That text message asking you to pay a North Carolina highway toll? Ignore it. Here’s why.
The toll road text message scam that first appeared in North Carolina last summer has become more widespread, state officials say.
A growing number of people are receiving text messages telling them they owe money to the N.C. Turnpike Authority or some generic toll agency. The messages provide a link to a website where people are told they must pay their debt or face additional charges, fees or legal action.
The texts and the websites are bogus, says N.C. Attorney General Jeff Jackson.
“These scam texts are targeting a massive number of people — including me,” Jackson said in a statement Thursday. “Don’t fall for them, and please warn your family. We’re investigating, but in the meantime, be wary of any unsolicited texts — especially those that claim to be from the government or threaten legal action.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation put out an alert about the scam last April. The N.C. Turnpike Authority, which operates toll roads in the Triangle and Charlotte areas, first detected it in North Carolina last July. The agency says its N.C. Quick Pass program never requests toll payments via text.
The scammers target phone numbers at random, regardless of whether the owner has an N.C. Quick Pass or has driven on a toll road.
Jackson says the scam seems to have originated in Canada in early 2024. Since then, the scammers have moved their operations to the U.S. and become more active — “a sign of the scheme’s profitability,” according to the Attorney General’s office.
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The FBI calls the scheme “smishing,” combining “SMS” or short message service, with “phishing.” The goal of smishing attacks is to trick people into downloading malware, sharing sensitive information or sending money to cybercriminals, the agency says.
The FBI suggests people who receive the messages do the following:
▪ File a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov. Include the phone number from where the text originated and the web address it provides.
▪ Check your N.C. Quick Pass account at www.ncquickpass.com/.
▪ Contact the Quick Pass customer service center at 877-769-7277 to let it know about the text.
▪ Delete the smishing text.
▪ If you clicked any link or provided your information, take efforts to secure your personal information and financial accounts. Dispute any unfamiliar charges.
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