Unpaid toll text: what they say, how to spot it, what to do

What they say

These are typical approaches, written as examples. The wording and claimed sender can change.

• “Your vehicle has an unpaid toll. Pay through this link today.”
• “This is your final E-ZPass notice before extra charges.”
• “SunPass needs your card details to clear a small balance.”

How to spot it

• An unexpected text creates a deadline and sends you to a payment page.
• The link looks like a toll agency but uses extra words or an unfamiliar domain.
• The form asks for card details and personal information before you can check a trip.

What to do now

1. Do not open the link or reply. A familiar agency name, a small balance or a local area code does not verify the message. Pause before paying even if you recently used a toll road.
2. Check the toll account through your saved app or a website taken from an earlier genuine statement. For a rental vehicle, contact the rental company through your booking records. Ask about the claimed trip independently.
3. Save a screenshot, then forward the text to 7726 (SPAM) if your carrier supports it. Use the messaging app’s report-junk option and block the sender after keeping the details you need.

If you already paid or shared details

1. If you entered card details, tell the card issuer that the payment page may be fraudulent. Ask about replacing the card and disputing any unauthorized payment.
2. If you reused an account password on the page, change it through the genuine service. Do not open a second link offering to cancel the first payment.

Contact the bank, card issuer or payment provider promptly and ask whether the payment can be stopped or reversed. Recovery is not guaranteed. Change exposed passwords through the genuine service. Keep receipts and messages privately for your report.

Report the attempt at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Sources

• FTC: recognize and report spam texts
• FTC: phone scams and independent checks
• FTC: what to do if you were scammed

Questions people ask

Does an E-ZPass or SunPass name prove the text is real?

No. Open your account independently and check the trip there. Do not use the incoming message as your route to the payment page.

What if I really do owe a toll?

Pay only after checking through the agency’s official account or contact details. A real outstanding toll does not authenticate an unrelated text.