The Unpaid Toll Text Scam: What It Is and What to Do

“You have an outstanding toll balance. Pay now to avoid a late fee.” If a text like this landed on your phone, you are far from alone. Since 2024, waves of fake toll texts have hit drivers across the country, naming E-ZPass, SunPass, FasTrak and other real toll programs, often in states the recipient has never driven in.

The amounts are small on purpose, and the threats sound official. But the goal is not a few dollars. It is your card number and personal details. Here is how the scam works, how to check whether you really owe a toll, and what to do if you already clicked.

What the unpaid toll text scam looks like

The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) warned about this scam in April 2024, saying it had received more than 2,000 complaints since early March 2024 from at least 3 states. The sample message in that warning reads roughly like this:

“(State Toll Service Name): We’ve noticed an outstanding toll amount of $12.51 on your record. To avoid a late fee of $50.00, visit [link] to settle your balance.”

Since then the scam has spread nationwide. The FTC issued its own alert in January 2025 titled “Got a text about unpaid tolls? It’s probably a scam,” and listed bogus toll notices among the top 5 text scams reported in 2024, noting impersonation of programs such as SunPass in Florida and FasTrak in California. State agencies from New Hampshire to Delaware and Pennsylvania have issued their own warnings.

Common features

• A small, specific amount, often under $15, that feels easy to pay
• A threatened penalty, such as a late fee or a vague warning about further action
• A short deadline, like “today” or “within 24 hours”
• A link whose web address imitates the toll agency’s name but is not its real site
• Changing sender numbers, sometimes from overseas or email-to-text addresses

How the scam actually works

1. Mass texting. Scammers send huge numbers of texts to random or purchased phone numbers. They do not know whether you drive or which toll roads you use.
2. The fake site. The link opens a page designed to look like a real toll agency, complete with logos and a “pay now” button.
3. The data grab. You are asked for your name, address, card number, expiration date and security code. Some versions also ask for your driver’s license number. The FTC warns this information can lead to identity theft.
4. The follow-up. Once scammers have your card, they may run larger charges or sell the details. Victims sometimes receive more scam texts or calls afterward because their number is marked as responsive.

Key takeaway: The few dollars are bait. Paying the “toll” hands over your full card details, which is the real prize.

Real toll notice vs scam text

Toll agencies do contact customers, and some send legitimate account texts. The difference is in how they ask you to pay. Several state agencies, including New Hampshire’s E-ZPass program and E-ZPass Delaware, have publicly stated they do not text customers requesting payment. Policies differ by agency, so the safest habit is to never pay through a link in a text.

How to check your toll balance safely

If there is any chance you owe a toll, verify it without touching the text.

1. Ignore the link and the phone number in the message.
2. Identify the right agency. Think about where you drove. Tolls are run by state or regional agencies, such as an E-ZPass member agency, SunPass, FasTrak, TxTag or Peach Pass.
3. Go to the official site directly. Type the agency’s address into your browser or open its official app from your phone’s app store. Search results can include ads, so double-check the address before signing in.
4. Look up your account or plate. Sign in to your transponder account, or use the agency’s pay-by-plate or toll-by-mail lookup with your license plate and invoice number if you received a mailed bill.
5. Call if unsure. Use the customer service number printed on the agency’s official website or on a paper invoice. The FBI’s IC3 recommends exactly this: check your account using the toll service’s legitimate website or customer service line.
6. Rental car? Tolls on rental cars usually go through the rental company’s toll program and show up on your rental bill, so check with the rental company directly.

What to do if you clicked the link

Clicking alone is usually less serious than entering information. Here is what to do based on how far you got.

If you only opened the page

• Close it without entering anything.
• Do not download any files the page offers.
• Keep your phone’s software updated and watch for unusual activity.

If you entered card details

1. Call your card issuer now using the number on the back of your card. Report the card as compromised and ask for a replacement.
2. Dispute any charges you do not recognize.
3. Turn on transaction alerts in your bank or card app so you see new charges immediately.

If you entered personal details

• Driver’s license or Social Security number: go to IdentityTheft.gov for a personalized recovery plan, and consider placing a free credit freeze with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
• Passwords: if you typed a password into the fake site, change it on the real site and anywhere else you reused it. Turn on two-factor authentication for important accounts.

For a full prioritized checklist by payment type, including bank transfers and payment apps, see our guide on what to do if you got scammed.

How to report a toll scam text

Reporting helps carriers block similar messages and helps investigators track the groups behind them.

• Forward the text to 7726 (SPAM) to alert your wireless carrier.
• Use “Report Junk” or “Report spam” in your messaging app.
• Report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
• Report to the FBI’s IC3 at ic3.gov. The FBI asks you to include the phone number the text came from and the website listed in the message.
• Then delete the text.

Why the toll scam is so widespread

The toll scam works because it hits a believable pain point. Millions of drivers use cashless tolling, where cameras read plates and invoices arrive later, so a surprise bill does not seem strange. Many people also travel and rent cars, making it hard to remember every road they used.

Scammers also adapt. The FTC has since warned about related texts pretending to be state DMVs demanding payment for “overdue traffic tickets” and threatening license or registration suspension. The script is the same: a small official-sounding debt, a deadline and a link. Learn the broader warning signs in our guide on how to spot a scam text.

Where to start: protect yourself in 10 minutes

1. Bookmark your toll agency’s official website or install its official app, so you never need a link from a text.
2. Turn on account alerts inside that official app or account, if offered.
3. Turn on unknown-sender filtering in your phone’s messaging app, and use the same layers that stop spam calls.
4. Set up card transaction alerts with your bank.
5. Tell family members, especially older relatives and new drivers, that toll agencies should never be paid through a text link.

Conclusion

The unpaid toll text scam relies on a small amount and a little panic. Slow down, ignore the link and check your balance through the official toll agency site or app you find yourself. If you clicked and entered details, call your card issuer right away, then report the text to 7726, the FTC and the FBI’s IC3.

Sources

• FBI IC3 Public Service Announcement: Smishing scam regarding debt for road toll services — sample message, complaint volume since March 2024 and recommended steps
• FTC Consumer Alert: Got a text about unpaid tolls? It’s probably a scam — how the scam works and how to verify and report
• FTC Data Spotlight: Top text scams of 2024 — unpaid toll notices among the top 5 text scams, with SunPass and FasTrak examples
• FTC Consumer Alert: That text about an overdue traffic ticket is probably a scam — related DMV impersonation texts