BEREA, Ohio — The Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission is warning drivers of a new text scam that is requesting payment for "unpaid tolls."
With the Ohio Turnpike revamping its toll collection system, E-ZPass users no longer have to stop at a gate to pay their tolls. They can just keep on driving through an open lane. As this change rolls out in Ohio, text messages have been popping up on people’s phones in our neighboring states, Pennsylvania and Illinois, directing people to click a link to pay supposed unpaid tolls (shown below).
THE QUESTION
Will the state of Ohio reach out to you by text message if you have an unpaid toll?
THE SOURCES
To VERIFY if a text like this is legitimate in our state, we checked with:
- the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and
- the Ohio Turnpike.
THE EXPLANATION
The FBI shared a public service announcement on Apr. 12 warning that:
"Since early-March 2024, the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center has received over 2,000 complaints reporting smishing texts representing road toll collection service from at least three states."
The example text they show is just like the one pictured above, claiming to be from PA Turnpike Toll Services.
The FBI PSA says this is a scam, and warns that the scam may be moving from state-to-state.
According to a press release from the Ohio Turnpike, "The Ohio Turnpike does not request payments from its E-ZPass customers by text. Collections of unpaid toll and/or toll violations does not occur by text."
THE ANSWER
So we can VERIFY, if you get a text like the one pictured here claiming you owe an Ohio toll, it’s a scam. The state of Ohio will not reach out to you by text message if you have an unpaid toll.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Here's what the FBI is recommending you do if you receive a fraudulent message:
- Contact the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.ic3.gov, and include:
- The phone number from where the text originated.
- The website listed within the text.
- Check your account using the toll service’s legitimate website.
- Contact the Ohio Turnpike’s E-ZPass customer service center at (440) 971-2222.
- Delete any smishing texts received.
- If you clicked any link or provided your information, take efforts to secure your personal information and financial accounts. Dispute any unfamiliar charges.
"We encourage all customers to be on high alert and be aware of these types of scams," said the Ohio Turnpike.
The Ohio Turnpike also shared that all links associated with Ohio Turnpike E-ZPass will include www.ezpassoh.com and www.ohioturnpike.org.