Protect Yourself From The Unpaid Toll Scam

Scammers know your guard may be down after exciting but also exhausting holiday travel and use this time to take advantage and send text messages clamming you have unpaid tolls. The link in the text takes you to websites that look valid, but are not.

It was an alert for just a small bill…

It’s January and you just got back from visiting family and friends over the holiday season. You used a few toll roads and didn’t question that there was an unpaid bill

The message warned of late fees and even registration suspension if the bill went unpaid. The link looked like the tollway collection site and it’s for only $8.00 so you go ahead and enter your card information to pay the bill.

It’s not till the following day or two that you see all the unauthorized charges on your account… gift cards, hotel bookings, electronics… several thousand dollars… You have been scammed.

Signs to watch out for:

• Watch out for unsolicited texts demanding payment or threatening license suspension.
• Scammers often ask for small amounts hoping you’ll pay without thinking.
• make sure you are on the official toll collection website.
• Never click on links in texts or emails… it’s never a good idea.
• If you see a scam message, block the number and delete the message immediately.

Also Remember:

Treat Zelle, Venmo, PayPal, Cash Apps, wires, cryptocurrency, and gift cards like cash—once the money is sent, it’s pretty much gone for good. For checks, once they’re cashed, the money is typically unrecoverable.