- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Michigan AG Warns of Uptick in Toll and Ticket Scams
Fraudulent text messages claim unpaid tolls or fines, aiming to steal personal and financial information
Mar. 20, 2026 at 6:55pm
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is issuing a consumer alert about an increase in toll and ticket scams targeting Michiganders. These scams involve fraudulent text messages claiming unpaid tolls or fines, often impersonating government agencies or private companies, in an effort to steal personal and financial information from recipients.
Why it matters
These scams are designed to take advantage of people's fear of legal consequences or unpaid bills, creating a false sense of urgency to trick them into providing sensitive information or making payments. As these scams continue to evolve, it's important for residents to be aware of the tactics used in order to avoid becoming victims.
The details
The scam messages may include fake court notices, impersonations of government agencies like the Michigan Department of Transportation or Secretary of State, or claims from private toll companies like SunPass or E-ZPass. The messages demand immediate payment for alleged unpaid tolls or fines and include deceptive links. Legitimate government agencies will not text residents to demand money and will instead mail official notices with payment options.
- Over the past year, the Michigan Department of Attorney General's Consumer Protection Team has received hundreds of complaints about these fraudulent texts.
The players
Dana Nessel
The Michigan Attorney General who is issuing the consumer alert about the increase in toll and ticket scams.
Michigan Department of Attorney General's Consumer Protection Team
The team that has received hundreds of complaints about the fraudulent text messages over the past year.
What they’re saying
“Fake toll and ticket texts have been sent to phones across Michigan for a while now, but fraudsters are constantly evolving to try to steal our hard-earned money. This alert will help residents stay a step ahead of these scams. Remember, if you receive one of these texts, don't respond. Report them as spam on your device.”
— Dana Nessel, Michigan Attorney General
What’s next
Consumers should not reply to these texts or click on links or attachments. Instead, they should use built-in spam-blocking tools on their mobile devices. Consumers can report smishing texts by forwarding them to SPAM (7726) and by sending the texts to the Federal Trade Commission.
The takeaway
These toll and ticket scams highlight the importance of consumer vigilance and awareness when it comes to unsolicited messages demanding payments or personal information. By recognizing the common tactics used in these scams, Michiganders can better protect themselves from becoming victims of fraud.
