Toll Text Scam: How to Spot a Fake Unpaid Toll Message

A toll text scam is a text message claiming you owe money for an unpaid toll, often with a late fee or a threat of penalties, and a link to pay. The link goes to a fake site that copies the look of a real toll agency, such as E-ZPass, SunPass or FasTrak, and steals your card and personal details. Don’t tap the link. If you’re worried you really owe a toll, go to your toll agency’s official website by typing the address yourself, or call the number on your account statement. Report the text to the FBI at ic3.gov, forward it to 7726 (SPAM), and delete it.

These texts are sent in bulk to people in every state, including people who have never driven on a toll road. If you’ve already paid or entered details, you’re far from alone, and there are clear steps to limit the damage.

How the toll text scam works

It’s a form of smishing (phishing by text). The FBI and the FTC have both publicly warned about unpaid toll texts, and toll agencies across the country post warnings on their own sites.

1. The text arrives from an unfamiliar number, an overseas number or an email address. It names a toll service or simply says “toll services” and claims you have an outstanding balance.
2. It adds pressure: a late fee if you don’t pay today, or threats of fines, a suspended license, damaged credit or legal action.
3. It links to a fake payment page. The web address may include the word “toll” or an agency’s name but isn’t the agency’s real site. Some messages ask you to reply first so the link becomes clickable.
4. The page asks for payment of a small amount, along with your name, address, phone number and card details.
5. Your details are the real prize. Scammers use or sell the card and personal information, and may follow up with calls pretending to be your bank.

Signs a toll text is fake

• You haven’t driven on a toll road recently, or not in the state named.
• The text comes from a random phone number or an email address rather than a short code you recognize from your toll account.
• The link doesn’t match your toll agency’s official website address.
• It threatens heavy penalties, legal action or damage to your credit if you don’t pay immediately.
• It doesn’t mention your account number, license plate or the date and location of the toll, or the details are vague.
• It asks you to reply “Y” or copy the link into your browser.
• The grammar, formatting or agency name is slightly off.

What to do if you got a toll text but didn’t pay

1. Don’t tap the link or reply. Replying tells scammers your number is active.
2. Check any real balance directly with your toll agency, using its official site, app or phone number.
3. Report it to the FBI IC3 at ic3.gov, including the phone number the text came from and the website address in the message.
4. Forward the text to 7726 (SPAM) so your carrier can investigate and block the sender.
5. Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
6. Delete the text after taking a screenshot for your records.

What to do right away if you paid or entered details

1. Call your card issuer or bank right away using the number on the back of your card or on its official website. Say the card details were entered on a phishing site. Ask them to block or replace the card and to review recent charges with you.
2. Watch your statements for unfamiliar charges, including small test transactions, and report them quickly.
3. Change passwords if you entered a login on the fake site, especially for your real toll account or email. Change it anywhere you reused that password and turn on two-factor authentication. Our guide on what to do if your account was hacked covers the full steps.
4. Protect your identity if you gave your Social Security number, driver’s license number or date of birth. Follow our steps on what to do if your identity is stolen, including a fraud alert or credit freeze.
5. Expect follow-up attempts. Scammers who have your number may call pretending to be your bank or the toll agency. Hang up and call the organization directly on a number you look up yourself.
6. Report it to IC3, the FTC and 7726 as above, noting that you paid and how.

If you tapped the link and something downloaded, or your phone starts acting oddly, see our guide on what to do if your phone has been hacked.

Can you get the money back?

The toll “fee” is usually small, but you should still call your card issuer, mainly to stop larger fraudulent charges. Card payments can often be disputed; ask your bank or card issuer what applies to your case. If you paid through a payment app or another method that works like cash, contact that provider through its official app or website and ask what it can do.

If someone contacts you later offering to recover your losses for a fee, don’t engage. That’s a common follow-up scam; our guide to recovery scams explains how it works.

