Everyone needs to be aware of scammers but travelers, in particular, must stay on high alert. This is mainly because they’re often in unfamiliar places or dealing with different customs. I’ve written many tips about common travel scams to watch out for, like the falling lady scam and these notorious European travel scams travelers should know before heading to the continent. That’s why it’s essential to research your destination before you travel and stay extra cautious when receiving texts and emails about your trip, even after returning home.
The latest scam targeting travelers involves text messages that claim you owe unpaid tolls, either for your own vehicle or a rental. I received several of these messages last month. Below is a screenshot of one them, that says:
“Please pay your toll for the CA Toll Roads by February 22, 2025. If you have unpaid tolls, you may be at risk of penalties or having your vehicle registration suspended. Please pay your toll promptly to avoid any issues. Thank you for your cooperation, and we wish you a happy holiday! https://thetollroads.comXXXX (Please reply Y, then exit the text message and open it again to activate the link, or copy the link to your Safari browser and open it.)”
As you can see, there’s a lot wrong with this message, especially since it’s coming from a Hotmail account. Who uses Hotmail anymore? Certainly not the government or large corporations.
I don’t want to give scammers any ideas for improving their phishing techniques but unfortunately, they seem to be doing just fine, as the FBI has issued a warning. Their Seattle office tweeted: “Have you received a text suggesting you may owe unpaid tolls on your vehicle? There’s a good chance it’s a fraudster trying to get your personal information. Learn more about this scam here: https://t.co/zYW4AzhdzG”
Have you received a text suggesting you may owe unpaid tolls on your vehicle? There is a good chance it’s a fraudster trying to get your personal information. Learn more about this scam here: https://t.co/zYW4AzhdzG pic.twitter.com/iSA7b4NeYN
— FBI Seattle (@FBISeattle) March 19, 2025
The link leads to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), which states: “Since early March 2024, the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) has received over 2,000 complaints about smishing texts pretending to be from road toll collection services in at least three states. IC3 complaint information indicates the scam is moving from state to state.”
According to the IC3, if you receive one of these texts, here’s what you should do:
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File a complaint with the IC3 at www.ic3.gov, and be sure to include:
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The phone number from where the text originated.
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The website listed in the text.
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Check your account using the legitimate toll service’s website.
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Contact the toll service’s customer service phone number.
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Delete any smishing texts received.
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If you clicked any links or provided your information, take steps to secure your personal and financial accounts. Dispute any unfamiliar charges.
What’s even more frustrating is that the major telecom companies don’t seem to be able to block these scams. I keep getting the same texts even after I’ve clicked “Report Junk”. It’s frustrating because one would think that if enough people reported the texts as junk, service providers would block messages containing these URLs and fake phone numbers.
In mid-January, the FTC issued a press release with advice on how to avoid scams like this:
• Don’t click on any links in, or respond to, unexpected texts. Scammers want you to react quickly, but it’s best to stop and check it out.
• Verify if the text is legitimate. Reach out to the state’s tolling agency using a phone number or website you know is real — not the info from the text.
• Report and delete unwanted text messages. Use your phone’s “report junk” option to report unwanted texts to your messaging app or forward them to 7726 (SPAM). After checking it out and reporting it, delete the text.
Since you’re subscribed to my newsletter, I’m sure you’re already aware of scams like these. While this might be common knowledge to you, it might not be to your parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents or friends. Scammers particularly target seniors, so be sure to pass this information along to them — or at least make them aware. It’s a good excuse to give them a call!
More Scams to Watch Out For
–Is Your Hotel Scamming You?
–Don’t Fall For It: Scammers Are Pretending to be Customs and Border Protection Agents
–Cybersecurity and Fraud Expert Shares Tips on How Not to Get Scammed When Traveling
–How To Avoid Vacation Rental Scams
–Don’t Fall For These QR Code Scams
–7 Tips For Avoiding Black Friday Scams Online
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We are Canadians. Quite a while ago we were internet users and we were flooded with spam messages. Then our provider offered to screen them for a fee. That didn’t go over well so they just did it for free. So the capability is there. Make more complaints!!