The scammers are back at it. Fraudsters are once again sending text messages claiming you owe unpaid tolls. They warn you to pay immediately or face penalties.
These “smishing” scams have become increasingly sophisticated. They target drivers across the country, including RV enthusiasts who frequent toll roads on their journeys.
What’s this toll scam about?
Scammers send a text message that looks like they’re from a well-known toll service—think E-ZPass, FasTrak, or even regional services. The message claims your toll balance is overdue and threatens legal action or hefty fines if you don’t pay by a specific date. For example, you might see a cell phone text saying:
Your toll balance is outstanding. If you fail to pay by March 30, 2025, you will face penalties or legal action. Reply “Y” to activate the payment link.
This simple trick is designed to catch you off guard, making you click a link that leads to a fake payment site. Once you do, scammers can steal your personal and financial information—even your identity.
Tip: Remember, legitimate toll agencies never request payment through text messages. Always verify directly through the official website or customer service number.
RVers, be extra cautious
Many RVers spend travel hours on highways and are more likely to take toll roads in different states. This increased travel exposure makes us a prime target for scammers who tailor messages to seem local and urgent. Even if you rarely use toll roads, your number might still be on a data list acquired through breaches or other unscrupulous means.
Red flags
Here are a few warning signs that a text about unpaid tolls might be a scam:
• Unexpected alerts: If you haven’t recently traveled on a toll road, a sudden notification should raise your suspicion.
• Urgency and low amounts: Scammers often use small fine amounts to lower your guard, urging quick action to avoid “penalties.”
• Strange links: The text may ask you to reply with “Y” to activate the link or instruct you to copy-paste the URL into your browser. Often, the link uses unfamiliar domain extensions like “.xin.”
• Unverified sender: Real toll agencies use secured and verified communication channels. If the sender’s number or email seems off, trust your instincts and delete the message.
Protect yourself on the road
• Don’t click or reply. If you receive a toll notification via text, do not click any links or reply to the message. Delete it immediately.
• Verify directly. Instead of trusting the message, contact your toll service directly. Use a phone number or website that you know is real. For example, if you’re an E-ZPass user, visit the official E-ZPass website or call their customer service.
• Report suspicious texts. File a report with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center here and inform your local authorities. This helps combat the scam on a larger scale.
• Monitor your financial accounts. If you accidentally clicked a link or provided personal information, contact your bank or credit card provider immediately to secure your accounts.
Educate fellow RVers
Share your experience with other RVers and friends. Awareness is a powerful tool in preventing these scams.
Have you ever fallen victim to a scam? Tell us about it in the comments below.
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##RVT1202
I loved the most recent one I got. The e-mail from EZPass said it couldn’t tell me what I owed until I filled out the attached form. We had just traveled on the Kansas Turnpike and I was trying to remember how I paid last time, EZPass didn’t sound right. I searched online and found out you pay through DriveKS. I don’t think I would have clicked on the link, but I can see how one might easily be persuaded.
Interestingly, I haven’t used my NY E-Z pass in years, but one month ago I did and then last week I got one of those smishing texts. I have automatic replenishment to the account by credit card so I knew this was BS. But I went directly to my account on the NY-EZ Pass website just to be sure everything was good and it was. Was this just coincidence or an information leak from the agency? Will probably never know.
Info leak is a possibility. I was receiving notices from Washington and sent back a middle finger. They quit sending. But other scams are coming probably from the same people.
Same here! I rarely travel toll roads but a few months ago on a cross country drive I used some toll roads in TX and OK. The roads I used were the kind where they just read your license plate and bill you. Around the same time I received the paper bill in the mail (a month late because I’m a full-timer and mail has to catch up to me), the text messages came. It seemed so legit! I have to agree with Knuckles on possible data leak.
G Smith, for Washington drivers, this mistake alone should alert them that this is a scam. Of course, most people who fall for this are likely too shocked to pay attention to such details.
I mentioned this in a subthread reply above (or below?) but I’ll say it here. My travels rarely take me on toll roads except for cross-country trips back to my hometown twice a year. But it does happen. I month after I used some toll roads during Holiday travels, I received some of these scam texts. They seemed legit because they corresponded with when I received the toll bills in the mail. (Note, I don’t use toll-pay transponders, I just let them bill me by mail based on reading my license plate.) Quite the coincidence that these scam texts arrived just as I was getting billed for legitimate toll use!
If you try to send “STOP” back to some of these smishing texts, it will be rejected – probably because it is from a fake number overseas. No way to stop them so just ignore and delete.
I got this scam text today. I knew it wasn’t legit because the phone number was from a country outside the US.
When in doubt, don’t click the link. Instead open your browser and go your account directly or even after a doing a google search for the business. Check your status in your account. I would recommend calling the actual business but these days it is hard to talk to a human on the phone.
Got a text from the Wisconsin DMV about an unpaid toll. We don’t have toll roads in Wisconsin.
Thank you for the warning, Gail! DW has gotten 3 or 4 of these. I have received none. I additionally block this type of message before deleting it. Thank you, too, for the set of suggested actions should one receive such a message. Have a great day and safe travels!