D.C. Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb has issued an urgent consumer alert to District residents, warning of a sophisticated and widespread scam involving fraudulent text messages posing as toll collection agencies.
The messages falsely claim recipients owe money for unpaid tolls and are part of a coordinated attempt to steal personal and financial information.
“Toll enforcement agencies will never contact you via text to demand payment for an unpaid toll,” Schwalb said. “These messages are part of a widespread, sophisticated scam designed to steal District residents’ personal information and hard-earned money. Residents should ignore these texts and immediately file a complaint with the FTC — if you have already responded, follow our suggested steps to protect yourself.”
According to the FBI’s 2024 Internet Crime Report, more than 59,000 complaints about these toll-related text scams have been filed nationwide. Law enforcement officials believe the scam campaign is being driven by transnational Chinese cybercrime groups that have sent out millions of texts across the country, including many to residents in Washington, D.C.
The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) reviewed over 50 examples of scams targeting district residents. The texts typically contain alarming language, such as:
- “You must settle the balance within the next 12 hours to avoid severe penalties.”
- “Pay now to avoid irreversible consequences.”
- “Failure to pay will result in immediate fines, suspension of your vehicle registration, and aggressive legal actions.”
These messages often include links that appear to lead to legitimate tolling websites, like E-ZPass or DriveEzMD, but instead direct users to fraudulent domains with extensions like .win or .xin — domains frequently used for phishing.
Some examples are https://driveezmd.com-bskfy.win/us or. https://ezpassva.com-ticketww.xin/vip.
“These fake sites are nearly indistinguishable from the real thing at first glance,” Schwalb’s office said, noting that one spoofed Maryland site used an image from a Florida highway, misspelled “toll,” and demanded payment before sharing further information — something no official agency would do.
Because the District does not operate its own toll system, scammers often redirect local recipients to fake websites for out-of-state agencies like the Washington State Department of Transportation. Residents who have received the texts are advised not to click on the links and to delete the messages immediately.
Officials advise anyone who may have responded to these texts or entered financial information to take the following steps:
- Contact your bank immediately to report fraud, block transactions, and possibly issue a new card.
- Monitor your accounts for unauthorized charges.
- Freeze your credit with one of the major bureaus—Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion—to prevent identity theft.
- Remain alert for follow-up scams, as scammers may sell your information to others.
- Report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and develop a recovery plan at IdentityTheft.gov.
Authorities said if anyone is concerned about potential unpaid tolls, contact the following official agencies directly:
- Virginia Department of Transportation – (877) 762-7824
- Maryland E-ZPass – (888) 321-6824
“These scammers target busy people with messages designed to trigger fear and urgency,” Schwalb said. “Don’t fall for it. Stay vigilant, protect your information, and report any suspicious messages immediately.”