If you received a text saying you owe money for unpaid tolls, The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission wants you to know that it’s probably a scam.

Officials are warning customers to be vigilant, as scammers are pretending to be toll agencies and are sending texts demanding money immediately, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission said in a press release.

“Smishing,” or SMS (Short Message Service) phishing, is when scammers try to obtain your personal information via a text message. According to the Federal Trade Commission, the text might include a dollar amount for how much you supposedly owe, as well as a link.

Clicking the link will take you to a page that asks you to enter your bank account or credit card information. But it’s a scam that will allow fraudsters to take your money and personal information.

Since April 2024, various scammers have been impersonating tolling agencies across the country, including impersonating a collection agency that is authorized to work on behalf of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, officials said.

As these types of scams continue to surface, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission is advising people to be familiar with how it looks so you can avoid it.

The commission released a photo showing an example of how the text requesting to pay an overdue balance would appear on your cellular device.

“Reminder: Your vehicle has an unpaid toll invoice from December 2024,” the text says. “Please pay on time by February 9 to avoid a late ticket.”

The text is followed by a link you can click on to view the unpaid toll. Following the link, the scammy text ends with “Have a great day.”

Officials said anyone who receives an unsolicited text, email, or similar message that says it is from the Pennsylvania Turnpike or another toll agency should not click on the link or engage with the sender.

E-ZPass account holders and Toll By Plate customers can use approved safe methods to check their accounts by calling 877-736-6727 between Mondays and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Residents can also visit the official PA Turnpike E-ZPass website or download the PA Toll Pay app.

If you receive a fraudulent text you can file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov, a site dedicated to sharing information about Internet crimes across law enforcement agencies.