The 'unpaid toll' text is a scam - and it's now the fastest-growing fraud in the US

That text saying you owe an unpaid toll is almost certainly a scam, and it has exploded. In May 2026 the FTC flagged fake toll-payment texts as the single biggest driver of a 40% jump in government-imposter scam reports, part of $3.5 billion in losses.

The message is always urgent: you owe a small toll, and your license or vehicle registration will be suspended unless you pay right now through the link. The link opens a convincing copy of your state toll authority's website that quietly collects your card number - and often enough personal detail to try identity theft.

The tell is the setup itself: real toll agencies don't chase small debts by random text with a pay-now link. If you think you might genuinely owe a toll, ignore the message and go to the agency's site yourself by typing the address, never the link. Then delete the text and report it to the FBI at ic3.gov. If you already entered card details, call your bank straight away.

Smishing works by rushing you, so there's no app that blocks every scam text - recognising the pattern is the defence. But if a link did lead to something installed on your PC, Tendvane's Safety check surfaces unexpected startup programs and browser extensions, and its browser-hijack repair clears a redirected homepage or search.