Smishing Scams Target Mobile Users in the U.S.

Smishing scams are targeting unsuspecting individuals with fake toll collection texts, and if you’re not careful, you could fall victim to these deceptions.

Quick Takes

Text scams claiming unpaid tolls are circulating in the U.S.
Fraudsters impersonate legitimate toll services, threatening license suspension.
Suspicious texts often contain misleading links similar to real toll websites.
Authorities recommend reporting such fraudulent messages to the FBI.

Scam Texts Impersonating Toll Services

A spate of text message scams has been reported across the United States, targeting both residents and visitors. These “smishing” attempts, named by combining “SMS” and “phishing,” impersonate official toll collection agencies. People receive fraudulent messages stating they owe money for unpaid road tolls, which are often nonexistent.

The false messages target road users by mimicking legitimate toll collection services like FastTrak in California and E-Z Pass in New York. The goal is to steal recipients’ credit card or bank account information by prompting them to click a link in the text.

Fake Links and Urgent Requests

The fraudulent texts often include non-clickable links, urging recipients to copy and paste them into browsers. These URLs are cleverly crafted to resemble real toll websites. To increase urgency, scammers threaten recipients with severe consequences like license loss or DMV reports if alleged tolls remain unpaid.

According to authorities, these smishing scams have been reported in numerous states. The FBI reported in April 2024 that it had received around 2,000 complaints about these scams in three states. Another notice from the Federal Trade Commission emerged in January, urging caution from consumers. Patterns of texts demand immediate payment and set fake deadlines to manipulate travelers into providing sensitive information.

Did you receive a message that said you have unpaid tolls? STOP! It's likely a smishing scam. Don't click the link. Think to yourself, did you really travel a toll road recently and not pay? Don't become a scam victim: https://t.co/u72RMKyS6G pic.twitter.com/5cmRQHNkAt

— FBI Pittsburgh (@FBIPittsburgh) February 11, 2025

Authorities Issue Warnings and Recommendations

State and federal law enforcement agencies have launched awareness campaigns about these scams. Notably, Vermont, which has no toll roads, warns its citizens about potentially receiving deceptive messages that appear to be from missing toll collectors. Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark recently stated, “We do not have toll roads in Vermont, but travelers may mistake these scams for actual toll operators in other states.”

Security experts advise not to respond to suspicious messages or click on their links. Instead, contact tolling agencies directly through known contact information to verify any toll-related communications. Reporting such scams to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center is crucial to curb illicit activity. Travelers can also use their phone’s “report junk” feature or forward deceptive texts to 7726 (SPAM).