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Scam guide

Unpaid toll text scam: is that E-ZPass or SunPass message real?

Published 10 October 2026 · SafeHop guides

In short: a text says you have an unpaid toll — usually a few dollars — and that a late fee or a licence penalty kicks in today unless you pay through a link. The link leads to a copy of a toll agency's payment page that collects your card number, and sometimes your driver's licence details. Real toll agencies don't chase small balances with a same-day text link. Don't tap it; check your account on the agency's own website or app instead.

Why this scam matters

Fake toll texts have spread from state to state since 2024. The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center received over 2,000 complaints about them in roughly a month in spring 2024, from at least three states. The Federal Trade Commission has since warned that scammers are pretending to be tolling agencies "from coast to coast", and its 2026 review of imposter reports links a 40% rise in government-imposter reports partly to overdue-toll messages. Older relatives who drive rarely are an easy target: a small amount and an official-sounding name make it feel safer to "just pay it".

What the message looks like

This is a made-up example in the usual style. The link is broken on purpose so it can't be opened:

[State Toll Services] Our records show your vehicle has an outstanding toll balance of $6.99. To avoid a $50.00 late fee and suspension of your driving privileges, pay by 11:59 PM today: https://ezpass-tollpay[.]example[.]com/pay

Variations use SunPass, FasTrak, TxTag, "Toll Services" or a state DMV name, and sometimes say "reply Y and reopen this message to activate the link" — a trick to get round your phone's protection for texts from unknown senders.

6 signs the toll text is fake

  1. A same-day deadline and a threat: a late fee, a court case, or losing your licence or registration.
  2. A small, odd amount like $4.15 or $12.51 — low enough that paying feels easier than checking.
  3. The link isn't the agency's real website. Look for extra words, dashes, or unusual endings (.xyz, .top, .info) around the toll brand name.
  4. It came from a random number or an email address, often international, not a short code you've seen before.
  5. "Reply Y to enable the link" — real agencies don't ask you to switch your phone's safety feature off.
  6. You don't have that toll account, or you haven't driven a toll road in that state.

How to check it

If you already paid or entered your details

  1. Call your card issuer or bank straight away using the number on the back of your card. Ask them to block the card and dispute the charge.
  2. If you entered your driver's licence number or other ID, watch for identity theft; you can find recovery steps at IdentityTheft.gov.
  3. Report it to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov, and to the FBI at ic3.gov — include the sending number and the fake website address.
  4. Keep screenshots of the text and any payment receipt.

Protect a parent or grandparent

Send them this rule: "No real toll agency makes you pay by a text link today. Check the app, or call me first." SafeHop's free browser extension also warns before a fake payment page opens.

Not sure about a toll, parcel or bank text? Paste it into SafeHop's free checker. It reads the wording and every link and tells you if it looks like a scam, without opening anything. Your message never leaves your browser.

Check a messageGet the free extension

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This guide is general safety information, not legal or financial advice. Toll agencies and authorities are named only to show who scammers pretend to be; SafeHop is not affiliated with any of them.