‘I feel lousy’: Tampa woman, 83, paid a heavy $4,500 toll after being hooked by trendy phishing text. Here’s what the scam looks like — and how to avoid falling for the bait

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.

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.

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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.