Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
01/21/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/21/2026 14:39
January 21, 2026: Consumer Alert: Wisconsin Consumers Targeted by Overdue Toll Scams.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 21, 2026
Contact: Caleb Kulich, Public Information Officer, (608) 621-1290, [email protected]
MADISON, Wis. - The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) and Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) are alerting consumers to a large wave of scam text messages claiming to come from a tolling agency collecting overdue fees.
Overdue toll text scammers appear to be targeting Wisconsin consumers with "final notice" messages that claim they are associated with WisDOT. The messages include a link to pay outstanding balances right away to avoid penalties and legal actions. If opened, the link leads to a website which appears to be a toll payment portal that looks legitimate, but in reality it is controlled by a scammer.
To avoid text scams about fake overdue toll fees, consumers should:
- Slow down. There is no need to rush to click on links or respond to the text. Scammers want to scare consumers into reacting quickly before they get a chance to pause and consider the possibility of a scam.
- Check with the tolling agency directly if they have recently traveled in a tolling area and are concerned they may owe toll fees. Consumers should contact the state's tolling agency using a phone number or website they can verify is legitimate, and avoid using any contact information provided by the suspicious text message.
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Avoid engaging with the message - report it and delete it. Unwanted messages are often sent by scammers. The best way to prevent a scam is to avoid interacting with it entirely.
Paying a scammer could result in consumers losing their money or scammers accessing their personal information. Consumers are encouraged to report suspicious calls, texts, and phone numbers to their service provider using their smartphone's built-in reporting options.
To learn more about these scams, visit WisDOT's Recognizing Scams resource at WisconsinDMV.gov/scams. To report this scam or to file a complaint, visit DATCP's Consumer Protection webpage at ConsumerProtection.wi.gov. DATCP's Consumer Protection Hotline can be contacted at (800) 422-7128 or [email protected].
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Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection published this content on January 21, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on January 21, 2026 at 20:39 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]