Unpaid Toll Texts – Don’t Fall For This Clever New Scam

Add this one to the top of the pile of scam alerts - scammers using all sorts of nefarious methods to try to trick you into giving them your money - and worse than that, your personal information.

You may think you're pretty good at sniffing out scams - and you very well may be. But this one is clever and if you've traveled recently, it could easily slip by you.

Unpaid Toll Texts

My wife and I just recently took a road trip to Pennsylvania and Washington DC to see our kids. We logged some miles on the Ohio Turnpike so when I got this text, it made sense that I could have an unpaid toll.

But wait - I have an EZ Pass device on my car, and I know for a fact that there are sufficient funds in that account.

So I did a little digging and discovered that the 'Unpaid Toll Text' scam has been classified as an emerging new scam by the Better Business Bureau.

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An Emerging New Scam

From the Better Business Bureau's website:  "Fraudsters are impersonating toll collection services, trying to trick consumers into paying for fake outstanding tolls."

The BBB goes on to say that bad actors may also use artificial intelligence to create personalized messages and fake websites where you'll feel comfortable entering your personal information.

Tips to Avoid This and Other Fraudulent Scams

As always, the BBB warns about clicking on links or downloading files that arrive via text message, especially if it's something you're not expecting.

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Don't give out your personal information or enter credit card information.

When you need to make contact with a company, it's always best to go to a browser and search for an official website or online payment portal.