A senior citizen from Nebraska recently found herself at the center of a billing mix-up with a fire department in Northern California, despite never having visited the state. The surprising charge left her understandably baffled.

Linda Johnson, a 78-year-old resident of Omaha, was taken aback to receive a $353 invoice from the Roseville Fire Department. The bill, dated December 15, 2025, was for an emergency response service that she said she had no connection to, as reported by WOWT.

“I’ve never set foot in California,” Johnson explained. “Although I have a cousin there, I have no intention of visiting.” Her confusion was only compounded when multiple bills arrived in her mailbox, each increasing her anxiety about potential collections.

Concerned about the persistent billing notices, Johnson worried about the possibility of the fire department escalating the bill to a collection agency, especially after receiving a past-due notification.

“I knew this wasn’t my charge,” she said. “It seemed like a mistake, but the bills kept coming, and now they’re saying it’s overdue.”

In an attempt to resolve the issue, Johnson’s son, Trammel, reached out to the city’s billing service. He discovered that the charge stemmed from a medical response involving a fire engine, a service neither he nor his mother had any knowledge of.

A department spokesperson didn’t provide any details on how the mistake happened, other than telling SFGate that the bill was a result of a “clerical error.” 

Someone with the same name who actually lives in California was supposed to receive the bill, according to The Sacramento Bee. 

Johnson said it took a “load off” her back after the department acknowledged the mistake. 

“I’ve got enough bills, I’ve got enough problems,” she said.

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