Illinois residents are being warned about an ongoing phishing scam disguised as a text message from the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT).

The scam claims recipients owe money for traffic tickets, toll violations, or other unpaid fines. Some messages threaten consequences such as additional fees or legal action if the recipient does not respond immediately.

State officials emphasize that IDOT does not send unsolicited text messages demanding payment for tolls, tickets, or penalties. Legitimate notices involving fines are sent through the mail.

Drivers who are concerned about unpaid tolls or fees are advised to verify their status directly by logging into their Illinois Tollway account.

Suspicious messages should not be answered or clicked. Instead, residents are encouraged to report phishing attempts to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov or to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).