Text messages · Scam library
Unpaid toll text scam: how to spot it and what to do
Arrives by: Text message
Is it a scam?
A text saying you owe an unpaid toll and must pay through a link is almost always a scam, even if you drive toll roads. The FTC says these scammers pose as toll agencies to steal card numbers and even Social Security numbers. Do not click the link. Check any toll balance by going to your toll agency's website or app yourself.
How the scam works.
You get a text that looks like it comes from a state toll agency, such as E-ZPass, SunPass or FasTrak.
It names a small amount, often around $11 to $13, and threatens a late fee or trouble with your license.
The link opens a fake payment page built to look like the real toll service.
Whatever you type in, such as your card number, address or Social Security number, goes straight to the scammer.
Red flags to look for.
Illustrative example · Text message
+1 (562) 555-0148
Written from the patterns official sources describe. Phone numbers and web addresses in it are fake.
The text has a link to pay. FasTrak, for one, says it does not ask for payment by text with a link.
The web address is not your toll agency's real site. It may end in something odd like .top or .xyz.
It threatens a fine, a late fee or your driver's license if you do not pay today.
You got it from an unknown number, or from a number in another state.
You have not driven on a toll road lately, or you live in a state with no toll roads. People in those states get these texts too.
The payment page asks for your Social Security number or date of birth to pay a small toll.
The real thing vs. the scam.
What the real organization does
What the scammer does
Toll agencies send bills through the account you set up, or by mail to the address on your car's registration.
A surprise text from an unknown number with a link to pay right now.
You can check your balance any time by typing your toll agency's web address yourself or opening its official app.
A link to a lookalike site with a name like the agency's, but not quite right.
40%
Government-imposter reports to the FTC rose 40% in 2025, partly because of fake toll texts.
Source: FTC: New trends in reports of imposter scams (May 2026).
If you got this message.
- Do not tap the link and do not reply, not even with STOP.
- If you are worried you really owe a toll, look up your toll agency's website or phone number on your own and check there.
- Report the text. Use the "Report Junk" option in your messages app, or forward the text to 7726 (SPAM).
- You can also report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- Delete the text.
If you already clicked, paid or shared information.
If you entered a card number, call the number on the back of your card or use the official app. Say it was a scam, ask them to block the card, and dispute the charge.
If you only opened the page, watch your card statements closely for the next few weeks.
If you gave your Social Security number, go to IdentityTheft.gov for a step-by-step recovery plan, and freeze your credit with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. It is free.
If you typed a password on the fake site, change that password, and change it anywhere else you used it.
Report what happened at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Tell a family member or friend. You did nothing foolish. These texts fool careful people every day.
Money already sent? Start with the free C.A.L.M. recovery wizard or get step-by-step help. And watch out for anyone who offers to get it back for a fee.
Not sure about a message?
Check it in a minute.
Answer a few yes-or-no questions and see how risky it looks.
Try the scam checker
How OwlGuardian helps
Make the next scam bounce off.
OwlGuardian does not block texts. If a toll text worries you, say "Hey Siri, call my Owl" to screenshot it and get a second opinion in about five seconds, before you tap anything.
OwlGuardian quietly checks your parent's Gmail with AI, moves scam emails out of sight, and asks you before anything risky gets through. $4.99/month after a 30-day free trial.
Questions people ask.
Is the unpaid toll text real or a scam?
What happens if you click on a toll text link?
Why am I getting toll texts when I don't drive on toll roads?
How do I report a toll scam text?
Sources
- FTC: Got a text about unpaid tolls? It's probably a scam (Jan 17, 2025)
- AARP: Toll road text scams
- FTC Data Spotlight: Top text scams of 2024 (Apr 2025)
- FTC: New trends in reports of imposter scams (May 2026)
The example above is illustrative, written from the patterns official sources describe. Phone numbers and web addresses in it are fake.
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