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Unpaid toll text scams: how to spot a fake, and what to do if you paid

Got a text saying you owe an unpaid toll, with a link to pay before a late fee? How to spot fake E-ZPass, SunPass, FasTrak, Linkt and NZTA toll texts, and what to do if you paid.

“You have an outstanding toll of $6.99. Pay now to avoid a $50 late fee.” Since early 2024, texts like this have spread across the US. By April 2024 the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center had already received more than 2,000 complaints about them from at least three states (FBI IC3), and the FTC listed fake unpaid-toll warnings among the most frequently reported text scams of 2024 (FTC). The same scam uses toll brands in Australia, New Zealand and elsewhere.

What these texts look like

  • “[State Toll Service]: We’ve noticed an outstanding toll amount of $12.51 on your record. To avoid a late fee of $50.00, visit [link]” (an example quoted by the FBI, IC3)
  • “E-ZPass: Your account has an unpaid balance and will be suspended. Pay within 12 hours.”
  • “Linkt: Your toll payment is overdue. Fines and penalties will apply if not paid today.”
  • “NZTA – You have tolls that have not been paid and are overdue. Click [link] to pay.” (an example published by NZTA, NZTA)

US scammers use the names of E-ZPass, SunPass, FasTrak, I-PASS, Peach Pass, TxTag and many others. In Australia it’s usually Linkt (Transurban), and in New Zealand NZ Transport Agency (NZTA).

7 signs a toll text is fake

  1. It wants you to pay through a link. Linkt says it doesn’t ask for payment details via links in texts or emails, and its reminders ask you to log in to your account (Linkt). NZTA says it doesn’t include links to online transactions in its texts (NZTA).
  2. It isn’t from the official number. NZTA only sends text reminders from 3651 (NZTA). The FCC notes US scam texts may come from international numbers or be sent to several people at once (FCC).
  3. It says “Dear customer”. The FCC points out that E-ZPass typically greets you by the name on your account (FCC).
  4. A small balance with a big threat. A few dollars owed, plus a large late fee, a suspended account or a court threat, and a deadline measured in hours.
  5. The web address is off. Lookalike domains add words like “tolls”, “pay” or “services”, or use odd endings. Our guide to lookalike domains shows the common tricks.
  6. It’s for a road you’ve never used, or a state or city you haven’t been to.
  7. It asks for odd payment methods. Gift cards or wire transfers are almost always a sign of a scam (FCC).

How to check if you really owe a toll

Don’t use anything in the text. Open the toll operator’s official app, or type its website address yourself, and log in or search by licence plate. Linkt lets you search for unpaid toll invoices by plate number on its website or app (Linkt). In the UK, the Dartford Crossing charge is paid through GOV.UK. If the text names a toll agency in another state or country, look up that agency’s customer service number yourself before paying anything. You can also paste the sender’s number into our free scam phone number checker.

What to do if you clicked or paid

  1. Call your bank or card provider on the number on your card. Ask them to block the card and dispute the charge, and watch your statements for new charges.
  2. If you gave your driver’s licence number, date of birth or address, watch for identity theft. In the US, IdentityTheft.gov has a step-by-step plan; in Australia and New Zealand, IDCARE offers free support.
  3. If you used a password on the fake site, change it everywhere you used it and turn on two-factor authentication. See has my email been in a data breach?
  4. Expect follow-up scams, such as a fake “bank fraud team” calling about the payment. Hang up and call your bank back yourself (how to tell if a call is a scam).

Where to report toll text scams

Related: fake delivery text scams, is this a scam number? and how to tell if a call is a scam.

Questions

I really did drive on a toll road. Could it be real?

It could, so check, but not through the text. Log in to the toll operator’s app or website by typing the address yourself, or call the number on its official website. Linkt, for example, says it never asks for payment details via links in texts or emails, and that its payment reminders always ask you to log in to your account.

Why is the amount so small?

A few dollars feels safe to pay quickly. The real target is your card number, your driver’s licence number and other personal details, which can be used for bigger fraud or identity theft (FTC).

Do toll companies send texts at all?

Some do, often only if you signed up for alerts. In New Zealand, NZTA says its text reminders only come from 3651 and don’t include links to online transactions. The FCC says US toll operators typically don’t use texts to collect overdue accounts.

I got a toll text but I don’t even have a car. Why?

These texts are sent to huge lists of numbers at random. Getting one doesn’t mean scammers know anything about you, but don’t reply: that confirms your number is active.

Is replying STOP safe?

For scam texts, it’s best not to reply at all. Report it to 7726 (where available) or with your phone’s “report junk” option, then delete it.

Check the number, then protect yourself

Paste the sender’s number into our free scam phone checker to see its country, line type and reports from other people. ImposterWatch Personal (US$9/month) adds breach alerts for up to three personal email addresses, account recovery help if a scammer gets into an account, and one AI-powered romance scam check a month.

Check the number freeGet Personal for US$9/month

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General information only, not legal or financial advice. ImposterWatch is operated by Cloud Investments FZE (UAE) and is not a background check or private investigator service.