A troll asking you to pay a toll sounds like something out of a nursery rhyme, right?
In this scam, a text message says you owe an unpaid invoice for a traffic toll, and includes a payment link.
It may look real – but (like the non-internet kind of trolls) the toll is purely imaginary.
Although they aren’t exactly new, (the FBI issued an alert about this scam in April of 2024) these text messages have been becoming more frequent lately, leading to warnings from the Kansas Turnpike Authority and a recent writeup in the Wichita Eagle.
Examples of toll scam texts. Courtesy Kansas Turnpike Authority
In these text messages, what appears to be a toll road or turnpike authority is giving you a reminder about an unpaid toll, and threaten fees or penalties if it is not paid right away. Then they include a handy link to pay that toll. The link may look fairly legitimate, there may be logos or other branding there to make the text and the linked “payment portal” look real.
I assure you, it is not real.
The Kansas Turnpike Authority states (and there is no reason to believe that other states/toll road authorities’ policies are any different) that:
“KTA does not send unsolicited texts or emails. You receive this type of communication from KTA if you’ve signed up for it, either through self-service channels or when contacting DriveKS customer service. You control your account communication preferences. An official DriveKS text will also require you to login to your DriveKS account.”
What to do if you get one of these texts?
DO NOT click the link! You can ignore the text and delete it, or, you can take steps to help stop the scammers. If you receive one of these texts, the FBI recommends:
- File a complaint with the IC3, www.ic3.gov, be sure to include:
- The phone number from where the text originated.
- The website listed within the text
- Check your account using the toll service’s legitimate website.
- Contact the toll service’s customer service phone number.
- Delete the text message.
- If you clicked any link or provided your information, take efforts to secure your personal information and financial accounts. Dispute any unfamiliar charges.
