FBI Warns of Rising Smishing Scams in Toll Payments: Stay Alert

FBI warns of devastating toll payment scams that have already targeted thousands of Americans through sophisticated text message attacks orchestrated by foreign criminal networks.

Key Takeaways

Over 2,000 complaints about “smishing” toll payment scams have been reported to the FBI in the past month, affecting at least 10 U.S. states and Canada.
Chinese criminal organizations operating from Southeast Asian data centers are suspected to be behind these sophisticated scam operations.
Scammers primarily target elderly and less tech-savvy individuals with urgent messages threatening fines and license suspension.
Never click suspicious links, reply to unknown text messages, or provide personal information; instead verify directly with official toll agencies.
Report all suspected toll scam messages to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).

Wave of Toll Payment Scams Sweeping Across America

The FBI has issued an urgent advisory warning Americans about a surge in fraudulent text messages claiming recipients owe unpaid road tolls. These “smishing” scams – a form of phishing conducted via SMS – have generated over 2,000 complaints in just the past month. The deceptive operation spans at least 10 U.S. states and has even crossed into Ontario, Canada. Law enforcement officials have identified these scams as part of a coordinated effort to steal personal and financial information by impersonating legitimate state toll authorities. The scammers use threatening language about fines and license suspension to create a sense of urgency, pushing victims to click malicious links.

These criminal operations have been traced to Chinese gangs utilizing data centers in remote locations throughout Southeast Asia. “They are basically building big data centers in the jungle,” explains Jon Clay, a cybersecurity expert quoted in reporting on these scams. The sophisticated nature of these attacks shows a concerning level of organization, with perpetrators bulk-purchasing domains and employing tactics specifically designed to bypass smartphone security features. By encouraging users to reply to their messages with a simple “Y,” they can reopen security vulnerabilities that phones typically block from unknown senders.

IC3 ALERT: Did you receive a message that said you have unpaid tolls? STOP! It's likely a smishing scam. Don't click the link. Think to yourself, did you really travel a toll road recently and not pay? Learn more and don't become a scam victim: https://t.co/LbsDZDvHo1 pic.twitter.com/5RlpWT9aLp

— FBI Denver (@FBIDenver) February 19, 2025

States Respond to Growing Threat

As these scams proliferate across the country, state officials have begun issuing their own warnings to residents. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill has been particularly vocal about the threat. “It is a SCAM. If you ever receive a text that looks suspicious, be sure to never click on it. You don’t want your private information stolen by scammers,” Murrill warned state residents. Her office has joined the FBI in urging citizens to delete suspicious messages immediately and report them to proper authorities rather than engaging with scammers in any way.

“We do not have toll roads in Vermont but travelers may mistake these scams for actual toll operators in other states.” – Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark

The situation has become so widespread that even states without toll roads, like Vermont, are seeing residents targeted. Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark noted the confusion this creates for travelers who might mistake these fraudulent messages for legitimate communications from toll authorities in neighboring states. Cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks has identified more than 10,000 domains registered specifically for these scams, indicating the massive scale of this criminal enterprise. Search interest in “toll road scams” has reportedly surged by 900%, demonstrating both the prevalence of these attacks and growing public awareness.

BEREA, Ohio (April 22, 2024) – The Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission has learned that a text message-based scam, known as “smishing,” is fraudulently claiming to represent tolling agencies from across the country. The scammers are requesting payment for unpaid tolls.… pic.twitter.com/cEgzPwqnSd

— Ohio Turnpike (@OhioTurnpike) April 22, 2024

Protection Strategies for Vulnerable Americans

Cybersecurity experts emphasize that these scams disproportionately target elderly Americans and those less familiar with technology. The FBI recommends several protective measures: never click on links in unsolicited text messages, avoid replying to unknown senders, and verify any toll payment requests directly through official websites or customer service numbers. If you believe you’ve received a fraudulent toll message, the FBI advises filing a report with their Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) and deleting the message immediately.

“Scammers want people to panic, not pause” – Amy Bunn

The psychological tactics employed by these scammers rely on creating panic and urgency. “Scammers want people to panic, not pause,” explains cybersecurity advocate Amy Bunn. By maintaining a calm approach to unexpected payment demands and taking time to verify information through legitimate channels, Americans can protect themselves from these increasingly sophisticated attacks. While awareness campaigns and public service announcements have helped alert some potential victims, the low cost and high volume nature of these scams makes them particularly difficult to eliminate completely, requiring continued vigilance from all Americans who use our roadways.