(NEXSTAR) – Drivers should be on the lookout for scam text messages warning of an unpaid road toll bill, according to recent warnings from authorities.

The text messages name the local toll service, such as FasTrak in California, and have a link that takes the victim to a convincingly-duped version of the collection operator's website.

"The texts claim the recipient owes money for unpaid tolls and contain almost identical language," according to the FBI. "The 'outstanding toll amount' is similar among the complaints reported to the IC3 (FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center). However, the link provided within the text is created to impersonate the state's toll service name, and phone numbers appear to change between states."

• (Credit: Nexstar/Addy Bink)
• (Credit: Better Business Bureau)

The FBI told Nexstar that it received more than 60,000 complaints in 2024 from people reporting suspicious messages about unpaid tolls.

The text-based style of the scam has been labeled "smishing," which combines "SMS" or "short message service" with "phishing," which usually refers to attacks made via email or websites.

"Smishing scams are successful because people tend to trust text messages more than emails, often responding quickly to them without fully considering the content, especially when the message appears to be from a trusted source like a bank or delivery company, making it easy for attackers to trick users into clicking on malicious links or sharing sensitive information," according to the FBI.

The flood of attacks has prompted warnings from police and toll authorities across the country in recent weeks. Last Wednesday, Brian Keenan, the police chief in Holyoke, Mass.,

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