Urgent Warning: Toll Payment Scam Targeting Victims Nationwide

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Authorities are raising alarms about a recent surge in scam text messages linked to unpaid traffic tolls, a fraudulent scheme that has left many victims vulnerable. The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) are both urging individuals to steer clear of these deceptive texts, emphasizing that the DMV will never initiate contact regarding toll bills.

“The DMV will never send you text messages about toll bills,” said Gerald Lackey, Virginia DMV commissioner. “We urge our customers to be vigilant and avoid sending your personal information via text.”

Chris Maurer, a cybersecurity expert and associate professor at the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce, highlighted the dual motives behind such phishing attempts. “The first and most obvious payoff for scammers is money,” he explained. “They hope victims will click the links and authorize payment for the ‘unpaid toll,’ but that money goes directly to the scammer’s account.”

In addition to monetary theft, scammers may also seek to harvest sensitive personal data, such as driver’s license numbers and home addresses. This information can be exploited in future scams or sold on the dark web. Maurer noted the effectiveness of these scams, citing FTC data which reported 246,784 complaints regarding text message fraud in 2024, with 11% indicating they lost money, totaling an estimated $470 million lost to scammers.

Victims receiving these fraudulent messages should report them as junk or spam, which can help mobile carriers improve their spam detection algorithms. Maurer urged users to utilize the built-in features on both iOS and Android devices to report these messages, helping to prevent future scams.

“Reporting typically blocks that sender from sending additional text messages to you, but scammers often switch numbers,” Maurer remarked. “It’s essential to continue reporting to aid in filtering these messages.

Unfortunately, blocking scam messages entirely remains challenging, as scammers exploit data obtained from previous security breaches and send messages to random phone numbers. “Since nearly everyone has some personal data disclosed in a data breach, our phone numbers are out there, and these scams will continue,” Maurer added.

For those who might have inadvertently responded to a scam message, Maurer suggested contacting their bank or credit card company to halt any payments, although he stressed there is no guarantee of retrieving lost funds.

Individuals can identify scam messages by examining the source. Maurer indicated that many scam texts originate from international numbers, which do not conform to standard U.S. area codes. “If you receive a message from a number starting with a country code outside of +1, it’s likely a scam,” he warned.

Scam messages may contain odd instructions, such as directing recipients to exit their messaging apps before clicking on links. These tactics often hint at suspicious origins. “If a message provides explicit instructions on how to circumvent phone safety features, it is probably from a scammer,” Maurer cautioned.

As scammers continue to devise sophisticated techniques to deceive unsuspecting individuals, awareness and vigilance remain crucial. Individuals are encouraged to stay informed and cautious to protect themselves from falling victim to these deceitful operations.