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Your phone buzzes.

It says:

There is a link.

Maybe a QR code.

Maybe a threat.

Maybe a small fee.

And that is the trap.

These scams are spreading because they feel believable. Most of us order packages. Many of us drive through tolls. A traffic ticket or missed delivery feels possible enough to make us pause.

That pause is exactly what scammers want.

The FTC recently warned about fake traffic violation texts that look like official notices, sometimes with fake seals, fake case numbers, fake hearing dates, and QR codes. If you scan the code, scammers may try to steal your personal information, money, or install malware.

This kind of scam is called smishing.

That just means phishing by text message (SMS).

Instead of sending a fake email, the scammer sends a fake text.

The message usually claims there is a problem you need to fix right now:

The message may look official. It may use a government-sounding name, a fake case number, a fake tracking number, or a logo that looks real.

But the goal is simple:

These scams work because they are boring.

That may sound strange, but it is true.

A fake inheritance email sounds suspicious.

A random crypto opportunity sounds suspicious.

But a text about a $6 toll, a $2 redelivery fee, or a traffic ticket sounds like an annoying little chore.

That is what makes it dangerous.

The amount may be small enough that you think:

“I’ll just pay it and move on.”

But the fee is not the real target.

Your credit card, debit card, address, phone number, date of birth, Social Security number, or login details are the real target.

The FTC warns that scammers often use delivery problems or unpaid tolls to push people to fake websites that look like USPS or highway toll sites. Once there, they may ask for payment, credit card details, or even a Social Security number.

This is one of the most common versions.

You get a text claiming your package could not be delivered.

Maybe it says your address is incomplete.

Maybe it says your ZIP code is wrong.

Maybe it says you need to pay a small redelivery fee.

The United States Postal Inspection Service says that if you receive an unsolicited text with an unfamiliar link claiming a USPS delivery requires a response, and you did not request USPS tracking for that specific package, do not click the link. USPS says it will not send customers text messages or emails without the customer first requesting the service with a tracking number, and those messages will not contain a link.

That is the rule to remember:

If you did not request tracking from USPS, do not trust a random USPS text.

The toll scam usually says you owe a small unpaid balance.

It may warn about late fees.

It may claim your balance is overdue.

It may use a fake site that looks like a real toll agency.

The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center warned that it received more than 2,000 complaints about road toll smishing texts starting in early 2024, with scammers impersonating toll services and changing links and phone numbers across states.

The safer move is simple:

Do not use the link in the text.

Go directly to the official toll agency website or app you already know is real.

This one is especially nasty because it uses fear.

The text may claim:

The FTC warned that fake DMV or traffic ticket texts may threaten suspended driving privileges, extra fees, prosecution, or credit score damage, but the message is really designed to steal money and personal information.

A real legal notice should not pressure you to scan a random QR code from a text message.

If you are worried, check directly with the court, DMV, or agency using a source you know is real.

This is the big one.

If a text is unexpected and it involves money, delivery, tolls, tickets, courts, or government action, do not use the link.

Open the official app or website yourself.

Expecting a package?

Check the store or shipping account where you placed the order.

Worried about a toll?

Go directly to the official toll agency.

Worried about a ticket?

Call the court, DMV, or local agency using a number from an official source, not the text.

Use your phone’s “report junk” option if available.

You can also forward scam texts to 7726, which spells SPAM.

If you entered payment information, contact your bank or card company.

If you entered a password, change it immediately.

If you entered sensitive personal information, watch your accounts closely and consider additional identity protection steps.

The faster you respond, the better.

📦 Package text? Check the retailer or shipping account directly.

🚗 Toll text? Go to the official toll agency yourself. Do not use the text link.

🚦 Traffic ticket text? Verify with the court, DMV, or agency directly.

🔗 Unexpected link or QR code? Do not click it. Do not scan it.

💳 Tiny fee, big risk. The scam may start with a few dollars, but the real target is your personal and financial information.

Text scams work because they feel ordinary.

But if the message is unexpected and asks you to click, scan, pay, or enter personal information, slow down.

Do not use the link.

Do not trust the urgency.

Verify directly.

That one pause can save you a lot of trouble.

Until next time — stay private, stay safe.

— Peter Oram
Chief Cyber Safety Evangelist

P.S.: I’m working on a practical iPhone safety guide for parents.
Reach out if you’re interested in early access.

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