Drivers across the United States are losing billions of dollars to scammers posing as government agencies, and a growing share of those losses trace back to a simple text message claiming an unpaid toll. The Federal Trade Commission received over 1 million imposter-scam reports in 2025, with total reported losses climbing nearly 20% to $3.5 billion. Reports of government imposter scams alone rose 40% that year, fueled in part by fake messages spoofing well-known toll systems like E-ZPass, SunPass, and FasTrak.
Why the 40% spike in government imposter scams hits drivers hardest
The toll-text scheme works because it exploits a routine transaction most people never think twice about. A message arrives claiming the recipient owes a small toll balance and includes a link to settle the charge. That link leads to a phishing page built to capture bank account or credit card details. The amounts requested are often low enough to seem plausible, which lowers a driver’s guard. Once someone enters payment credentials, scammers can drain accounts or sell the information.
What makes this wave different from older imposter tactics is its geographic adaptability. The West Virginia Parkways Authority noted that the messages contain links crafted to impersonate toll service names and that phone numbers and branding can change between states. A driver in Delaware might receive a text mimicking E-ZPass, while someone in Florida sees SunPass branding, each tailored to look local and legitimate.
Several state agencies have issued their own alerts in response. Delaware officials warned that scammers are blasting residents with bogus E‑ZPass texts, prompting the state to publish an official scam alert urging people not to click links or share account information. Delaware’s DMV and tolling authorities stressed that they do not send unsolicited text messages demanding immediate payment for violations or account replenishment, and they advised customers to log in directly through known websites or apps instead of using any link in a text.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel likewise emphasized that the Michigan Department of Transportation will not text demanding immediate payment for a toll. That kind of clear, state-level debunking gives residents a concrete rule: if a text demands money for a toll, it is fraudulent. Other states have echoed the same message, underscoring that legitimate toll agencies typically communicate through mailed invoices, official apps, or established customer portals rather than surprise text demands.
FTC data and the federal response to toll-text fraud
The 40% jump in government imposter scam reports and the nearly 20% rise in total imposter losses to $3.5 billion in 2025 come directly from the FTC’s own complaint data. The agency attributed the government-imposter increase “in part” to messages about overdue tolls that spoof real toll programs. That qualifier matters: the FTC does not break out exactly how many of those reports or how many dollars in losses stem specifically from toll smishing versus other government impersonation methods such as fake IRS or Social Security contacts. Still, the agency’s analysis makes clear that toll-related texts are now a meaningful slice of a fast-growing problem.
On the regulatory side, the FTC’s impersonation rule took effect in April 2024, giving the agency new tools to pursue civil penalties against entities that impersonate government bodies or businesses. Whether that rule has deterred toll-text operators is difficult to measure, because the 40% complaint increase occurred after the rule was already in place. Enforcement actions can take time to investigate and file, and scammers frequently shift phone numbers, domains, and messaging tactics to stay ahead of filters and watchdogs.
Alongside rulemaking, federal officials have tried to push practical guidance directly to motorists. In a dedicated alert explaining that a supposed unpaid toll text is “probably a scam,” the FTC urged drivers to treat any unexpected payment demand as suspicious and to verify account status only by going to the toll agency’s website they know is real, not by following a link in a message. The agency’s unpaid-toll warning also reminds people that scammers often weaponize urgency, claiming accounts will be sent to collections or registrations suspended if a balance is not paid immediately.
For now, the most effective defense remains consumer skepticism. Drivers who receive a toll-related text should avoid tapping any embedded link, independently look up their toll provider, and check their account or recent statements there. Deleting suspicious messages and reporting them to state toll agencies and the FTC can help authorities track patterns and, over time, build cases against prolific operators. As long as toll systems rely on electronic billing and most of that activity happens in the background, scammers will keep trying to insert themselves into the process; the challenge for regulators and drivers alike is making sure those fake bills do not keep getting paid.
David M. Keller is a finance writer based in Columbus, Ohio, covering personal finance and consumer-focused economic topics. He earned his degree in journalism from Ohio University and began his career reporting on local business and economic trends for a regional media outlet. Since then, he has contributed to a variety of online publications, focusing on clear, practical coverage of topics such as cost of living, debt, and everyday financial decision-making.
