The FBI received thousands of complaints about texts claiming an unpaid road toll with a small balance and a late fee, linking to look-alike toll sites. Fleet drivers and staff who expense tolls should check balances only through the toll agency’s real website or phone line.
\nThe FBI’s IC3 alert on toll smishing reported that, since early March 2024, it had received over 2,000 complaints about texts posing as road toll collection services from at least three states, and that the scam may be moving from state to state. The texts claim an outstanding toll balance, threaten a late fee, and use almost identical language.
\nThe links are created to impersonate the state’s toll service name, and the phone numbers appear to change between states.
\nThe FBI suggests filing an IC3 complaint with the sending phone number and the website from the text, checking the account through the toll service’s legitimate website or customer service number, and deleting the texts. Anyone who clicked a link or entered information should secure their personal information and financial accounts and dispute unfamiliar charges.
\nUse this in phishing awareness material and fleet procedures. The alert describes a 2024 campaign; the same pattern can appear with different amounts, agencies or delivery services.
\nDSE recommends a simple rule for drivers and finance staff: never pay a toll from a text link, and verify any balance through the toll agency’s official site or number. Keep the official toll account details in the fleet record so staff know where real notices come from, route toll charges through one accounts-payable process, and give employees an easy way to report suspicious texts on work phones.
\nAdd a toll-text example to the next phishing exercise and confirm the fleet procedure lists the official toll accounts. Review reported smishing messages each quarter and update training examples with current versions.
\nFBI Internet Crime Complaint Center — Smishing Scam Regarding Debt for Unpaid Tolls (PSA240412). Reviewed October 18, 2026.
", "content_text": "The FBI received thousands of complaints about texts claiming an unpaid road toll with a small balance and a late fee, linking to look-alike toll sites. Fleet drivers and staff who expense tolls should check balances only through the toll agency’s real website or phone line.\nSource facts\nThe FBI’s IC3 alert on toll smishing reported that, since early March 2024, it had received over 2,000 complaints about texts posing as road toll collection services from at least three states, and that the scam may be moving from state to state. The texts claim an outstanding toll balance, threaten a late fee, and use almost identical language.\nThe links are created to impersonate the state’s toll service name, and the phone numbers appear to change between states.\nThe FBI suggests filing an IC3 complaint with the sending phone number and the website from the text, checking the account through the toll service’s legitimate website or customer service number, and deleting the texts. Anyone who clicked a link or entered information should secure their personal information and financial accounts and dispute unfamiliar charges.\nApplicability\nUse this in phishing awareness material and fleet procedures. The alert describes a 2024 campaign; the same pattern can appear with different amounts, agencies or delivery services.\nDSE recommendation\nDSE recommends a simple rule for drivers and finance staff: never pay a toll from a text link, and verify any balance through the toll agency’s official site or number. Keep the official toll account details in the fleet record so staff know where real notices come from, route toll charges through one accounts-payable process, and give employees an easy way to report suspicious texts on work phones.\nVerification\nAdd a toll-text example to the next phishing exercise and confirm the fleet procedure lists the official toll accounts. Review reported smishing messages each quarter and update training examples with current versions.\nOfficial reference\nFBI Internet Crime Complaint Center — Smishing Scam Regarding Debt for Unpaid Tolls (PSA240412). Reviewed October 18, 2026.", "content_markdown": "The FBI received thousands of complaints about texts claiming an unpaid road toll with a small balance and a late fee, linking to look-alike toll sites. Fleet drivers and staff who expense tolls should check balances only through the toll agency’s real website or phone line.\n\n## Source facts\n\nThe FBI’s [IC3 alert on toll smishing](https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2024/PSA240412) reported that, since early March 2024, it had received over 2,000 complaints about texts posing as road toll collection services from at least three states, and that the scam may be moving from state to state. The texts claim an outstanding toll balance, threaten a late fee, and use almost identical language.\n\nThe links are created to impersonate the state’s toll service name, and the phone numbers appear to change between states.\n\nThe FBI suggests filing an IC3 complaint with the sending phone number and the website from the text, checking the account through the toll service’s legitimate website or customer service number, and deleting the texts. Anyone who clicked a link or entered information should secure their personal information and financial accounts and dispute unfamiliar charges.\n\n## Applicability\n\nUse this in phishing awareness material and fleet procedures. The alert describes a 2024 campaign; the same pattern can appear with different amounts, agencies or delivery services.\n\n## DSE recommendation\n\nDSE recommends a simple rule for drivers and finance staff: never pay a toll from a text link, and verify any balance through the toll agency’s official site or number. Keep the official toll account details in the fleet record so staff know where real notices come from, route toll charges through one accounts-payable process, and give employees an easy way to report suspicious texts on work phones.\n\n## Verification\n\nAdd a toll-text example to the next phishing exercise and confirm the fleet procedure lists the official toll accounts. Review reported smishing messages each quarter and update training examples with current versions.\n\n## Official reference\n\n[FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center — Smishing Scam Regarding Debt for Unpaid Tolls (PSA240412)](https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2024/PSA240412). 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Fleet drivers and staff who expense tolls should check balances only through the toll agency’s real website or phone line.", "articleBody": "The FBI received thousands of complaints about texts claiming an unpaid road toll with a small balance and a late fee, linking to look-alike toll sites. Fleet drivers and staff who expense tolls should check balances only through the toll agency’s real website or phone line.\nSource facts\nThe FBI’s IC3 alert on toll smishing reported that, since early March 2024, it had received over 2,000 complaints about texts posing as road toll collection services from at least three states, and that the scam may be moving from state to state. The texts claim an outstanding toll balance, threaten a late fee, and use almost identical language.\nThe links are created to impersonate the state’s toll service name, and the phone numbers appear to change between states.\nThe FBI suggests filing an IC3 complaint with the sending phone number and the website from the text, checking the account through the toll service’s legitimate website or customer service number, and deleting the texts. Anyone who clicked a link or entered information should secure their personal information and financial accounts and dispute unfamiliar charges.\nApplicability\nUse this in phishing awareness material and fleet procedures. The alert describes a 2024 campaign; the same pattern can appear with different amounts, agencies or delivery services.\nDSE recommendation\nDSE recommends a simple rule for drivers and finance staff: never pay a toll from a text link, and verify any balance through the toll agency’s official site or number. Keep the official toll account details in the fleet record so staff know where real notices come from, route toll charges through one accounts-payable process, and give employees an easy way to report suspicious texts on work phones.\nVerification\nAdd a toll-text example to the next phishing exercise and confirm the fleet procedure lists the official toll accounts. Review reported smishing messages each quarter and update training examples with current versions.\nOfficial reference\nFBI Internet Crime Complaint Center — Smishing Scam Regarding Debt for Unpaid Tolls (PSA240412). 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All rights reserved.", "citation": { "@type": "CreativeWork", "name": "FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center — Smishing Scam Regarding Debt for Unpaid Tolls (PSA240412)", "url": "https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2024/PSA240412" } } ] } }