Got a text about an unpaid toll? It's a scam. Here's what to do

The text says something like this:

“Notice: Your vehicle has an outstanding toll balance of $12.51. To avoid a late fee of $50, pay now at:” followed by a link.

It looks official. The amount is small enough that paying seems easier than arguing. And maybe you did drive through an express lane last month.

Don’t tap the link. This is one of the most common text scams in the country.

The short answer

Real toll agencies almost never ask you to pay by tapping a link in a surprise text. These messages come from scammers pretending to be E-ZPass, FasTrak, SunPass, a state transportation department, or “the toll service.” The link goes to a convincing copy of a real toll website. Whatever you type there, your card number, your name and address, sometimes your driver’s license number, goes straight to the scammers.

The FBI first warned about it in the spring of 2024, and by the end of that year it had received more than 60,000 complaints. The Federal Trade Commission and many states, including Utah, have issued their own warnings since. It hasn’t slowed down.

How to spot it

• It came out of nowhere. You didn’t sign up for text alerts from a toll agency.
• The amount is small and oddly specific, like $6.99 or $12.51, with a much bigger late fee threatened.
• It’s urgent. “Pay within 24 hours,” “final notice,” “your license will be suspended.”
• The link looks off. Real agencies use simple, official web addresses. Scam links have strange endings, extra words, or random letters, like ezpass-tollpay.xyz.
• It came from an email address or a foreign phone number instead of a short number you recognize.
• You don’t even drive in that state. Many people get “Florida toll” texts in Ohio.

What to do

1. Don’t tap the link and don’t reply, not even “STOP.” Replying tells them your number is live.
2. Report it as junk. On an iPhone, if the text is from an unknown sender, there’s a Report Junk link under the message. You can also forward it to 7726 (that spells SPAM), which goes to your phone carrier.
3. Delete it.
4. If you’re worried you really owe a toll, look up your toll agency yourself, by typing its name into a search or using the number on a bill you got in the mail, and check your account there.

If you already tapped the link or paid

Don’t be embarrassed. These are well made, and they catch careful people every day. Move quickly:

1. Call your bank or credit card company using the number on the back of your card. Tell them you entered your card on a scam site. They’ll cancel the card and watch for charges.
2. If you entered your driver’s license or Social Security number, you can freeze your credit for free with the three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion). It stops anyone opening new accounts in your name.
3. Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and the FBI’s ic3.gov. Reports help them track down the groups behind these.
4. Watch for follow-up calls. Scammers sometimes call later pretending to be your bank or “fraud department.” Your bank won’t ask you to read back a code or move money.

The same trick, different costume

The toll text is one version of a script. The same setup shows up as a package that “couldn’t be delivered,” a bank account that’s “been locked,” or an unpaid parking ticket. Small amount, urgent deadline, a link to tap. When you see that pattern, the answer is the same: don’t tap, go to the real website yourself.

If a message’s tone feels off and you can’t decide whether it’s real, paste the text (not the link) into the Tone Breakdown. Scam texts usually come back heavy on urgency and pressure. And for why so many younger people won’t pick up unknown calls at all, see why younger people don’t answer unknown calls.