Double Check

Is the 'unpaid toll balance' text message a scam?

A typical version of this message
Toll Services: Our records show an outstanding toll balance of $6.99 on your vehicle. To avoid a late fee of $50.00 and suspension of your registration, settle now: toll-pay-example.com/balance
Why it is a toll payment scam
Yes. Fake toll texts are a nationwide scam wave — the FBI has received hundreds of thousands of reports of them. The tells: a small, believable amount paired with a large threatened fee, pressure to pay immediately, and a payment link that is not the official toll authority's website. Toll agencies bill by mail or through their own apps, and they do not threaten your vehicle registration by text.
What to do
Do not pay through the link. If you genuinely use toll roads, look up your toll authority's real website separately and check your account there. Report the text at ic3.gov and delete it. These texts go out to millions of numbers at random — getting one does not mean they know anything about your car.

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Checked by Double Check on August 31, 2026. This page documents a widely reported scam pattern; the example wording is representative, with links and personal details replaced. See more in the scam guide or recent answers.