Is this unpaid toll text from Toll Road (Linkt/E-Toll) a scam?
No. Linkt, E-Toll and Eastlink are legitimate Australian toll operators; Linkt is run by Transurban and is among the most impersonated brand names in the country. The unpaid-toll text with a payment link and a late-fee or licence-suspension threat is the scam, not the operator: the real companies do not send payment links by SMS. The good news: a few quick checks almost always tell a real Toll Road (Linkt/E-Toll) message from a fake.
Genuine Toll Road (Linkt/E-Toll) links lead to linkt.com.au, etoll.com.au, eastlink.com.au — but a link can be made to look real, so don't go by the link alone. Below is exactly what a real Toll Road (Linkt/E-Toll) message looks like, the scams currently circulating in its name, the red flags that give a fake away, and a real example to compare against. Got a message in front of you? Check it now for an instant verdict.
What a real Toll Road (Linkt/E-Toll) message looks like
Genuine messages from Toll Road (Linkt/E-Toll) link to linkt.com.au, etoll.com.au, eastlink.com.au. Treat a link to any other address as a warning sign.
- Genuine Linkt and E-Toll notices are sent by email from an address ending in linkt.com.au or etoll.com.au, or by ordinary post to the registered address
- Eastlink statements and reminders are sent from eastlink.com.au addresses or posted; they do not contain clickable payment links in SMS
- Real toll-road communications never ask for immediate payment via an SMS link
- Account holders can view and pay tolls by logging in directly at linkt.com.au, etoll.com.au or eastlink.com.au after typing the address themselves
- Transurban-operated toll notices reference a specific trip date, toll-road name and vehicle registration that match records already held by the driver
What Toll Road (Linkt/E-Toll) will never do
- Send an SMS containing a payment link (Linkt and E-Toll do not send payment links by text)
- Demand immediate payment to avoid fines, licence suspension or vehicle deregistration
- Send a toll notice that lacks a specific trip date, toll-road name and vehicle registration you can verify against your own records
- No legitimate toll operator collects payment through a link in an unsolicited message; tolls are paid inside your account after you log in yourself
Common Toll Road (Linkt/E-Toll) scams
- Unsolicited SMS claiming an unpaid toll with a link to a fake payment page on a domain such as linkt-au[.]example
- Messages pretending to be from E-Toll that threaten licence suspension or extra fees unless payment is made through the provided link
- Emails or texts using lookalike domains like e-toll[.]example that mimic official branding and direct recipients to enter card details
Red flags to watch for
- SMS messages demanding urgent toll payment with a link — Linkt and E-Toll do not send payment links by text
- Any domain other than linkt.com.au, etoll.com.au or eastlink.com.au, especially those with hyphens, extra words or country-code endings
- Requests to pay immediately to avoid fines or vehicle deregistration
- Messages that do not reference a verifiable trip date or vehicle registration already known to the recipient
Toll Road (Linkt/E-Toll) scam examples
These composed examples show how scams impersonating Toll Road (Linkt/E-Toll) typically read, with the tells that give each one away. Compare them against anything you've received.
Linkt: You have an outstanding toll of $8.90 from a recent trip. Pay within 24 hours at linkt-payments[.]example to avoid a $75 administration fee and referral to enforcement.
What gives it away:
- Linkt does not send payment links by SMS, so the message format itself is the giveaway
- It names no trip date, toll road or vehicle registration, because the sender knows nothing about you; a real notice matches records you can check
- The small toll paired with a large threatened fee is the pressure lever: the amount is trivial, the card details you enter are the target
E-Toll Final Notice: Repeated attempts to collect your unpaid toll have failed. Your licence will be suspended unless payment is completed today at etoll-resolve[.]example.
What gives it away:
- Toll operators do not suspend licences, and no legitimate operator demands same-day payment through a message link
- Real E-Toll contact comes from etoll.com.au email addresses or ordinary post, not a threat by text
- 'Final notice' for a debt you have never heard of is a script, not a process; check by logging in at etoll.com.au yourself
Subject: Toll invoice overdue: immediate action required. Dear driver, your account shows an unpaid toll balance. Settle it now at eastlink-billing[.]example to prevent additional fees and vehicle deregistration.
