If you have recently traveled across New England, or maybe even to New York, or New Jersey, you may encounter a toll road. We don’t have toll roads in Vermont, so when we stumble upon them while traveling, the encounter can feel like a new occurrence. Twenty years ago, when the highway sign alerted of an upcoming toll, I would frantically dig around the car for spare coins to hopefully gather enough change to allow me to pass through the toll.
While some tolls have cash and booth payments, I experienced a new toll system a few years ago. While driving in another New England state, I was surprised to see there was no toll booth on a well-traveled toll road, but a digitized pass-through. There was no need to collect change, because the toll was now a series of cameras that would capture my car and license plate by photo and bill me later. While sparing me the unfortunate scenario of being short change, the new system offered a new convenience. The toll booths can seem so stealthy that sometimes, I must admit, I don’t notice them. It’s the not knowing that can make this new scam seem plausible. What if you did travel recently, passed through tolls, and haven’t been asked to pay anything yet?
When scammers text, posing as familiar toll operators and say things like, “Please pay your toll to avoid fines and keep your driver’s license in good standing,” how can you tell if it is the toll operator requesting payment, or a scammer?
The primary identifier is that legitimate toll operators will contact you by mail for any actual delinquent fees incurred when utilizing a toll road without paying.
Do not respond to unsolicited text, emails, or calls demanding payment. Always avoid links from unknown or unsolicited messages.
When in doubt, check it out. Always take steps to verify unknown contacts by using publicly available contact information, not information provided by the solicitor. You may also confirm any state’s toll fee assessment with their tolling agency.
Report scams to the Consumer Assistance Program at ago.vermont.gov/cap or by phone at 1-800-649-2424.