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There’s nothing quite like a scam text to ruin your day. You’re cruising along, minding your business, when suddenly your phone buzzes with a “Toll Roads Notice of Toll Evasion” text.
The big problem with this type of scam is that it seems totally legit. It doesn’t seem out of the ordinary for traffic violations to come over text, too. But here’s why you should immediately ignore that text and how to spot this scam before it drags you down a rabbit hole of fraud.
What Is the Toll Evasion Scam?
It’s a scam that preys on your fear of getting into trouble. You’ll receive a text saying you’ve missed a toll payment and now face penalties — or worse, legal action. The message often includes a link to pay your fine. But spoiler: it’s not official, it’s a trap set by a hacker.
Scammers know people are on edge when it comes to anything involving fees or legal consequences, so they play on that anxiety to trick you into clicking a malicious link.
How To Spot the Scam
There are a few telltale signs that this is a scam. First, look at the link. If it’s not the official website of your toll service, it’s probably a fake number generator that leads straight to malware.
Second, there’s always a sense of urgency. Real toll companies won’t text you random threats out of the blue.
Also, watch for bad grammar. No professional company would send an official notice with a bunch of misspelled words. If you’re questioning it, there’s a good chance it’s a scam. If you’re in doubt, don’t click. That’s the key.
What Do You Do If You Get This Text?
First off, don’t panic. No one’s coming for you over unpaid tolls via text. If you get a random verification code text or any message that makes you feel uneasy, just delete it. If you’re still unsure, don’t click the link.
Instead, go directly to the official toll website or use your phone number app to block any suspicious numbers. Then, report the message to both your carrier and the FTC. While this may not help you in the moment, it’ll help get that particular scammer out of circulation, protecting others in the future.
The next step is to guard against scams in the future. With Burner, you can create a temporary phone number for situations like this. That way, your personal number stays protected, and you don’t have to worry about scammy texts reaching you.
The Bottom Line
Scams like the toll evasion text are a dime a dozen. But now that you know what to look for, you can avoid them without breaking a sweat.
Whether it’s a toll scam or something else, having a temporary phone number helps keep your communications protected, so you can block or delete numbers when the need arises. It’s a small step that makes a big difference.
Try Burner today to create a custom phone number that shields your real one from these kinds of annoying interruptions.
Sources:
Got a Text About Unpaid Tolls? It’s Probably a Scam | FTC
Important Customer Advisory Regarding Nationwide Text Phishing Scam | The Toll Roads
