The FBI is warning citizens across the U.S. to be on high alert for a growing scam involving fraudulent toll and state fee payment texts. Timothy Ferguson, Assistant Director of the Criminal Justice Information Services Division, issued a public service announcement on LinkedIn, urging people to avoid clicking any links and spread the word.
“If you are like me, you have received several text messages about unpaid tolls and asking you to click a link to pay,” Ferguson stated in his post. “This is a scam called malicious SMS or ‘Smishing.’ While this is obvious to many, it’s important to share far and wide to help unsuspecting and vulnerable individuals from becoming victims.”
According to cybersecurity experts at Palo Alto Networks’ Unit 42, cybercriminals have registered over 10,000 fake domains to launch these scams. The fraudulent texts appear to be from toll services or government agencies, claiming an urgent unpaid balance that requires immediate payment via a state-specific or toll-branded link. The goal is to trick users into providing personal and financial information, potentially leading to identity theft or unauthorized transactions.
A threat actor leveraging the same naming pattern has registered 10K+ domains for various #smishing scams. They pose as toll services for US states and package delivery services. Root domain names start with “com-” as a way to trick victims. More info at https://t.co/drBEuvGoJj pic.twitter.com/7CBkvwYWxo
— Unit 42 (@Unit42_Intel) March 7, 2025
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and cybersecurity firms like McAfee have reported that major cities—including Dallas, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Orlando—are being heavily targeted. These scams have surged in recent months, with cases nearly quadrupling between January and February.
- Authorities strongly advise users to take the following precautions.
- Delete any suspicious texts immediately.
- Never click on links from unknown senders.
- Verify toll or state fees by visiting official websites directly.
- Report smishing attempts to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.ic3.gov.
Consumers who may have already interacted with a fraudulent link should secure their personal and financial accounts immediately and dispute any unauthorized charges.
The FBI and FTC continue to track these scams as they evolve, urging Americans to stay vigilant and protect their personal information.
