If you receive a text claiming that you owe Ohio Turnpike fees, it’s a scam. If you don’t pay now, the scam text claims, you’ll owe larger fines later.

The Ohio Turnpike Commission and other toll authorities NEVER request payment or notify drivers of violations by text.

Text scams from imposters posing as companies or agencies are common. You may get scam texts about surprise deliveries, or texts about pending transactions.

Protect yourself:

• Never click on links in unexpected texts. They can load malware onto your phone or computer.
• Do not respond directly to any text demanding a payment or telling you about a problem. Figure out another way to verify – for example, by logging into your account. For the Turnpike Commission, visit ohioturnpike.org or ezpassoh.com.
• Don’t call the phone numbers provided in suspicious texts – they only lead you to a scammer.

To report a scam or get more information, contact Scam Squad at cuyahogacounty.gov/scamsquad or call 216-443-7226.