379.76

So, what should I do? I don’t owe this debt. Obviously, I do not want to be sued over this or have any negative impacts on my credit. There is a phone number listed on the letter, but I am wary of scams or providing/receiving any information not in writing. I found sample letters for debt collection communication the CFPB website: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-should-i-do-when-a-debt-collector-contacts-me-en-1695/ Should I use these? There are multiple addresses listed in the letter and their website, I’m not even sure where to send it. Is there another approach to take?