< 1 minute read|Published by FAIRWINDS

The Toll Texting Scam Explained

Discover how scammers are masquerading as toll road authorities to extract money and information from unsuspecting people and how you can avoid becoming a victim yourself.

Alt text: Aerial nighttime view of a modern toll plaza on a wide, multi-lane highway. The toll booths are brightly lit, with several lanes occupied by cars and trucks passing through. The road stretches into the distance under streetlights, leading into a dark urban area with scattered lights.

Careful, that latest text you received might not be from who it claims to be. Cybercriminals continually find new ways to steal your hard-earned money, and the latest toll texting scam is a modern twist on an old-school scheme.

If you live in one of the 38 U.S. states with a toll road system, you've likely already received one of these texts. But don't be misled by urgent language and official-looking messages. Here's everything you need to know about the toll texting scam and how you can protect yourself from it.

How This Scam Works

Email scams have been around since the dawn of the Internet. Who hasn't received a marriage offer from a Nigerian prince via email? But instead of email, this scam is a texting attack known as smishing.

With this smishing scam, you receive a text claiming to be from an official toll road company. For example, if you live in Florida, the text will be from SunPass or the Central Florida Expressway Authority. The message will demand that you pay any unpaid toll fees or click a link. But the sender isn't a toll company, and the text is a lie.

So, why were you on these scammers' hit list? In short, everyone is. They are utilizing AI-powered automated software to message thousands of people simultaneously. To them, this is just a numbers game. Even if only one person out of a hundred falls for the scam, they've won.

That's why it's important to know how to spot this scam, so you can stop yourself from becoming the next victim.

How To Spot This Scam

To ensure you never fall victim to this texting scam, here are some red flags to watch out for.

  • Any text communication from a "toll agency" — Your toll agency won't contact you via text. If you receive a message that appears to be from them, it's likely a scam.

  • Threatening tone — These scammers exploit fear by threatening consequences, such as revoking your license, to pressure you into quick action.

  • Spelling and grammatical mistakes — Look carefully next time you receive a text. These scams are often riddled with spelling and grammatical errors.

  • Wrong area code or country code — Take a close look at what phone number or even email the text is coming from. It's usually not a local area code. Or the email address is nonsensical.

  • Link for you to click — Most scam texts include a link to malware they want you to download. Remember, never click the link.

As a general rule, these are good signs to look out for with any texting communication. If you receive any communication from a number you don't know and it includes any of the red flags listed here, the message is likely a scam.

Here is an example toll road scam text:

Final Notice — Immediate Action Required: Toll Delinquency. This is your final warning. Your toll remains unpaid. If not paid by May 31, enforcement will proceed without further notice. You may face: Immediate suspension of your vehicle registration by FLDOT COURT judgement and legal collection Damage to your credit score and public driving record Possible vehicle impoundment if found operating while suspended. Resolve it now to avoid irreversible penalties.

How To Protect Yourself

Prevention is the best way to protect yourself from falling prey to texting scammers. What does that mean? Learning what tactics these cybercriminals use is the first step.

So, what should you do if you receive a text that you suspect is spam?

  1. Don't click the link. Some of those links go to dummy payment sites set up to steal your Information. However, other links lead to malware, designed to pull encrypted personal information from your device.

  2. Report the message as spam/junk. Some phone platforms give you an option to report any messages as spam. This helps service providers understand what numbers scams are coming from and block them from sending to you or anyone else in the future.

  3. Delete the message. We've all pocket dialed a friend before. The same can happen for links in messages. Don't risk accidentally clicking the link — delete the text as soon as you identify it as a scam.

  4. View your toll account on the official website. If you need to check the status of your account, visit the official website from a trusted browser and log in from a secure device.

If you've already clicked a link in one of these messages, don't panic. Take a moment to update your important passwords, track and dispute any weird charges, and monitor your financial accounts for any suspicious activity.

Plus, visit our Fraud Center for more advice on recent scams and how you can keep your personal and financial information safe.

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