Where to report a toll text scam

Where	How
FBI IC3	Report at ic3.gov with the sender’s number and the website address in the text.
Your mobile carrier	Forward the text to 7726 (SPAM).
FTC	Report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Your real toll agency	Many agencies accept reports of texts impersonating them; check their official site.
Your bank or card issuer	Call if you entered card details or see unfamiliar charges.

Real toll notices vs toll text scams

	Real toll agency	Toll text scam
Where you can check	On the agency’s official site, app or your existing account	Only through the link in the text
Details included	Usually specifics such as account, plate, date or location	Vague, or none
Tone	Informational, with ways to contact customer service	Urgent threats and short deadlines
Sender	Channels you signed up for or mail to your registered address	Random numbers or email addresses

Some toll agencies do send legitimate texts or emails to account holders who signed up for alerts. The safe habit is the same either way: don’t pay through a link in a message, and check your balance directly with the agency.

Example: the late fee warning

This is an illustrative scenario, not a real case. Janelle gets a text on a Monday morning: “Final notice: you have an unpaid toll balance. Pay today to avoid a late fee and further action.” She did drive on a toll road the week before, so it seems plausible. She taps the link and enters her card number on a page that looks official.

Afterwards, something nags at her: her car has a transponder, and her toll account is set to auto-pay.

1. She opens her toll agency’s app, which she already had installed. Her balance is zero and there are no notices.
2. She calls her card issuer using the number on her card. They block the card, send a replacement and flag a charge she didn’t make.
3. She reports the text at ic3.gov, including the sender’s number and the web address, and forwards it to 7726.
4. She files a report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
5. She reminds her family that these texts are circulating, so they know to check the app instead of tapping links.

How to protect yourself from toll and delivery text scams

• Keep your toll account’s official app or site bookmarked and check there instead of using links in messages.
• Know how your toll agency contacts you. If you’ve set up an account, note which channels it uses.
• Treat urgency and threats as a warning sign, especially over small amounts.
• Turn on your phone’s spam filtering and filter unknown senders if your phone offers it.
• Talk to family members, particularly anyone who might panic at a “final notice”.
• Limit where your number appears online. Our guide on removing your phone number from spam lists covers what helps.

Similar texts impersonate the Postal Service; see our guide to the USPS text scam. For broader habits, see our guide on ways to prevent identity theft.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Paying “just to be safe”. If you’re unsure, check with the agency directly first. A real balance will still be there.
• Replying STOP. It confirms your number is active.
• Calling a number listed in the text. It may lead to the scammers.
• Ignoring the card after paying a small amount. The details can be used for bigger charges later.
• Waiting because you feel foolish. Quick calls to your card issuer limit the damage, and these scams catch many people.

If a scam has left fake profiles, complaints or other harmful content attached to your name in search results, our personal reputation management service can help assess what appears and what can realistically be done. If you are also facing threats or harassment, our help resources page lists support organizations.

Frequently asked questions

Is the unpaid toll text real?

Unexpected texts about unpaid tolls with a payment link are very commonly scams. Don’t use the link. Check your balance directly on your toll agency’s official website or app, or by calling the number on your statement. If you owe nothing there, the text is fake.

I paid a toll text. What should I do?

Call your card issuer or bank right away using the number on your card, ask them to block the card and review charges, and change any password you entered. Then report the text to the FBI at ic3.gov, forward it to 7726 and report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

How did scammers get my phone number?

Usually they didn’t pick you specifically. These texts go out in bulk to large lists of numbers, many generated automatically or gathered from breaches and data brokers. Getting one doesn’t mean anyone knows your driving history.

Do toll agencies send text messages?

Some do send texts or emails to account holders who signed up for alerts. That’s why the safest habit is never to pay through a link in a message, and to check your account directly with the agency instead.

Where do I report a fake toll text?

Report it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov, forward it to 7726 (SPAM), and file a report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Your real toll agency may also accept reports through its official website.