The fake unpaid toll text scam

The amount is small on purpose. A few dollars doesn’t feel worth arguing over, and the threatened penalty makes paying “just to be safe” seem sensible. The payment page then asks for your name, address, card number, and sometimes your driver’s license number: everything someone needs to use your card or open accounts in your name.

• It arrived out of the blue. Real toll agencies bill you by mail or through the account you set up. They don’t send surprise texts demanding payment today.
• It threatens a big penalty for a small debt. Late fees, license suspension, or legal action over a few dollars are pressure tactics.
• The link isn’t the agency’s real website. Look for extra words, dashes, or odd endings around a familiar name, like ezpass-tollservices-pay.com.
• The sender is an unexpected number. Scam texts often come from international numbers or email addresses, or go to several strangers at once.
• It uses a generic greeting like “Dear Customer”, or none at all.

1. Don’t tap the link and don’t reply. Even replying “STOP” confirms your number is active.
2. Check with the real toll agency yourself. Find your state’s toll agency website or phone number through a search or your own account. Don’t use any details from the text.
3. Report the text. Use your phone’s “Report junk” option, or forward the message to 7726 (SPAM). You can also report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (opens in a new tab).
4. Delete it.

If you already tapped the link or paid, go to I clicked a scam link: what to do now or I sent money to a scammer.