Scammers are continuing to target residents with fake texts about unpaid tolls and fees, prompting a new warning from Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.
“Fake toll and ticket texts have been sent to phones across Michigan for a while now, but fraudsters are constantly evolving to try to steal our hard-earned money,” Nessel said. “This alert will help residents stay a step ahead of these scams. Remember, if you receive one of these texts, don’t respond. Report them as spam on your device.”
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Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel released a new consumer alert on Friday, March 20, saying that the Consumer Protection team has received hundreds of complaints about these text scams over the last year.
Examples of scam texts
These messages often feature fake court notifications, impersonations of government agencies, or fraudulent alerts from private toll companies. Officials say that more recently, some of these texts have included an image claiming to be a “Notice of Civil Infraction Hearing.”
The notice appears to come from a district court and warns recipients that they must either attend a hearing in person or accept responsibility and pay a penalty before the scheduled date. It also includes a QR code that directs users to a fraudulent payment website.
Other scam messages involve individuals posing as government agencies, like the Michigan Department of Transportation, or private toll services like SunPass or E-ZPass, pressuring recipients to pay alleged unpaid tolls or fines.
These messages also include links to make them appear real, according to the release.
Nessel: Government agencies won’t send texts demanding money
Government agencies will not send residents text messages demanding payments, according to the release.
Instead, they will mail notices and offer people payment options.
These agencies won’t take payments via prepaid gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency or payment apps.
Other ways to spot a fake text
You may have received a fake toll scam text if:
- Is unsolicited.
- Is sent from an unusually long phone number (10 or more digits).
- Includes a link that is likely shortened or scrambled.
- Is written with a sense of urgency.
- Contains grammatical and spelling errors.
- Requests personal or financial information.
What you should do
If you received a fake text message like this, you should not reply or click on any links or attachments that are included with them.
Residents are encouraged to use built-in spam-blocking tools on their mobile devices, and to report any fake texts by forwarding them to SPAM (7726)
To file a complaint with Nessel’s office, or get more information, you can contact the Consumer Protection by filling out an online complaint form, or at the following:
Consumer Protection Team
P.O. Box 30213
Lansing, MI 48909
517-335-7599
Fax: 517-241-3771
Toll-free: 877-765-8388