Security, Privacy & ScamsOctober 2026 · 6 min read

A Text Says You Owe a Toll or Missed a Package? How to Tell It's a Scam

Text scamsSmishingToll scamPackage delivery scamOregonWashingtonSecurity, Privacy & Scams

Short answer: If a text you weren't expecting says you owe an unpaid toll, have a traffic fine, or need to pay or update something to get a package delivered, treat it as a scam. Don't tap the link and don't reply. If you think the bill or package might be real, check it yourself by typing the official website into your browser or calling a number you already trust.

These texts keep landing on phones on both sides of the Columbia River. Oregon DMV and ODOT warned again in February 2026 about texts claiming you owe a toll or traffic fine, and in March 2026 Washington's Attorney General warned drivers about the same kind of fake toll and ticket messages. The Postal Inspection Service and the FCC warn about fake package delivery texts too.

What these texts usually look like

The wording changes, but the pattern stays the same. According to the agencies' own warnings, watch for:

Scary, official-sounding headlines such as "Final Notice – Toll Violation (Oregon)" or "Evasion Notice for Oregon Traffic Court," which are examples Oregon DMV has quoted.
A deadline, often the same day, plus threats like a suspended registration or license, late fees, or damage to your credit.
A link that looks believable because it contains words like ODOT, DMV or oregon.gov somewhere in the address.
A text from an ordinary-looking phone number you don't recognize.
For package scams, a "tracking" link that asks you to update your address, pay a small redelivery fee, or confirm your card.

What the real agencies say they will and won't do

Oregon DMV and ODOT say they will never ask for payment through an unsolicited text, email, phone call or third-party website.
Washington's Good To Go! toll program says it never sends texts asking for payment and only takes payments at MyGoodToGo.com. It also says its real texts come from the number 75381, and if you don't have a Good To Go! account, it wouldn't be texting you.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service says USPS only texts or emails you about a package if you asked for tracking with a tracking number first, and those messages won't contain a link.

So a text that breaks those rules is a strong sign you're looking at a fake.

How to check whether you really owe something

Never use the link or phone number in the text itself. Instead:

For Oregon DMV or ODOT, go to oregondmv.com by typing it yourself, or call DMV at 1-855-540-6655 or ODOT at 1-888-ASK-ODOT (1-888-275-6368).
For Washington toll bills, sign in at MyGoodToGo.com. Anything Good To Go! would bill you for shows up in your account there.
For a package, open the tracking link from the store's order confirmation email, or go to the carrier's website yourself and enter the tracking number.

What to do with the text

Don't tap the link and don't reply, not even "STOP." A reply tells the sender your number is active.
Forward it to 7726 (that spells SPAM on the keypad). The FCC says several mobile carriers use that number to collect spam reports. Check with your carrier if you aren't sure.
Use your messaging app's built-in option to report the message as junk or spam, then block the number and delete the text.
Report it to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Include the sender's number and the link from the text (copy it without opening it).

If you already tapped the link or paid

Don't panic, but act today. Oregon DMV says to secure your financial accounts and dispute any charges you don't recognize, and the Postal Inspection Service says to notify your bank even if you only opened the link and never hit submit.

If you entered a card number, call the number on the back of the card. Ask the bank to block it and send a new one, and dispute any charges you don't recognize.
If you typed in a password, change it right away, starting with the site it belongs to and any other account where you reused it. Turn on two-step sign-in where you can.
If you gave your Social Security number or driver's license number, visit IdentityTheft.gov for a step-by-step recovery plan.
Watch your bank and card statements closely for the next few weeks.

Where Gorge residents can report it

Oregon: the Oregon Department of Justice takes consumer complaints online through its Report Scams & Fraud page. Its Consumer Hotline is 1-877-877-9392, open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Washington: the Washington Attorney General's Office takes complaints through its File a Complaint page.
Fake USPS texts: the Postal Inspection Service asks you to email spam@uspis.gov with the text pasted in (don't click the link), your name, and a screenshot showing the sender's number and date.
Losses over the internet can also be reported to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.

A good habit for the whole family: when a text asks for money and gives you a deadline, stop and check it a different way. Real agencies and delivery companies will still be there tomorrow, and a scammer's deadline is just a way to keep you from thinking it over.

Sources and Further Reading

Originally published: October 2026
Last verified: October 2026
Written & maintained by: Gorge Computers Editorial