What gives it away:
- The sender and link are not eastlink.com.au, linkt.com.au or etoll.com.au; lookalike billing domains are the core of this scam
- 'Dear driver' with no registration, trip date or road name means a bulk send, not a real invoice
- Vehicle deregistration threats are scare theatre; genuine overdue tolls appear in your account when you log in yourself
Not sure about your message?
Paste the suspicious Toll Road (Linkt/E-Toll) text or email and get an instant scam verdict, free.
How to verify a message from Toll Road (Linkt/E-Toll)
- Do not tap the link, pay anything, or reply to the message
- Type linkt.com.au, etoll.com.au or eastlink.com.au into your browser yourself and log in; any genuine unpaid toll will be sitting in your account
- Compare the message against your own records: a real notice cites a trip date, toll-road name and vehicle registration you can verify
- If you do not hold a toll account at all, the debt cannot exist; delete the message and report it
If you have been scammed in Toll Road (Linkt/E-Toll)'s name
Clicked the link, paid, or shared details? Act now. The first hour matters more than anything else you do later.
- Call your bank immediately, block the card you entered on the fake payment page, and dispute the charge; small toll payments are frequently followed by larger unauthorised transactions
- If you entered your toll-account password, change it on the real site after typing the address yourself, and everywhere else you reuse it
- If you provided your driver licence number or other identity details, contact IDCARE (idcare.org) for free identity support
- Report the scam to Scamwatch and ReportCyber using the links below, and forward the scam text to 7226 so carriers can block the sender
Where to report a scam impersonating Toll Road (Linkt/E-Toll)
Received — or fell for — a message impersonating Toll Road (Linkt/E-Toll)? Report it. It helps authorities and carriers shut the campaign down for everyone who gets the next one.
- Scamwatch — Report the scam to the ACCC's national scam service.
- ReportCyber — Report cybercrime and financial loss to the police.
- ACMA — Complain about scam texts and spam SMS, email or calls.
- Forward to 7226 (SCAM) — Forward the scam SMS to short code 7226 so carriers can block the source.
- IDCARE — Free identity and cyber support if your details were taken.
Latest Toll Road (Linkt/E-Toll) scams in 2026
The unpaid-toll text is one of the most reported SMS scam themes in Australia, and Linkt, as the biggest name in tolling, carries most of the impersonation load in 2026. Campaigns arrive in bursts, blanketing phones regardless of whether the owner drives, holds a toll account, or lives near a toll road. The wording rotates between late-fee warnings, 'final notice' escalation and licence-suspension threats, and the payment domains change almost daily, but the skeleton never does: a small debt, a short deadline, a link. The habit that defeats it: never pay a toll through a message. Log in at linkt.com.au, etoll.com.au or eastlink.com.au yourself, where any real toll will be waiting.
Frequently asked questions
I got a text from Linkt about an unpaid toll with a link — is it a scam?
Yes. Linkt does not send SMS messages containing payment links. Delete the message and log in directly at linkt.com.au to check your account.
How do I know if a Toll Road or E-Toll email is real?
Check the sender domain ends exactly in linkt.com.au or etoll.com.au and never click links; instead type the official address into your browser and log in to view any outstanding tolls.
What should I do if I received a fake toll notice?
Do not click any links or enter payment details. Report the message to Scamwatch at scamwatch.gov.au and, if personal details were given, contact IDCARE on 1300 432 273.
What are the real Linkt, E-Toll and Eastlink websites?
The only official sites are linkt.com.au, etoll.com.au and eastlink.com.au. Always reach them by typing the address into your browser yourself, then log in to view or pay tolls. Any payment page on a different domain, however similar it looks, is a scam, and a genuine unpaid toll will always be visible inside your account.
I paid a fake toll text with my card. What should I do now?
Call your bank straight away to block the card and dispute the payment, because card details given to these pages are often reused for larger charges. Then report the scam to Scamwatch (scamwatch.gov.au), forward the text to 7226 (spells SCAM) so carriers can block the sender, and report to ReportCyber (cyber.gov.au) since money was lost.
Related scam types
Scams impersonating Toll Road (Linkt/E-Toll) usually fit one of these patterns. Learn how each works:
Sources
- Text or SMS scams (Scamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre))
- Phishing scams (Scamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre))
- Report a scam (Scamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre))
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice — always verify with Toll Road (Linkt/E-Toll) through an official channel.