When Ed Mondello’s 83-year-old wife received a text message about an unpaid toll, it seemed legitimate.
“They said she didn’t pay the toll and had to pay $6.99 by a certain time,” the Tampa Bay resident told WFLA News. “If not, it would go to her credit report, and she would lose her registration. I feel lousy."
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The link in the message looked official, appearing to come from Florida’s SunPass system complete with branded logos and language. Wanting to resolve the issue quickly, she clicked the link and entered her debit card information.
That small decision cost $4,500. According to Mondello, the thieves used his wife’s debit card 25 times over three days, making purchases at Staples stores in Connecticut and Massachusetts.
Their story is part of a troubling national trend: a surge in toll-related phishing scams.
Toll-related phishing scams on the rise
The toll scam targeting the Mondellos follows a typical playbook in which scammers impersonate toll agencies and send mass text messages claiming that recipients owe a small amount for unpaid tolls.
The messages typically include a link and urgent warnings of steep late fees or even the threat of license suspension without immediate payment.
The link directs victims to a fake payment portal. Once a victim enters their credit or debit card information, scammers charge large sums or steal sensitive information for future use.
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According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Americans lost $470 million to text-message scams in 2024 alone — five times as many as in 2020.
Older adults are particularly vulnerable.
AARP reports that people in their 70s suffered median losses of $20,000 to investment scams — a stark contrast to the $1,551 median loss reported by victims in their 20s.
How to avoid falling victim
Here are some ways you can protect yourself from toll-related text scams:
- Don’t click links in unsolicited texts: If you receive a toll notice, contact the tolling agency through their official website.
- Look closely at the sender: Scam texts often come from email addresses or numbers you can’t trace. Verify the message with the tolling agency using a trusted source when in doubt.
- Watch for urgency: Scammers rely on panic to prompt quick action. A legitimate agency won’t threaten license suspension or credit damage over a single missed payment.
- Enable alerts from your bank: Instant notifications can help you catch and respond to fraudulent activity before it causes more damage.
- Report suspicious messages: Forward scam texts to 7726 (SPAM) and delete them from your device.
In the end, the Mondellos were fortunate. Their credit union, Achieva, reimbursed the more than $4,500 they lost in the scam.
Still, the experience left its mark. Ed says his wife learned a challenging but important lesson about suspicious text messages.
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
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