Scam Warning Now Issued To All Motorists In Minnesota

Holiday weekends, such as Memorial Day weekend, the Fourth of July, and more, bring millions of motorists onto the roads across the country.

According to AAA, an estimated 45.1 million Americans are expected to travel domestically over Memorial Day weekend 2025, with a significant portion of travelers, over 39 million, expected to drive. That makes road trips the most popular mode of travel.

Unfortunately, all that traveling also presents an opportunity for scammers, and the Minnesota Department of Transportation warned motorists to look out for scams that have become more common and more successful at stealing your money.

Scam Warning Issued By The Minnesota Department of Transportation

When you travel throughout Minnesota and beyond, you may encounter toll roads, many of which accept the E-ZPass as a form of payment.

E-ZPass is accepted in many states across the United States, including Minnesota, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, and West Virginia.

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Because scammers are using both toll roads and the E-ZPass to steal from people, MnDOT posted a reminder to motorists to warn them of what to watch out for.

What scammers do is send people text messages or emails pretending to be from Minnesota E-ZPass or other tolling agencies in the country and claim that they owe money. They will include a payment link, making it convenient to pay what is owed.

If you ever get a message like this, do not click any links. This is a scam attempt, and MnDOT reiterates that it will never text or email you asking for personal or sensitive information.

For your security, MnDOT does not accept credit card numbers by mail, email, chat, or voicemail.

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What You Should Do If You Receive This Message

If you get a message like this, don't click on any links and never respond, or you could be tricked into giving away sensitive data, including personal identity or credit card information.

The FBI suggests that anyone who receives suspicious messages should follow the five steps below:

1. File a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.
2. Verify if any money is owed using the toll service's legitimate website.
3. Contact your toll service's customer service phone number.
4. Delete any messages received.
5. If you click any link or provide your information, make efforts to secure your personal information and financial accounts. Dispute any unfamiliar charges.

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