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Fraud Prevention
Watchdog Alerts
Steer Clear of Toll Road Scams
Hello,
Have you received a message about an unpaid toll that doesn’t ring a bell? You’re not alone. Criminals target drivers with fake toll charges to steal money and personal information.
How It Works
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You receive a text or email appearing to be from a legitimate highway authority or a transponder company such as E-ZPass.
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The message claims you have unpaid tolls, often for a small amount.
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It urges you to click a link to pay the toll, warning that you’ll incur late fees if you fail to pay quickly.
What You Should Know
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These messages are designed to be realistic (based on geography, for example), and the toll amount is typically small.
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The scammers hope you’ll just click and pay without looking into whether you actually have an unpaid toll.
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Their goal is to steal money and payment information or to infect your device with malicious software that could lead to financial loss and identity fraud.
What You Should Do
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If you get a message about unpaid tolls, do not respond or click on any links.
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Instead, check your account using the state tolling agency or transponder company’s legitimate website or phone number — not information from the message.
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If your smartphone has a “report junk” option, use it to flag the message for your carrier.
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If you’ve been targeted by a toll scam, report it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, IC3.gov.
Knowledge gives you power over scams. AARP Fraud Watch NetworkTM equips you with reliable, up-to-date insights and connects you to our free fraud helpline so you can better protect yourself and loved ones. We also advocate at the state, federal and local levels to enact policy changes that protect consumers and enforce laws.
AARP Fraud Watch NetworkTM offers free emotional support sessions for people affected by fraud. Trained peer facilitators conduct hour-long small group online sessions. Experiencing fraud can be devastating, but it doesn’t have to define you.
When it comes to fraud, vigilance is our number one weapon. You have the power to protect yourself and your loved ones from scams. Please share this alert with friends and family and visit the Fraud Resource Center for more information.
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