Don’t Get Fooled by the Unpaid Toll Scam

By now, almost everyone has heard of the unpaid toll scam sweeping the country. Those unlucky enough to not recognize it as a scam have been said to have lost hundreds or thousands of dollars.

In case you are one of the few people not yet impacted by the SMS Phishing scam, sometimes referred to as smishing, here’s an overview of how the scan works, what to look for if you receive a text message and most importantly, what to do if you get this text.

How The Scam Works

The scam is really quite simple. You receive a text message that states you have unpaid tolls, usually of a minimal amount, with the due date for payment. This due date is usually the same day you receive the text message to create a sense of urgency.

The message then lists what will happen if you don’t make immediate payment, including things like suspension of your vehicle registration and/or driver’s license, negative reporting on your credit report, submission to a collection agency and even arrest.

Finally, the message provides a web link to click, so you can settle this outstanding bill quickly.

How to Know This Text Message is a Scam

Below is an actual text message we received the other day. This is just one of many we have received but they all have the same warning signs.

Problem # 1 – Look at the phone number. +63 is the International Dialing Code (IDC) for the Philippines. The IDC for the United States is +1. It would be highly unlikely that a toll infraction message would come from anywhere outside the U.S. Even companies that use off shore call centers have them set up with a U.S. number.

Problem # 2 – We received this text message late on April 17, 2025 with a requirement that it be settled within 12-hours. The intention is to create a sense of urgency so as not to give the recipient time to check into this further.

Problem # 3 – By some estimates, over 90% of vehicles on the roads today use an electronic toll payment device. That means a non-payment of a toll would come from the toll administration authority.

The URL provided in the message is mass.gov, which is the correct URL for the State of Massachusetts. Here’s the thing, the automated toll authority in Massachusetts is called EZDriveMA and their URL is www.EZDriveMA.com. That is the URL we would expect to see.

Beyond that, while we do use an automated toll payment device, it is not from EZDriveMA and we have not driven on a Massachusetts toll road is quite some time.

Problem # 4 – The instructions on what to if the link fails is no accident. As a security measure, Apple intentionally disables a URL if it doesn’t recognize the sender. By replying to the message with a “Y”, Apple may assume you know the sender and the link will now work. The scammers obviously know this is an issue so they try to proactively make you think they are helping you with friendly advice.

Any one of these problems should be enough to make you suspicious of this text message. Together, they are a big red flag that there is danger ahead.

Of course, the goal of these scammers is not to collect the $3.99 that you supposedly owe. What they really want is to get your personal information, be it a credit card, or bank account information, so they can then empty your account before you even realize what is happening.

What To Do If You Get This Text?

The most important advice, DO NOT RESPOND!

These scammers are not seeking you out individually, they are sending out hundreds or thousands of text messages every day. If just one or two of the people fall for this scam, they have gotten their windfall.

If you think you may owe an unpaid toll, contact your toll collection agency. Most of these programs have an app, and they all have a web site. Call, or check your account on line to see if there is an unpaid balance, or any other problem with your account.

As a general rule, no toll collection agency will send a text message asking for money, but you still need to be careful. If you get a text asking you to call about an unpaid toll, it may still be a scam. Rather than call the number provided. Go to the app or web site of your toll collection agency and call them yourself. Then you know you are talking to the legitimate people if they say you have an unpaid fee.

Finally, file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center. The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) is the central hub for reporting cyber-enabled crime. It is run by the FBI, the lead federal agency for investigating crime. You can file a complaint on line at www.ic3.gov.

The Bottom Line

It seems like every day, there is another new scam lurking on the Internet. Each one seems more sophisticated than the one before. But with a little bit of attention to the details and some common sense, you can stay one step ahead of the scammers.

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