A text says you have an unpaid Linkt or Transurban toll — click to pay before a fine is issued
A text claims you have an outstanding toll from Linkt (Transurban), E-way (EastLink), or state road agencies (RMS, VicRoads, Main Roads) — usually $4-$12 with a "final notice" tone. The link leads to a fake site that captures card details and identity data. Ramped hard in 2024-2026 as fake toll notices were among the top three smishing categories in Australia.
Also known as: Linkt toll text scam, fake Transurban toll notice, Roam toll smishing, unpaid tollway text scam, E-way payment text scam
Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes
- 1 Call your bank or card's fraud line right now. Use the number on the back of your card — not any number from the message or caller. Ask them to stop or reverse the payment and freeze the account.
- 2 If you paid by gift card, wire, or an app (Zelle, Venmo, Cash App): contact that company immediately and report it as fraud. Acting fast sometimes recovers the money.
- 3 Report to the FBI at ic3.gov and the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. The sooner, the better.
What to do right now
- 1 Do not click the link. Log into your real Linkt account at https://www.linkt.com.au (type the URL yourself) or your state's tolling account and check whether the trip is real
- 2 Forward the scam text to 0429 999 888 (Scamwatch SMS reporting) then delete it
- 3 If you have already entered card details on the fake site, call your bank on the number on the back of your card and cancel the card
- 4 If you provided your driver's licence number or vehicle registration, place a fraud alert with IDCARE (https://www.idcare.org) and consider a Federal Police report if you notice further identity misuse
- 5 Report to Scamwatch at https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/report-a-scam or ReportCyber at https://www.cyber.gov.au/report.
Red flags
- ⚠ The text arrives about a specific highway or toll road even though you haven't used it recently — or you don't have a car
- ⚠ The amount is small ($4.30, $8.99, $12.20) and the message urges payment within 24-48 hours to avoid a $100+ fine
- ⚠ The link is not linkt.com.au — it's a lookalike like 'linkt-payment.com', 'transurban-toll.com', or a shortened URL
- ⚠ The payment page also asks for licence details, vehicle registration, and address — data used later for identity fraud
- ⚠ The text often arrives from a mobile number, not from a shortcode reserved for legitimate businesses
- ⚠ The 'toll trip' the text references doesn't exist when you log into your real Linkt account
Known variants
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Fake state road agency variant: text impersonates NSW Roads (RMS), VicRoads, Main Roads WA, or QLD Transport claiming unpaid tolls or infringement notices. Uses .gov.au-looking URLs. Since state agencies do actually enforce toll fines, victims are more likely to click.
Last seen: 6/15/2026