In short
Most common fake: Texts claiming you owe a small unpaid toll with a link to pay.
Safest check: Go directly to your own state's toll agency website by typing the address yourself, not from the text.
Where to report it: Forward the text to 7726 (SPAM) or use your phone's report junk option, then delete it.
What E-ZPass and US toll agencies says
The E-ZPass Group says it does not hold customer accounts or collect tolls, so any message saying it is owed toll money is a scam, and advises going directly to your toll agency's website instead of using links or numbers in a text. New York's E-ZPass says it will never text or email asking for sensitive details such as card numbers or Social Security numbers. Source: Federal Trade Commission
Common fake E-ZPass and US toll agencies messages
These are the 4 shapes a fake E-ZPass and US toll agencies message usually takes. They are listed in the order we see them most often, and none of them is something E-ZPass and US toll agencies itself does.
- Texts claiming you owe a small unpaid toll with a link to pay
- Threats of late fees or penalties if you do not pay quickly
- Links to fake toll payment sites that collect card details and driver's license numbers
- Nearly identical messages sent from changing phone numbers across many states
E-ZPass and US toll agencies's real web addresses
Genuine E-ZPass and US toll agencies links and emails use these domains. Look at the part just before the first single slash: e-zpassgroup.org is real, but e-zpassgroup-support-center.com or e-zpassgroup.org.account-check.top are not.
- e-zpassgroup.org
- e-zpassny.com
Scammers can also hide a fake link behind real-looking text. Learn how to read a web address.
How to check a E-ZPass and US toll agencies message safely
- Go directly to your own state's toll agency website by typing the address yourself, not from the text
- Call your toll agency using a customer service number you know is real
- Check your toll account online for any genuine balance
How to report a fake E-ZPass and US toll agencies message
- Forward the text to 7726 (SPAM) or use your phone's report junk option, then delete it. Official details on consumer.ftc.gov
- File a complaint with the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, including the sender's phone number and the website link in the text. Official details on ic3.gov
Also report it to the official fraud service in your country. See the worldwide list.
If you clicked, paid or shared details
Act quickly. It makes a difference.
- If you entered card or bank details, call your bank now using the number on your card, and ask them to block the card.
- If you entered a password, change it at e-zpassgroup.org, typed into your browser yourself, and turn on two-step verification. Do not use any link from the message.
- Expect follow-up calls or messages pretending to help, sometimes claiming to be from E-ZPass and US toll agencies security. Never share one-time codes and never move money to a "safe account".
- Forward the text to 7726 (SPAM) or use your phone's report junk option, then delete it, then delete the message.
More help: “Unpaid toll” and parking-fine texts and what to do after a scam.
How to protect yourself next time
Take your details off data broker sites
Scammers buy phone numbers, home addresses and family details from people-search and data broker sites. The less of that is public, the fewer and less convincing the scam messages you get.
Free: You can ask each site to delete your details yourself. In the EU and the UK, data protection law gives you that right.
- Incogni Partner link Sends removal requests to data brokers for you, and keeps sending them.
Watch for anyone using your identity
If you shared ID documents, card details or a Social Security number, monitoring can alert you when someone opens credit or accounts in your name.
Free: In the US, a credit freeze at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion is free and blocks most new-credit fraud. Elsewhere, ask your bank and your credit reference agency about fraud alerts.
- Aura Partner link US identity theft protection with credit monitoring and fraud insurance.
Compare the tools that help, and what each costs
Links marked Partner link may earn us a commission, at no cost to you. It never changes our advice, and the free option always comes first. Affiliate disclosure.
Questions people ask
Does E-ZPass and US toll agencies send messages asking for payment or personal details?
The E-ZPass Group says it does not hold customer accounts or collect tolls, so any message saying it is owed toll money is a scam, and advises going directly to your toll agency's website instead of using links or numbers in a text. New York's E-ZPass says it will never text or email asking for sensitive details such as card numbers or Social Security numbers.
How can I check if a E-ZPass and US toll agencies message is real?
Go directly to your own state's toll agency website by typing the address yourself, not from the text. Call your toll agency using a customer service number you know is real. Check your toll account online for any genuine balance.
How do I report a fake E-ZPass and US toll agencies message?
Forward the text to 7726 (SPAM) or use your phone's report junk option, then delete it. File a complaint with the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, including the sender's phone number and the website link in the text.
I clicked a link in a fake E-ZPass and US toll agencies message but did not enter anything. Am I at risk?
Opening a link is far less serious than filling one in. Close it, and if you need your account, reach it by typing e-zpassgroup.org yourself. Clicking does tell the sender your number is live, so expect more messages for a while: forward the text to 7726 (spam) or use your phone's report junk option, then delete it.
Have you had this one?
Tell other people what the message said and how it reached you. It helps someone recognise it before they tap.
No stories yet. Yours could be the one that warns someone.
Official sources and further reading
We check our pages against official advice from the organisations themselves and from government agencies.
- Got a text about unpaid tolls? It's probably a scam (Federal Trade Commission)
- Smishing Scam Regarding Debt for Road Toll Services (FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3))
- E-ZPass Group home page scam warning (E-ZPass Group)