This Illinois Toll Scam Text Looks Real, Don’t Fall For It

The Rockford Police Department is warning residents about a new toll violation text scam sweeping through Illinois, and I can tell you firsthand it looks legit.

Illinois Scam Problems

If there’s one thing I’ve gotten really good at lately, it’s spotting a scam text from a mile away.

Over the last few weeks, I have received several text messages, and even mailings, about unpaid tolls and violations from places I've never traveled to. Today, however, I received one that did make me sweat a little...until I took a closer look at it.

This is a screenshot of the text I received:

At the beginning of February, my family was in Chicago for a Bulls game, so for a minute I thought maybe my husband drove through some tolls while I was sleeping and forgot to pay them. Then I noticed that the "notice of hearing" was issued on March 13, 2026, and that none of my personal info is included in it. That is one big red flag, friends.

This notice definitely looks official and intimidating, but don’t fall for it. Rockford Police say this is 100% a scam.

Scam Text Warning From Rockford Police Department

The sad truth is, receiving scam toll violation texts is nothing new in Illinois, but the way they look is ever-changing, so you need to stay aware.

The Rockford Police Department recently shared a warning about the troublesome text scam circulating the city, and here is another warning from the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County.

Don't let the twinge of panic get to you. If you receive a text like this don’t click anything. Don’t scan anything. Don’t enter your info anywhere. Just delete the message like it’s a group chat you regret joining and enjoy the rest of your day.