If Someone Says, 'You Must Pay, or Else,' It's Likely a Scam. Ways to Protect Yourself

Have you received a text saying you owe money for driving through a toll booth and not paying? Or maybe you've received a message from what seems to be the Internal Revenue Service telling you that you need to pay your back taxes now or face a hefty fine? Then you've been exposed to an infamous "you owe money" scam. 

These are scams in which con artists try to convince people that they owe money to a particular entity and better pay up or else.

"Scams where the scammer demands money are on the rise, and people are losing more money every year to them," says Danny Jenkins, CEO and co-founder of ThreatLocker, a cybersecurity solutions company. He says that technology, such as artificial intelligence, allows scammers to reach millions of people at a time, improving the odds that they will con somebody.

You also may have a lot of bills (who doesn't?), which can make these scams seem credible. But that's what the con artists behind these "you owe money" scams are counting on: plausibility and fear.

Common scams that claim you owe money

So what does a "you owe money" scam look like? In general, if you receive an email, phone call or text claiming you owe money, look at it with a lot of skepticism. Watch out for these "you owe money" scams.

Unpaid toll scam

If you drive a lot, it may seem believable that you forgot to pay a toll. But if any toll company asks you for money, it's almost certainly a scam. If they ask for personal information, like your Social Security number, it's definitely a scam.

The con artists typically "get" you by saying you owe a small toll fee, but you need to pay it now to avoid a much larger late fee. If you see the text and think it's legit, you might quickly pay. After all, it's only $5 and lets you avoid being charged $50, for example.

But if you do this, you'll end up not only paying money you don't owe, you'll be giving your debit or credit card information to a con artist. If you do think you owe money, Jenkins suggests looking up the toll company's phone number -- "don't use the one a potential scammer is providing" -- and contact them separately.

Fake trash pickup scam

This scam happened in Detroit in February but could seemingly happen anywhere. Thieves emailed Motor City residents that they had outstanding payments (anywhere from $500 to $2,000) with a trash service.

The scammers even posed as a company that used to service the targeted neighborhoods, which helped make the scam look more convincing. 

Similar to what Jenkins suggests doing for a toll booth scam: Do not use the phone number you're given by the potential scammer. Look up the company's contact information yourself.  Even then, be extra careful to double check the url of the webpage you land on. Scammers aren't above putting up fake websites that look like a real company, using a similar URL.

"Scammers use slight differences to trick your eye and gain your trust," Jenkins said.

Express lane scam

These are cons related to express or HOV lanes -- those special lanes on highways that charge extra fees or are designated for higher occupancy vehicles.

Some con artists have been sending texts to drivers in states like California and Colorado, informing them that they're behind on payments and need to cough up the dough now or get slapped with a fine.

It can be tricky to know if the text is real since express lane companies do send customers messages, but only if you've given them your contact information. You can check with the company's official website to find out how they may communicate with you. If the company only sends emails or calls, for instance, you'll know a text message is a scam. 

Jury duty scam

This has been happening a lot in Las Vegas. And it happened in Florida. And Nebraska. OK, it happens a lot.

The jury duty scam generally works like this: You'll get a text telling you that there is a bench warrant out for your arrest because you missed jury duty, and you'll need to post $8,000 in bail unless you want to be arrested and fined $18,000. Some of these cons look pretty authentic, using the names of real judges and addresses of real courthouses.

But this is a scam. Yes, courthouses do want you to do your civic duty and show up for jury duty, and you may be fined if you don't. But, as an example, if you miss jury duty in North Carolina, you will be fined $50. It's extremely unlikely you'll be tossed in the clink and experience financial ruin for missing jury duty. Lots of courthouses now post warnings on their websites not to fall for a jury duty scam.

Debt collector scam

There are a lot of different types of debt collection scams. The generic kinds claim you owe money on a credit card or payday loan from years ago. Then there are more specific debt collector scams, where they say you owe for a tax debt or for X-rays or lab tests that your doctor ordered some time ago. These phishing scams can appear very real because they often use the names of real companies to make them sound authentic.

And if you believe the person is really a debt collector, you might stay in touch with them. By continuing to engage with a fake debt collector, they may be able to convince you to pay the money just to get them off your back.

Sure, you may think you're never going to fall for something like this, but as Jenkins says, "The problem with these scams is that they wouldn't keep happening if they didn't work. It's important to be educated and stay vigilant of scammers."

Instead of engaging with the "debt collector," separately reach out to the place you supposedly owe money to -- your health care provider or credit card company, for example. You can find out from them if you actually have an outstanding debt.

Red flags to look out for

These "you owe money" scams often do seem legitimate, but there are telltale red flags to look for:

• Urgency. Yes, if you owe a reputable company money, they want it now. But real businesses tend not to come off like mobsters. If the message feels almost threatening, this is likely a scam.
• Pay money to avoid a bigger fine. Most businesses tend to just slap a fee on you, which you'll discover on your next bill. It should give you pause if you receive a separate communication saying you can avoid a larger fine by paying a smaller one now. 
• You have no specific memory of owing the debt. You're being told you owe money but don't remember driving through the toll lane or receiving a jury summons. This is your common sense kicking in. Listen to it.
• Unusual payment methods. If you're told to pay a fine with gift cards, gold bars or some other unusual method, it's likely a scam.
• Strange links. Don't click on any link from a stranger who texts you. Links will look slightly different and can be anything from "bit.ly" links to "short.urls." Many times, they're a random sequence of letters and numbers. If you see a link like this, it's a sign that something dangerous awaits you on the other side.

How to protect yourself if you think you're being scammed

As for how to protect yourself if you're targeted, here are a few important steps you can take.

1. Take a deep breath and patiently read over the message. Does it seem plausible and likely that you really owe this money?
2. If you receive a "you owe money" phone call, email or text, do not agree to pay anyone anything until you verify that it is from a legitimate company.
3. Research the company the person says they're with. Scammers often use real names of people and companies when creating cons. You might need to play the role of dogged detective. Loop in a trusted family member or friend if you have serious doubts, and get their opinion. Reach out to the company or municipality directly instead of using the phone number or clicking on the link that you receive in the message.
   
4. Contact the authorities to report the scam. You can report complaints about fraud to the Federal Trade Commission and the FBI through its Internet Crime Complaint Center. Also reach out to the company being used in the scam so they can take action and warn other consumers. 
5. Use your cellphone's block call and text features for unwanted calls or messages.

Why am I getting these messages?

You may wonder how a scammer got your number in the first place, especially if you're careful about giving it out. But it can happen in many ways:

• Data breaches. There were major breaches in 2024, including National Public Data and Change Healthcare, which impacted hundreds of millions of people. Data breaches orchestrated by hackers can compromise personally identifiable data, such as names, birthdays and Social Security numbers.   
• Data brokers. Some companies sell phone numbers and emails. Some industrious scammers buy them.
• The dark web. The dark web is a hidden part of the internet, where illegal activity can often be found. Scammers generally can buy phone numbers and emails there.
• Social media. People may put their phone number and email on social media, which makes it easy for scammers to find. 

You should be cautious about putting your personal information online or handing it out on a whim just because someone asks for it. But if scammers contact you anyway, insisting you owe money, don't blame yourself. Con artists will try to scam you no matter how careful you are. It's important to stay vigilant and not fall for whatever outlandish story they're serving up this week.