12 Jun I got a scam text about E-ZPass. Could they have my information?

Q. I get a text message from random people (supposedly) posing as the Motor Vehicle Commission saying I evaded a toll. I delete and report as junk. But I wonder if they have my E-ZPass info. The messages come sometimes within a week, other times once every few weeks. Your thoughts?
— On the lookout for fraud

A. Yup.

All of these texts about unpaid tolls and violations are scams.

You’re right to delete and report as junk.

Texts claiming to be from E-Z Pass, other auto-toll services from other states and the Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) have been on the rise.

Indeed just recently, the New Jersey Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell — which describes itself as the state’s one-stop shop for cybersecurity information sharing, threat intelligence, and incident reporting — said it received several reports from residents reporting a similar scam.

It said the messages claim there is an outstanding traffic ticket that must be paid otherwise you will have your vehicle registration and driving privileges suspended, a toll booth charge increase and your credit score will be impacted.

“The URL displayed in the message includes `ezpassnj’ and `.gov’ in an attempt to appear legitimate,” it said. “The message itself does not allow the user to click the included link directly but instead instructs them to reply to the message with `Y’ and reopen the message to click the link or to copy the URL to their browser.”

It said the links lead to “fraudulent websites that attempt to extract personally identifiable information, financial details, or account credentials.”

“This SMiShing scheme is similar to others that have circulated impersonating NJ toll services and EZ-Pass claiming the user has an outstanding toll that needs to be paid to avoid a late fee,” it said.

Importantly, it advises that the MVC only sends text messages for appointment reminders. It does not text about driver’s license or registration status.

It also said: New Jersey E-ZPass does not send unsolicited text messages to collect payments.

“If your account is in collections and being handled by Credit Collection Services, you may receive text messages from Credit Collection Services regarding your account. Their text message will list a phone number, their website www.ccspayment.com, and reference a file number,” it said.

As for whether or not these scammers have your E-ZPass information. Maybe. But it’s more likely that because so many people use the service, sending our huge batches of these texts is like throwing at a huge dartboard. It’s hard to miss the target: someone who uses the service and could potentially fall for it.

Email your questions to Ask@NJMoneyHelp.com.

This story was originally published in June 2025.

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