Toll road operator Transurban have been accused of gouging Australian motorists in administrative charges to increase revenue.

Transurban owns major tolled motorways in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. They are one of the few private companies that can chase unpaid fines and debts through state debt recovery agencies.

Josh Scanlan runs a small trucking business and with 15 prime movers, he claims to pay close to $100,000 a year in tolls.

When $1800 worth of tolls were invoiced in the wrong company name, Mr Scanlan assumed it would be easy to rectify.

He requested the tolls be reissued by Transurban's Brisbane arm, Go Via.

But this wasn't possible and by the time the tolls reached Queensland's State Penalty Enforcement Registry, the bill increased to $66,000 with fees and charges.

"They just don't seem to really care, as long as they get their money," Mr Scanlan told A Current Affair .

The State Penalty Enforcement Registry seized one of Mr Scanlan's prime movers and sold it that same day.

Josh Scanlan had a prime mover auctioned by Queensland's state debt recovery agency to pay his tolls, despite chasing Transurban's Brisbane arm to reissue them in the correct company name (Source: A Current Affair)

Victorian motorist Jane - not her real name - had proof she wasn't behind the wheel when 47 fines were issued.

Despite being admitted to hospital when the fines were issued, she was still chased by Transurban.

"I was very unwell, in and out of hospital," Jane told A Current Affair .

She claims Transurban's debt collectors continued harassing her by phone while she was in hospital.

"'Pay us the money, pay us more money,' I'm paying everything I can, 'no, you need to pay more,' I can't pay more. Next night, the same thing."

Jane claims to have attempted suicide as a result of Transurban's tolling revenue chasing tactics.

"It was just the lowest point of my life," she said.

She will now pay off her $25,000 debt in $50 increments for the next 20 years.

Brisbane resident Nathan Crocker noticed a discrepancy in charges when driving his Ford Triton on Brisbane's CityLink and Sydney's Lane Cove Tunnel.

In Brisbane, his ute is classified a "light commercial vehicle" because it weighs just over 1.5 tonnes.

"In Sydney they think this is a car, in Brisbane they think it's a truck," Mr Crocker said.

Transurban are a major toll road operator across Australia's east coast (Source: A Current Affair)

Mr Crocker claims his ute is used solely for private use, but Transurban are charging him commercial rates in Brisbane.

"Just taking extra money out every time," he said.

Consumer advocate Michael Fraser claims Transburban are treating motorists like criminals.

"The only people that are winning are Transurban and the average Australian is getting screwed," Mr Fraser said.

Mr Fraser's website, The Arbitrator , brings together disaffected toll road users and has attracted thousands of complaints.

"Talking to them is like talking to a brick wall," Mr Fraser said of Transurban.

"You cannot get anywhere, you cannot reason with them and they use the threat of the state."