Philadelphia Courts Warn of Scam Text Messages Alleging Unpaid Tolls

The court system says the messages demand payment for alleged toll violations and request sensitive information.

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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The Philadelphia Courts have issued a warning about a texting scam that alleges recipients failed to pay a Pennsylvania Turnpike toll. The messages, which appear to come from the Traffic Division of Philadelphia Municipal Court, typically have a headline that says "Notice of Hearing - TOLL VIOLATION," and then prompts the person who got the text to either "apply for a hearing" or pay the penalty. The court system says a QR code is included in the message, and anyone who receives this scam message is urged to ignore it and not scan the QR code.

Why it matters

This scam targets Philadelphia-area residents and aims to steal their personal and financial information. The court system wants to make the public aware of this deceptive practice in order to protect consumers from falling victim to it.

The details

The court system says Philadelphia Courts will never send texts demanding payment for tolls, parking or other violations, and will never request Social Security numbers or credit card information over the phone or in a text message. People should never share personal, banking or credit card information through links sent from unknown numbers.

  • The Philadelphia Courts issued the warning on Sunday, March 8, 2026.

The players

Philadelphia Courts

The local court system in Philadelphia that oversees legal matters in the city.

Pennsylvania Turnpike

A major toll road that runs across Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection

A state agency that investigates consumer protection issues and provides resources for victims of scams.

Federal Trade Commission

A federal agency that protects consumers from deceptive and unfair business practices.

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What’s next

The Philadelphia Courts advise anyone who receives one of these scam text messages or believes they are a victim to contact their local police department, the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection, or the Federal Trade Commission.

The takeaway

This scam highlights the importance of being vigilant about unsolicited text messages or calls requesting personal or financial information. Consumers should never share sensitive details over the phone or through links in text messages, especially if the source is unknown or unverified.