As Americans struggle with rising prices, a new financial scam has emerged targeting countless drivers—false toll road text messages. In recent months, multiple news outlets and social media users have reported receiving these scam notifications, which claim to be toll charges. According to CBS News, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued a warning, stating that the texts many people are receiving about unpaid tolls are “probably” scams. “Whether you’ve driven through a toll recently or not, you might’ve gotten a text saying you owe money for unpaid tolls. It’s probably a scam,” the FTC cautioned in its alert. “Scammers are pretending to be tolling agencies from coast to coast and sending texts demanding money. Not only is the scammer trying to steal your money, but if you click the link, they could get your personal info (like your driver’s license number) — and even steal your identity.” Keep reading to learn more about the scam messages and what to do if you receive one.
What Do Real Toll Road Notifications Look Like? E-ZPass and Tolls by Mail do not notify drivers of unpaid tolls via text message requesting personal information, such as credit card or Social Security numbers. If you receive a text or an email asking for personally identifiable details, you should not provide that information.
What Do the Toll Road Scam Texts Look Like? The scam texts vary in appearance, but New York, Massachusetts, Washington D.C., Florida, Indianapolis, Pennsylvania and other states have reported drivers receiving messages claiming that they owed toll fees. According to USAToday, which reported that some of its staff got these texts as well, one of the messages people have received read, “Pay your FastTrak Lane tolls by February 13, 2025. To avoid a fine and keep your license, you can pay at https://ezdrivema.com-xlk.vip/i/. (Please reply Y, then exit the text message and open it again to activate the link, or copy the link into your Safari browser and open it).” Another message that some Florida residents received read, “Please pay your toll in Florida by January 21, 2025. In order to avoid excessive late fees and potential legal action on statements, please pay your tolls in time. Thank you for your cooperation and wish you a pleasant holiday. https://sunpass.com-8If5.sbs/us/,” according to the outlet.
Can I Block the Toll Road Scams? People can block any phone number that reaches out to their phone. The FTC announced that Americans should do the following if they receive these scams: - Don’t click the link in the scam text; visit the actual toll service website to check an account’s balance - Use a smartphone’s “report junk” feature upon receiving one of these texts - If you do click the link in one of these scam messages, secure all of your personal information as soon as possible, including bank accounts - File a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center and include the scam text’s phone number and the website attached to the text.
Scam messages posing as toll road payment requests are a new and rising form of phishing in the United States. The texts often involve notices of late payments and include a link to give payment and personal information (which you should not click on). Government agencies and toll services are warning people to be cautious of the scam and to avoid clicking on suspicious links. Scammers have found a new way to steal your money: fake roadway tolls. Whether you've driven on a tollway recently or not, you've probably received a text message saying you owe money for unpaid tolls. There's a very good chance that message was a scam. According to a statement released by the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) last April, the scam started in March 2024. At the time, the toll services listed included three states, though the IC3 statement said that the scam was spreading across state lines, mimicking different toll collection services based on your area code. A report from CNBC says that in 2024, the scam ballooned, with IC3 receiving more than 60,000 complaints reporting the unpaid-toll scam.
In 2024, the IC3 received more than 60,000 complaints reporting the unpaid-toll scam. The attempt has now grown large enough that state officials and toll services are warning people to be cautious when opening emails and text messages from unknown numbers. A message from the Federal Trade Commission warns that by clicking on such a link, not only could the attackers steal your money, but they could also gain access to things like your driver's license number, and even steal your identity. "Public safety is my top priority, which is why I'm urging New Yorkers to take caution against senseless scammers sending fake E-ZPass text messages in an attempt to collect money for fake unpaid tolls," New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a recent statement.
Text messaging scams have grown far beyond the most popular fake E-ZPass, EZDriveMa or other road toll collection services seeking immediate payments of unpaid tolls and fines. "Smishing" text fraud has invaded cell phones across the country over phony package deliveries, unpaid bills and even security threat alerts. According to a warning from the FBI, scammers are moving state to state with new "smishing" or "spoofing" text messages that claim the recipient owes money for unpaid tolls with common phrases noted such as "outstanding toll amount." The "smishing" scam targets E-ZPass holders or other road toll services, sending them fraudulent text messages that claim to be from a familiar toll servicer and then trick customers into clicking malicious links and/or asking for payment information. In the same vein as road toll services, messages are being sent out about undelivered packages that request your address or identity verification information; messages asking you to click links and pay your overdue utility or credit card bills. FBI warns to not click on any of the text and email scams, and rather delete them immediately from your Android or Apple phones.
“Phishing scams are designed to create a sense of panic, catching the receiver off guard and causing them to react before thinking,” warned DMV Director Amy Anthony. “I urge everyone to think before you click on links of any kind especially those requesting money, payment, personal information, credit card details, social security number, or anything else that could be used negatively.” Here’s what you need to know to avoid getting ripped off. What is smishing? According to the FBI, the definition of smishing is a social engineering attack using fake text messages to trick people into downloading malware, sharing sensitive information or sending money to cybercriminals. "Smishing" combines "SMS"—or "short message service," and "phishing." "Phishing" generally pertains to attacks on the internet, email, or websites.
What is spoofing? Spoofing is when someone disguises an email address, sender name, phone number, or website URL — often just by just changing one letter, or a symbol, or a number — to convince you that you are interacting with a trusted source, but makes it seem otherwise familiar to the recipient. What is the E-ZPass scam? Scammers are targeting E-ZPass users nationwide with a simple con designed to snatch your account credentials. You get a text message that looks like it’s from E-ZPass toll system, that says you owe money for tolls and need to pay immediately. The messages claims that the account is expired and asks customers to click on a link to make the payment or demanding small amounts like $3.95 to $12.55 in unpaid tolls or to avoid higher late fees. That’s part of the effectiveness of the scam, because it’s such a minor amount that most people wouldn’t question it. But, they’re not after the small fine; they want your identity.
The official-looking link is fake and will direct you to a site where scammers will pull down your personal and financial information. Here’s the deal: E-ZPass doesn’t text you for payment. Ever. So, if you get one of these texts, don’t click the link; simply delete it, tell your friends to do the same if they get one and move on. If you’re concerned that you might owe money to E-ZPass, use your normal process for checking your account. If you already fell for it — it happens — you’ll want to call your bank and credit card companies to freeze or monitor your accounts. You should also immediately change your passwords for E-ZPass, your bank accounts and credit card logins. Then, keep an eye out for any odd charges and know how to dispute them. Anyone who receives a suspicious text or email can file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), ic3.gov. When filing, include the phone number from where the text originated and the website listed within the text.
Millions of people are getting scam text messages these days claiming they owe money for a toll: it's the top phishing scam this year. But there are many others and there are clues that many of them are scams. Have you gotten a fake toll message yet, claiming you owe money? If not, you probably will soon. Scammers tend to live in other countries and English is not their first language. As a result, they tend to use old-fashioned language, British spellings, or just awkward grammar. Most Americans do not use the word “Kindly.” The most common is a three-word phrase: “Would you kindly.” Other red flag phrases include “Dear sir or madam,” and starting a sentence with “Am.” And any grammatical or spelling error: banks and government agencies do not misspell words.
But from the “doesn’t that stink file” the fact that A.I. may soon make these warning signs obsolete. A foreign scammer can use an American-based AI system to craft perfectly normal sentences, making it easier than ever to convince you that they work for your bank, the post office, or the IRS. So be suspicious of all unexpected texts or e-mails these days. So check wording and spelling and just be suspicious and that way you don’t waste your money.
