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Scam alert · Text message

A text says you owe unpaid tolls and includes a link to pay

Posted October 19, 2026. Based only on the official warnings linked below.

The official warning

FTC consumer alert, January 17, 2025: The FTC warned that unexpected texts about unpaid tolls with a link to pay are phishing. Don't click or respond. Check with the real toll agency using a phone number or website you know is real, then report the text as junk or forward it to 7726.

Read the FTC consumer alert

What to do

  • Don't tap the link and don't reply to the text. The FTC says to stop and check it out first.
  • Check with the real toll agency. Use a phone number or website you already trust, or look it up yourself. Don't use the info from the text.
  • If you have an account, log in on the agency's real site (for Colorado Express Lane users, CDOT points people to ExpressToll.com). Confirm whether you actually owe anything.
  • Report and delete. Use your phone's Report Junk option, or forward the text to 7726 (SPAM). The FCC also takes complaints at consumercomplaints.fcc.gov.
  • If you already tapped the link or typed payment info, watch your accounts, dispute strange charges, and report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and ic3.gov.

What it looks like

  • You get a text out of the blue saying you have unpaid tolls and need to pay now.
  • It may show a dollar amount and include a link that looks like a toll agency site.
  • It may claim to be ExpressToll, E-ZPass, FasTrak, I-PASS, or another real toll brand.
  • The message rushes you with late fees, account suspension, or legal action if you don't pay today.

Why it works

The FTC warned in January 2025 that scammers pretend to be tolling agencies and send texts demanding money. The link is phishing: it can steal card info and personal details. The FCC says toll operators typically don't collect overdue accounts by text, and that the sender's number may be spoofed. Colorado's CDOT says ExpressToll never collects payment by text; the same pattern shows up for toll brands in other states.

Text this to someone you love

Heads up: a surprise text about unpaid tolls with a pay link is probably a scam. Don't tap it. Check your real toll account yourself, or call the agency using a number you know. Forward junk texts to 7726.

Sources

Step-by-step help: I got a strange text