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    3 min read 5 stepsJuly 26, 2026Verified July 2026

    The Toll Road Text Scam: How to Spot and Avoid It

    Fake texts claiming you owe a toll (E-ZPass, SunPass, FasTrak) are among the most common scams right now. How to tell a real notice from a fake.

    At a Glance

    Category
    Safety & Privacy
    Difficulty
    Beginner
    Read Time
    3 min read
    Steps
    5
    Topics covered
    scam
    toll
    text message
    phishing
    e-zpass
    fraud

    In this guide (5 steps):

    1. 1.Do not tap the link in the text
    2. 2.Check the sender and wording for red flags
    3. 3.Check your account directly instead
    4. 4.Report the text
    5. 5.Delete the text
    1

    Do not tap the link in the text

    ~17s
    No matter how official it looks, do not tap any link in an unexpected toll text. Tapping the link can take you to a fake payment page designed to steal your card information, even if you do not enter anything yet on some more advanced scam pages.
    2

    Check the sender and wording for red flags

    ~26s
    Scam texts often come from random phone numbers or email-style addresses rather than a company short code. Watch for urgent language like "final notice," "pay right away," or "avoid legal action" — real toll agencies use calmer, more routine language and give you weeks to pay, not hours.

    Warning

    Real toll agencies never ask for your Social Security number, driver's license number, or bank login over text. If a text asks for any of these, it is a scam.

    3

    Check your account directly instead

    ~20s
    If you are unsure whether you owe a toll, open a web browser and type your toll agency's website address yourself (for example, ezpassva.com or sunpass.com) rather than using any link from the text. Log in to your real account to check your balance, or call the customer service number printed on a past statement or your toll transponder.
    4

    Report the text

    ~15s
    Forward the scam text to 7726 (SPAM) to report it to your phone carrier. You can also file a report at ic3.gov (FBI) or reportfraud.ftc.gov (Federal Trade Commission). Reporting helps investigators track and shut down these scam networks.
    5

    Delete the text

    ~15s
    Once you have reported it, delete the message. If you accidentally tapped the link and entered card information, call your bank or card issuer right away to cancel the card and watch your statements closely for unauthorized charges.

    You Did It!

    You've finished reading: The Toll Road Text Scam: How to Spot and Avoid It

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    A text message arrives saying something like "You have an unpaid toll of $6.99. Pay now to avoid a late fee and legal action." It includes a link and looks like it came from E-ZPass, SunPass, FasTrak, or another toll agency. This is almost always a scam.

    The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) has received hundreds of thousands of reports about this exact scam. It works because it creates urgency (a late fee, "legal action") and pretends to be a real toll agency people recognize, even if they have never driven through a toll in their life.

    The link in the text leads to a fake payment page that looks like a real toll agency website. If you enter your card number, the scammers steal it. Some versions also ask for your Social Security number or driver's license number "for verification," which is a major red flag — real toll agencies never ask for this over text.

    The safest response is to never tap the link. Real toll agencies do not send payment demands by text message with urgent deadlines. If you are worried you might actually owe a toll, go directly to your toll agency's official website by typing the address yourself, or call the number printed on your toll account statement — not a number from the text.

    (Sources: FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center — ic3.gov; Federal Trade Commission — consumer.ftc.gov)

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    scam
    toll
    text message
    phishing
    e-zpass
    fraud

    Official Resources

    FTC Consumer ProtectionCISA — Cybersecurity TipsAARP Fraud Watch Network

    Sources used to create and verify this guide. View all sources →

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