Scam Alert: E-Z Pass Scam Texts

Scam Alert – The newest scam is a text or email saying you owe money for unpaid toll roads, and threaten penalties including loss of your license.

The FBI and several cities and states are warning about the scam – and the warning do not click on the link in the scam text or email, which impersonate the toll service in your state, such as E-Z Pass in New York and 19 other states in the Northeast, and also for FastTrack in California.

Don’t be fooled into giving up your personal details and credit card information to the scammers.

If you get a shady E-ZPass text message demanding instant payment, do NOT click any links or provide personal information.

I just got a scam text from a phone number in the international area code 44, which is Great Britain, with the note “E-ZPass – Toll Violation Notice”.

Now why would somebody in Great Britain send me a text about my E-Z Pass in the USA? Because it’s a scam.

The scam texts are not specific about how much you owe. The one I received said only that if payment was not received “within 12 hours, additional penalties would apply and the matter may be reported to the DMV.”

Sounds pretty real, but really a scam.

Millions of us own toll road passes, and can rent them to use on rental vehicles.

So the scammers know that if they send out enough of these scam messages somebody will click, even sending a scam text or email claiming to be from a toll company in a state – or country – you did not visit.

Do not click the link in the text or email.

Don’t be fooled into giving up your personal details and credit card information.

What Unpaid Toll Scam Texts Look Like

The scam I received threatened additional penalty costs. Other scam texts may threaten loss of your license, even impounding your vehicle.

All have a link to pay.

The scam text I received directed me to respond to to https://e-zpass.com-tjkd.xin/us. That is NOT the official E-Z Pass website. E-Z Pass does not have add-ons liketjkd.xin to its dot-com address.

The scam text I received said to “Reply with “Y”, exit the SMS then reopen it to activate the link. Or copy and paste the link into the browser. Thank you for your prompt attention. E-ZPass support team.”

Tip-off to a Rip-Off

It’s a relatively easy one to spot a scam text – called “smishing”– because most toll agencies do not send text messages to collect fees. They send a letter in the mail.

A legitimate text for payment does not advise you close to cut-and-paste the link into your browser.

No legitimate request for payment links to a bitly link, or add-ons to the website like tjkd.xin, which I received from a scam E-Z Pass sender.

And eagle-eyed me also noticed that my scam text signed as “E-ZPass”, without a space. The real name is E-Z Pass, with a space between E-Z and Pass.

Other scam texts may sign as from “E-Zpass” with a lower-case pass instead of a capital letter Pass.

And toll road systems simply do not send payment requests to those who are not pass-holders.

Just so you know –

The actual official real address for E-Z Pass (New York) is https://www.e-zpassny.com/en/home/index.shtml
For New Jersey it’s https://www.ezpassnj.com/en/home/index.shtml
For the E-Z Pass Group of all 20 E-Z Pass states it’s https://www.e-zpassiag.com/

Unless that’s the URL on the text message, it’s a scam.

Do not click the link in the text or email.

Don’t be fooled into giving up your personal details and credit card information.

More Examples of Scam E-Z Pass Texts

USA Today reports that some of its staff have received similar scam texts from the fake address “e-zpass.com-pay” which is easy to mistake for the real website, which has URL addresses, like “https://www.e-zpassny.com.”

A scam text received by a USA Today staffer said “This is a final reminder regarding the unpaid toll from your recent trip on the Maryland toll road. To avoid an additional fee of $35.00, please settle your outstanding balance now by visiting the link below. ez-md.net (Enter the link in your browser to securely access your file),” reads one, more high-effort message received by a staff member.

Another said “To avoid a fine and keep your license, you can pay at https://paytollitua.vip/ezdrivema (Please reply Y, then exit the text message and open it again to activate the link, or copy the link into your Safari browser and open,” says another common message.

And another said “E-ZPass – Toll Violation Notice Dear User, We noticed an unpaid toll balance on your E-ZPass account. To avoid late fees, please make the payment within 12 hours. If payment is not received within this time, additional penalties will apply, and the matter may be reported to the DMV. [Payment Link] HTTP://ezpasshet.top/pay. Reply with “Y”, exit the SMS, then reopen it to activate the link. Or copy and paste the link into your browser. Thank you for your prompt attention. E-ZPass Support Team.”

That’s the exact same scam text I recieved.

Do not click the link in the text or email.

Don’t be fooled into giving up your personal details and credit card information.

FBI Warning

The FBI first warned about these scam toll road texts in 2024.

“The Toll Roads is advising drivers to disregard phishing texts being sent to their phones that detail a specific outstanding toll amount or Notice of Toll Evasion,” the FBI warning said.

Since then, the scam texts have only proliferated.

Law enforcement agencies across the country have posted repeated warnings about the scam. Here’s the warning from the NYC government –

Click to access ezpass.pdf

How to Report a Scam Text

You can report suspected scam messages to the FTC’s consumer fraud complaints division at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

northjersey.com –

Sca m mers are at it again with fake E-ZPass, EZDriveMa or other road toll collection service claiming you owe unpaid tolls and seeking immediate payment.

In a new warning from the FBI, scammers are moving state to state with new “smishing” or “spoofing” text messages that claim the recipient owes money for unpaid tolls with common phrases noted such as “outstanding toll amount.”

The “smishing” scam targets E-ZPass holders, sending them fraudulent text messages that claim to be from E-ZPass and then trick customers into clicking malicious links and/or asking for payment information.

“Phishing scams are designed to create a sense of panic, catching the receiver off guard and causing them to react before thinking,” warned DMV Director Amy Anthony. “I urge everyone to think before you click on links of any kind especially those requesting money, payment, personal information, credit card details, social security number, or anything else that could be used negatively.”

Smishing, Phishing & Spoofing

According to the FBI, the definition of smishing is a social engineering attack using fake text messages to trick people into downloading malware, sharing sensitive information or sending money to cybercriminals. “Smishing” combines “SMS”—or “short message service,” and “phishing.”

“Phishing” generally pertains to attacks on the internet, email, or websites.

Spoofing is when someone disguises an email address, sender name, phone number, or website URL — often just by just changing one letter, or a symbol, or a number — to convince you that you are interacting with a trusted source, but makes it seem otherwise familiar to the recipient.

How to Report a Scam Text

Report suspected scam messages to the FTC’s consumer fraud complaints division at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

More tips from CrimewatchPa –

Delete the text immediately to cut off contact. Do not reply.
Call E-ZPass Customer Service at 1-800-333-TOLL to report the scam text. Log into your official E-ZPass account to check for any valid violations or unpaid tolls.
Review E-ZPass account statements and credit cards for signs of misuse. Alert your bank and credit card companies about potential scams involving your information.
Never give information in response to texts requesting payments.
Confirm toll notices directly with E-ZPass before paying anything.

ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter is a journalist with 25+ years of experience as a newspaper and magazine writer, radio & TV news producer & reporter, and author of guidebooks and smartphone apps – all focusing on travel, automotive, the environment and your rights as a consumer.