Scam alertGlobal
“Unpaid toll” and traffic-fine texts are a phishing wave
Posted 28 Aug 2026
A surge of scam texts and WhatsApp messages claims you have an unpaid road toll, a traffic fine, or a “FASTag / E-ZPass” issue, and must pay a small amount right now through a link — or face a much bigger penalty.
The link leads to a convincing fake payment page that harvests your card or UPI details, and often a one-time password to finish the theft. The amount is kept deliberately tiny — a few rupees or dollars — so you pay on reflex without stopping to check. Real toll operators and transport authorities never demand payment through a texted link.
What to do
- Don’t tap links in toll, fine, or “FASTag / account blocked” texts — even when the amount looks trivial.
- Check any toll or fine only on the official app or website you type in yourself, or the number on a genuine paper notice.
- Never enter card, UPI, or OTP details on a page you reached from a message.
- Delete the text and report it — forward smishing to your carrier’s spam-reporting number where one exists.